Laser marking is a widespread process in industry of general use to create logos, notices, codes, brands, engravings, in order to either customise, functionally or aesthetically, or identify and recognize the elements. This application requires a moderate investment and exploits the endless potential of the technique: precision, productivity, reliability, flexibility and quality. Moreover, it allows operating on a complete range of materials such as metals, plastics, compounds, semiconductors, materials treated on the surface, cardboard, paper, cotton, silk, wool, wood, plywood, leather, rubber, glass, terracotta, stones, bricks, ceramics, porcelains, marble, granite, quartz and crystal. Laser marking employs sources of power in the 10 to 100 W range and may occur according to a number of different phenomena:
- removal of surface layers: surface ablation, engraving, burning
- surface transformation: melting, drilling, structuring (formation of pores)
- formation of chemical compounds: oxidation, chemical decomposition, activation of pigments.
It is possible to attain differences in contrast and, for specific materials, differences in colours by proper combinations of process parameters.