METAL LASER

ENGRAVING and MARKING

Yes. Fiber and MOPA lasers can directly engrave and mark many metals, including stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, gold, silver, and selected alloys. They can create permanent logos, text, serial numbers, QR codes, barcodes, graphics, and traceability information.

CO₂ lasers are better suited to anodized, painted, powder-coated, and other compatible treated metal surfaces. Bare-metal results depend on the laser source, alloy, surface finish, coating, desired depth, and marking effect.

Common laser-markable metals include stainless steel, carbon steel, tool steel, aluminum, anodized aluminum, brass, copper, bronze, titanium, nickel alloys, gold, silver, platinum, and selected coated or plated metals.

Processing behavior varies by alloy composition, surface condition, coating, reflectivity, and laser wavelength. Specialty alloys, plated parts, and unknown surface treatments should be identified and tested before production.

The best metal laser settings depend on the metal type, alloy grade, surface finish, laser source, desired color or depth, lens, and machine configuration. The following Aurora Lite 50W fiber laser settings can be used as starting references.

These values are starting references only. Metal grade, alloy composition, surface finish, coating, laser source, lens, desired depth, color, and machine configuration can require different settings. Run a small material test before production and adjust speed, power, frequency, hatch, line interval, pulse width, and passes as needed.

For more tested starting parameters, visit the Thunder Laser Material Settings Library. To learn how to test and fine-tune settings for your own material, see our guide to finding the best laser material settings.

For direct metal engraving and marking, the Aurora Series is the primary choice. Aurora Fiber is well suited to fast, durable marking on metals such as stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, gold, and silver, including logos, serial numbers, barcodes, QR codes, and general industrial identification.

Aurora MOPA provides wider pulse-width and frequency control for applications that require more control over contrast, surface appearance, black marking, fine engraving, and color marking on selected metals such as stainless steel.

For larger-format workflows that include both metals and non-metals, Titan Pro combines RF CO₂ and MOPA fiber laser sources in one system. Bolt, Nova, Nova Plus, and Titan CO₂ systems are better suited to compatible anodized, painted, powder-coated, and other treated metal surfaces rather than direct engraving of bare metal.

Laser marking is a broad process used to create permanent identification or visual changes on a metal surface. Laser engraving removes material to create measurable depth, making it useful for durable logos, text, tools, molds, plates, and industrial components.

Annealing uses controlled heat to create an oxide-based mark with little or no material removal and is commonly associated with stainless steel and titanium. Coating removal removes anodized, painted, powder-coated, or other compatible surface layers to reveal a contrasting material underneath.

Standard CO₂ lasers are generally not the primary choice for directly engraving bare metals because their wavelength is not absorbed as efficiently by many metal surfaces as fiber or MOPA laser wavelengths.

CO₂ lasers are better suited to anodized aluminum, painted metal, powder-coated metal, and other compatible treated surfaces. They can also create visible marks on some bare metals when used with a suitable laser marking compound. For direct bare-metal engraving and marking, fiber or MOPA is generally the better choice.

Yes. Selected stainless steel and titanium surfaces can produce visible color effects when carefully controlled laser parameters create oxide layers with different optical properties.

MOPA lasers are particularly useful for this application because adjustable pulse width and frequency provide greater control over heat input and oxide formation. Available colors and consistency depend on the alloy, surface finish, cleanliness, focus, hatch pattern, speed, power, frequency, pulse width, and other parameters.

Yes. Anodized aluminum is widely used for laser marking because the anodized surface can be modified or selectively removed to create strong contrast for text, logos, serial numbers, QR codes, labels, and graphics.

CO₂ lasers can process compatible anodized surfaces by modifying or removing the coating, while fiber and MOPA lasers provide additional marking options. MOPA is especially useful when optimizing dark or black marks on selected anodized aluminum surfaces.

Yes. Laser annealing uses controlled heat to create an oxide layer on the surface of selected stainless steels with little or no significant material removal.

