Laser engraving machines play an important role across hundreds of different industries. Interested to learn more about them? This article will take a closer look at some of the biggest industries that use laser engraving, from automotive to jewellery.

Can Laser Engravers Work with Any Material?

One of the main reasons why laser engravers are now used across the world's biggest industries is because they're capable of engraving almost any material that's put in front of them. Some of the most commonly used materials with laser engravers and laser cutters are:

  • Plastics
  • Woods
  • Metals

Interestingly, laser etching glass is also possible. Yes, that's right: you can also mark and etch glass, despite how fragile it is. Through the power of a laser engraving machine, you can laser engrave mirrors, window glass, champagne bottles, and plenty more. Usually, this involves a rotary engraving attachment rotating the glass object during the process, which then enables lettering to be etched on without causing any damage at all.

Automotive

The automotive industry is booming right now. In 2022 alone, 85.4 million cars were produced, and almost all of them had some kind of engraving done by laser machines. Primarily, laser engravers are used in the automotive industry for marking and engraving specific vehicle parts for identification and branding purposes (e.g., logos). It's important to remember that most vehicle parts are considerably large, so this enables much faster manufacturing and processing than manual etching does, which is ultimately why laser engraving has become so popular in the automotive industry.

Pharmaceuticals

Laser engraving is also a big part of the highly important pharmaceuticals industry. In fact, it's the preferred method used by manufacturers due to the simple fact that it allows superior engraving, from numbers and text to logos and symbols. Remember, engraving is especially important in pharmaceuticals because customers and patients need to easily see important information, which laser engraving allows. For instance, dental implants and hip replacements are now commonly engraved by lasers.

Electronics

Next, electronics. Almost all your favourite electronics devices, from your iPhone to laptop, have been laser engraved during the production process. Again, this is typically for branding purposes, as laser etching allows brands to include their logos and important information on their electronics products.

Jewellery

Lastly, there's the jewellery industry. For a long time, laser engraving has been used in the jewellery industry. This is because it's costly and time-consuming to do the engraving manually, which is why most manufacturers have started using laser engravers. The way this works is that ultra-tiny parts of the jewellery are melted with a laser. The melted parts then cool and deposit, so the desired engravings are formed, such as the brand name.

You can laser engrave any type of jewellery, from earrings to necklaces. This is great, as it also allows companies to offer personalised engravings to customers. For instance, people can request for their names to be laser engraved on the jewellery they buy, such as rings.