Laser Engraving
Subtractive deep laser ablation delivering tactile 3D relief, industrial mold texturing, high-durability instrument panels, and bespoke architectural elements.
Deep Precision Laser Engraving
Laser engraving removes physical material in layer-by-layer micro-passes to create tactile, permanent recessed graphics and structural pockets. Using high-peak-power pulsed lasers, Lumicision vaporizes material cleanly without applying mechanical contact forces that could vibrate or distort sensitive parts.
Custom Relief & Technical Precision
Whether your project requires sub-millimeter depths for ink fill, anti-slip knurling on tooling grips, or deep cavities for custom tooling inserts, our digital control yields repeatable results across single prototypes and high-volume runs.
Compatible Materials & Alloys
Our laser systems are optimized with assist gases (Nitrogen, Oxygen, Shop Air) and beam frequency controls for clean cuts across:
Typical Industrial Applications
- ✓ Injection Mold cavity texturing and date wheels
- ✓ Control console faceplates and backlit dials
- ✓ Serialized brass plaques and permanent architectural panels
- ✓ Luxury packaging, awards, and premium promotional goods
- ✓ Firearms, knives, and custom tactical equipment
Engineering Tolerances & Capability Guide
| Material & Grade | Thickness / Envelope | Feature / Geometry | Standard Tolerance | Process & Assist Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardened Tool Steels (H13, S7, D2, P20 up to 62 HRC) | Solid blocks & mold inserts | Cavity micro-texturing & logo embossing | ±0.0005" (±12.5 µm) depth repeatability | Layer-by-layer 3D voxel laser ablation with Ra 0.4µm finish |
| Brass & Architectural Bronze | 0.060" to 1.000" plate | Deep tactile relief & instrument dials | ±0.0005" (±12.5 µm) | Crisp draft angles with blackened oxide paint-fill capability |
| Cast Acrylic (PMMA) & Rowmark | 0.060" to 0.750" sheets | Reverse-engraved backlit control panels | ±0.001" (±0.025mm) | Even light diffusion with frosted or polished floor |
| Dense Hardwoods (Walnut, Maple, Oak) | 0.125" to 2.000" solid stock | Architectural wall panels & luxury packaging | ±0.003" (±0.075mm) | Sealed clean-burn CO2 optics |
* Tighter non-standard tolerances available upon engineering review. Contact our quality department for specific GD&T and CMM inspection requirements.
Frequently Asked Technical Questions
How deep can Lumicision laser engrave into hardened tool steel?
Using multi-pass high-frequency pulsed fiber ablation, we can engrave from shallow 0.0005 inch surface textures up to 0.250 inch (6.35 mm) deep 3D cavities directly into hardened tool steels (including H13, D2, and S7 up to 62 HRC) without causing micro-cracking or tool deflection.
Can you reproduce 3D bas-relief sculptures and grayscale depth maps?
Yes. Our laser software interprets 16-bit and 32-bit grayscale height maps, slicing them into hundreds of sub-micron z-axis ablation layers to generate organic 3D contours, mold cavity textures, and coin dies with optical surface finishes.
Does laser engraving affect heat-treatment or cause residual stress in metal parts?
No. The pulse duration of our industrial engraving lasers is in the nanosecond-to-picosecond regime. Material is instantly vaporized via cold optical sublimation with virtually zero thermal conduction into the core substrate, keeping heat-treatment hardness and dimensions completely intact.
What drawing and 3D file formats can I supply for an engraving quote?
We support DXF, DWG, Adobe Illustrator (AI), SVG, Vector PDF, and 3D grayscale displacement maps (TIFF, PNG), as well as STEP models for multi-axis positional alignment.
Have CAD Files Ready?
We accept STEP, STP, DXF, DWG, AI, and PDF drawing packages for instant tooling & turnaround evaluation.