Laser engraved and laser cut aluminium is an indispensable part of many industries. Valued for its unique properties of being lightweight and incredible durable, this robust material is the metal of choice for a range of sectors from aircraft and aerospace to construction and more.

Aluminium is commonly used for electrical cable due to its electrical conductivity. It’s also an ideal material for high voltage towers where its lightweight properties are needed in power lines.

Because it’s light and malleable, it is a common component in many items that we use every day including chairs, lamps, refrigerators, air conditioners, mobile phones, and laptops. Aluminium is food-safe and non-toxic, so you’ll often to see the material being used in kitchen utensils, in packaging of fizzy drinks and of course for wrapping food.

The fundamental difference between regular aluminium and anodised aluminium is that the latter has a layer of oxide over the surface material. This layer of oxide is beneficial for many reasons, it improves the insulation properties of the material and increases the thickness of the surface, turning it into a very hard compound and therefore ensuring it’ll have a high wear resistance. In fact, the surface of anodised aluminium is so hard, it comes second only to diamond on the Mohs scale.

The addition of this anodised layer to aluminium makes it a particularly easy material to laser mark and laser engrave. Unlike non-anodised aluminium, a CO2 laser can be used effectively to mark and engrave anodised aluminium.