Introduction
The use of stainless steel has grown popular in the laser engraving industry. Like all steel variations, stainless steel contains iron and carbon but what differentiates it is the further alloying with Nickel and Chromium. These new elements make stainless steel unique. When you think about metal best known for its durability, strength, and superior corrosion resistance, stainless steel should come to mind. And as a hobbyist or small businessperson, learning how to laser engrave stainless steel is an industry-standard. Therefore, you cannot afford to leave laser engraving stainless steel and other metals out of your skillset.
The Wonders of Stainless Steel
You need the best bang for your buck and you can count on the durability of stainless steel to fulfill your engraving needs. You can mark onto the surface of stainless steel, and rest assured that the metal would withstand the harshness of the engraving process without getting disfigured or damaged.
Stainless steel’s high-temperature resistance coupled with its superior strength makes it tough. This toughness ensures that it withstands the stress it is exposed to when being laser engraved and markings remain clear and legible afterward. Manufacturing companies may mark thousands of items every day with a high-spec laser, enabling them to retain a high degree of traceability without affecting the manufacturing speed.
Nickel and Chromium bring anti-corrosion properties that are crucial when you need your product to be free from contamination. For example, in the medical industry, stainless steel is used in numerous worktops, equipment, and parts. Many other sectors, such as the automobile, home appliance, and catering industries, use stainless steel because of its anti-rust properties and lack of contamination.
Additional advantages of laser engraving stainless steel include its speed and efficiency with designs. Complex graphics can be drawn onto stainless steel in seconds, depending on the type of laser machine used. Let’s take a closer look at the differences and similarities of these machines and their unique mode of operation for laser engraving stainless steel.
Machines to Consider
Stainless steel is a special class of steel that requires careful consideration. The two machines to consider when laser marking on stainless steel are CO2 laser engravers and fiber laser markers. But here are some significant differences between using these two methods:
Working Principle
A CO2 laser engraving machine works by using a gas laser source with a high wavelength. The primary laser medium is a gas discharge which is air or water-cooled, depending on the type of laser tube. Gas molecules release the laser beam with enough power to engrave or cut through non-metals. Since a CO2 laser engraver’s beam has a wider focal diameter, using it to laser mark stainless steel requires a special pretreatment coating, usually in the form of an aerosol spray. The spray is applied on the stainless steel surface where the marking is to be placed and allowed to dry before starting the laser process.
A fiber laser marking machine works by using a fiber laser source mainly. The wavelength is much smaller than a CO2 laser engraver, making a more concentrated laser beam with an extremely small focal diameter suitable for engraving most metals, including stainless steel. The fiber laser marking machine has good beam stability, can penetrate metal, and has a long service life. The best part is that stainless steel and other metals do not require any pre-treatment and are ready to fire away. But, because of the laser radiation produced, you must wear safety glasses at all times to avoid serious eye injuries.
Machine Features
A fiber laser marker usually has a smaller working area compared to a typical CO2 laser engraver, but it is known for its non-pollutant nature, excellent beam quality, high speed, and excellent electro-optical efficiency conversion. A CO2 laser engraver, on the other hand, has a more convenient workspace. For instance, OMTech’s 50W Mid-Range CO2 Laser Engraver has a working area of 12” x 20″, while a 50W Fiber Laser Marker has 12” x 12″. The good thing is, both machines are easy to move around your workshop as desired.
Another angle to compare both machines is the engraving speed. Fiber laser markers are at least ten times faster than CO2 laser engravers. This means the work time efficiency of a typical fiber laser marker far exceeds the CO2 laser engraver, meaning you could produce more markings in less time. The major constraint here is the price of each machine. OMTech’s 50W Fiber Laser Marker costs roughly $6,000 while their 50W Mid-Range CO2 Laser Engraver costs $2,000.
This brief comparison shows that both machines have their individual selling points such as affordability for CO2 laser engravers and high-efficiency conversion for fiber laser markers. This leaves you with the opportunity to make a choice based on the feature you desire and of course, your budget.
Industrial Application
Many industries employ the services of CO2 laser engravers and fiber laser markers for many reasons. CO2 laser engravers are more prevalent in these industries:
- Signage making
- Custom awards
- Glassware
- Home decor
While fiber laser markers have made a bigger impact on these industries:
- Jewelry marking
- Medical equipment
- Electronic parts
- Auto parts
- Weapon marking
Quality of the Product
As a small business, the quality of your merchandise is what matters the most. Delivering high-quality products assures you of almost 100% customer retention as a small business. Again, if you choose to acquire a CO2 laser engraver for your metalworking needs, then you must treat the metal prior to laser engraving stainless steel. However, the metal itself will not change in color or texture, but the applied surface layer can be removed.
A fiber laser marker would apply finer details (higher resolution) and thinner lines for your designs. This implies that the tiniest of details such as a data matrix or QR code can be marked with a fiber laser marker without messing up the accuracy.
Conclusion
As you can probably see, fiber laser markers are the best machine for laser engraving stainless steel and other metals. Furthermore, CO2 laser engravers are more suitable for materials such as wood, leather, glass, and acrylic. If you have the financial resources, you should purchase both, especially as a small business. It is certain that having both machines will allow you the opportunity to take on any job without hesitation. This can allow your business to grow faster and consistently deliver great results. OMTech provides both machines along with laser engraver parts, accessories, software, and training. With the mix of an OMTech machine, bold aspirations, and a creative imagination, you can unlock the endless possibilities of laser engraving and laser marking.
