* General guide only, there are many crossovers and caveats, please contact us for more details.
About
Laser Engraving Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is as versatile as it is strong. Used in thousands of applications across the world, this useful metal is used in a wide range of industries from construction and catering to automotive and healthcare sectors.
Today, laser cutting and laser marking technology plays a critical part in the manufacturing of stainless steel applications.
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Properties of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel has a thin layer of chromium oxide which protects it from corrosion, rust and oxidation. This resistance to corrosion is what makes stainless steel the first choice for a range of applications and is the reason why it’s so widely used in both big industries and smaller scale businesses across the world.
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Laser Marking Stainless Steel
When it comes to laser marking stainless steel, your options are truly infinite. From traceability marking to company branding and even personalised gifting options, the sky’s the limit. So what laser sources are suitable for this application?
MOPA Fiber
Fiber laser marking is used to mark the surface of an object. When a fiber laser meets stainless steel it removes the surface material, essentially carving the surface by chemical and physical changes. These changes are caused by light energy (photons) reacting in the target area.
MOPA fiber lasers produce less heat than other laser sources. This makes it a particularly good choice of laser for marking stainless steel because it reduces the damage to the material and therefore increases its resistance to corrosion.
UV Laser
UV lasers create permanent and corrosion-resistant markings on stainless steel. With a spot size 3x smaller than a fiber laser, the UV marking process is extremely fine and controlled, making it ideal for delicate, accurate marking.
A UV laser source produces significantly less heat than other wavelengths such as CO2. It’s considered a form of ‘cold marking’, which means materials are less prone to damage or heat stress when marked by a UV laser.
This laser source is ideal for marking stainless steel surfaces for a range of sectors, including medical, because the surface texture is unchanged once it’s marked. This makes it an incredibly sterile way of marking surgical equipment. However, if you are looking to deeper engrave stainless steel, a MOPA Fiber laser would be more suitable.
Machine
Recommendations
Whether you’re an industrial manufacturer or a small business, we have the right laser machine to meet your needs for marking stainless steel. From traceability marking on production lines to personalised laser etching jewellery and branding, our laser machines are designed to do it all.
As one of the first commercially available UV laser marking machines, the Meta-C UV is able to mark practically anything. Designed to serve the commercial and industrial sectors, built with our time-tested Meta-C chassis, with a projected working life of over 15 years.
| Scan Area | Laser Type | Power (W) |
| 300mm x 300mm | Ultraviolet | 3-15 |
We know of no other MOPA fiber laser marking machine on the market today at this price point that delivers the performance and functionality of µMeta. Built using the same high-grade components as the rest of the Meta line, just more compact, boasting 16 wave-forms making it ideal for colour marking or complex tasks.
| Scan Area | Laser Type | Power (W) |
| 220mm x 220mm | MOPA Fiber | 20-30 |
Introduced in 2012, with a track record of near zero failures, the Meta-C Fiber laser engraving machine is built for millions of flawless operations, decades of use and supports the latest marking software and accessories.
| Scan Area | Laser Type | Power (W) |
| 300mm x 300mm | MOPA Fiber | 20-100 |
UNIQUE
Advantages
Easily Adjustable
A fiber laser is easily adjustable to achieve greater depth when marking stainless steel, making it very flexible and easy-to-use.
Long Life and Maintenance-Free Period
Most fiber laser modules possess more than 100,000 operating hours before any maintenance is needed.
Mark with Precision
A UV laser has a spot size 3x smaller than a fiber laser so it can achieve high detail and exceptional resolution.
Cold Marking
UV produces significantly less heat than other laser wavelengths so materials are less prone to damage or heat stress.
FLEXIBILITY
Colour Marking Stainless Steel
In recent years technology has evolved to allow for colour changing of certain metals. Using a 1µm wavelength fiber laser, it’s possible to replicate colours with laser marking to produce an extremely impressive aesthetic on a range of applications. Stainless steel offers the widest range of controllable colour changes, allowing you to produce effects of gold, purple, brown, blue, green and red. Whilst not a fast result to achieve, this method of replicating colours with laser marking produces a clean, sleek and permanent finish, unlike the alternatives of print or paint processes.
Examples
Fiber Laser Videos
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Meta C 60w Fiber laser engraving green powder coated bottle
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Meta C 60w Mopa Fiber laser engraving automotive part
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Meta C 75w CO2 laser engraving powder coated bottles
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Meta C 75w CO2 laser engraving a ceramic mug
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Meta C 60w MOPA fiber laser engraving tools on 1 2m conveyor feed
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uMeta laser engraving the inside of rings
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uMeta laser marking a high quality photo to a keychain
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Meta C MOPA fiber laser marking plastics
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uMeta laser engraving steel and aluminium with some depth
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