This process can create dark, permanent identification while maintaining a relatively smooth surface. The result depends on the stainless-steel grade, surface preparation, laser source, focus, speed, power, frequency, pulse characteristics, and heat input.

Yes. Fiber and MOPA lasers can create permanent QR codes, Data Matrix codes, barcodes, serial numbers, model numbers, logos, and other traceability information directly on compatible metal parts.

For machine-readable codes, mark contrast, cell size, edge definition, surface finish, code dimensions, and consistent positioning all affect readability. Test the finished code with the intended scanner or inspection system before production.

Start with a clean stainless-steel surface and use a parameter test matrix to adjust speed, power, frequency, pulse width, hatch spacing, focus, and number of passes. A dark mark generally requires controlled energy input rather than simply using maximum power.

MOPA lasers provide greater pulse control and are useful when optimizing deep black or high-contrast marks. The best settings vary with stainless-steel grade, finish, lens, machine power, and the type of black effect required.

Deep metal engraving removes material through repeated laser passes. Start with the correct focus and use a tested combination of power, speed, frequency, hatch spacing, and passes for the specific metal.

Greater depth normally requires multiple passes, but excessive heat can reduce detail or affect the surrounding surface. Remove debris when needed, monitor the engraving depth, and refocus during very deep engraving if the application requires it.

Yes. Fiber and MOPA lasers can engrave and mark compatible copper and brass parts for logos, jewelry, electrical components, identification plates, decorative products, tools, coins, and industrial components.

Copper and brass can be more reflective than steels, so results depend on surface finish, alloy composition, laser wavelength, focus, power, frequency, speed, and desired depth or contrast. Test the exact material before production.

Yes. Compatible gold, silver, platinum, and other jewelry metals can be laser engraved or marked with names, dates, logos, patterns, photographs, serial numbers, and personalized designs.

Fiber and MOPA lasers are commonly used because they can create fine details without mechanical tool contact. Precious metals should be tested carefully to balance mark quality, engraving depth, heat input, and unnecessary material removal.

Use a laser source designed for direct metal processing, such as a compatible fiber or MOPA laser, and begin with tested parameters for the exact metal and surface finish. Clean the surface before marking and confirm focus carefully.

Highly reflective surfaces may require different speed, power, frequency, pulse, or hatch settings than matte or oxidized surfaces. Do not assume that parameters for stainless steel will produce the same result on copper, gold, or polished aluminum.

For direct engraving and marking on bare metals, a fiber laser is generally the better choice because its wavelength is well suited to many metal surfaces. It can create permanent marks and engraving on stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, gold, and other compatible metals.

A CO₂ laser is more suitable when the application involves anodized, painted, powder-coated, or otherwise treated metals, or when the same machine also needs to cut and engrave non-metal materials such as wood, acrylic, leather, or fabric.

A standard fiber laser is a strong choice for fast, durable general metal marking, including logos, text, serial numbers, QR codes, barcodes, and industrial identification.

A MOPA laser provides a wider range of pulse-width and frequency control, making it more flexible for applications such as stainless-steel color marking, selected black marking, fine engraving, and processes where greater control over heat input and surface appearance is important.

Yes. A compatible rotary attachment can rotate cylindrical or curved metal parts while the laser marks the surface, allowing designs to follow the circumference more consistently.

Typical applications include tumblers, bottles, rings, bracelets, cups, pens, tubes, and cylindrical components. Correct rotary setup, diameter, focus, alignment, and artwork positioning are important for consistent results around the part.

Yes, many compatible anodized, painted, powder-coated, and plated metal products can be laser marked. The laser may modify or remove the surface layer to reveal a contrasting substrate or create a visible change in the coating.

Always identify both the base metal and the complete coating or plating system before processing. Unknown paints, coatings, adhesives, or plating layers should not be processed until their composition and laser compatibility have been verified.