What Can a Fiber Laser Actually Engrave On?

One of the questions we get pretty regularly is what materials our laser can work with. It is a fair question, and the answer is more interesting than most people expect. A fiber laser is not a one trick piece of equipment. Here is a rundown of what we have worked with and how each material responds.

Powder Coated Stainless Steel

This is where most of our store products come from and what most people are familiar with when they visit our site. The way it works is the laser burns through the colored powder coating down to the bare stainless steel underneath. The contrast between the two creates a sharp, clean engraving that is permanent. It will not peel, fade, chip, or wash off. Ever. Our tumblers and water bottles are the best example of this, and it is the reason we chose powder coated stainless as the foundation of our drinkware line.

Bare Metal

Bare metal is where things get really interesting. Without a powder coat layer to work through, the laser works differently depending on the metal. On stainless steel it can etch the surface to create contrast, or with the right settings it can go deep and remove material entirely. We have used this technique on knives, spinning tops, challenge coins, and business cards. The results on a polished or brushed stainless surface are striking, and the depth you can achieve with multiple passes opens up a whole different level of detail.

We have also worked on copper, brass, aluminum, and steel, all of which respond well to the laser. The warm tone of copper and brass combined with the darkened engraved areas creates a look that is hard to replicate any other way, and aluminum and steel give you a clean, precise result that holds up over time.

A good portion of our bare metal work is done for corporate clients and because of the nature of those jobs we are not always able to share photos of the finished pieces. If you have a corporate or business project in mind, reach out and we can talk through what we can do.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is one of those materials that surprises people. A fiber laser can engrave into the glaze of a ceramic tile and create permanent, detailed images that look great and hold up over time. We have done memorial pieces, decorative tiles, and personalized gifts on tile and the results have been excellent. The black glazed tile in particular gives you incredible contrast and a very clean finished look.

Leather and Leatherette

Leather and leatherette engrave very well with a fiber laser. The laser darkens the surface of the material and creates a permanent impression that looks like it was branded in. It works great for keychains, wallets, patches, and small accessories. The detail you can get on a leatherette keychain with a logo or custom design is impressive for how small the surface area is.

What a Fiber Laser is Not the Right Tool For

Wood is the big one. We get asked about wood fairly regularly and the honest answer is that a fiber laser is not the right tool for it. Wood absorbs the fiber laser wavelength differently and you do not get the clean results you would expect. A CO2 laser is the correct tool for engraving wood, and we do not have one of those in the shop. If someone asks us about a wood project we will tell them upfront rather than take the job and hand them something that does not meet our standards.

The Bottom Line

If you have a project in mind and you are not sure whether it is something we can do, reach out and ask. We are happy to talk through the material and let you know what is possible before any money changes hands. The variety of materials we have worked with over the years means there is a good chance we can make it work.

Dave and Gail Kemner Design