Words you will meet
- Wavelength
- A property of light that affects which materials absorb it.
- Engrave
- Make a mark or remove material at the surface.
- Galvo
- A system using moving mirrors to steer the laser beam.
Light does the work
A laser concentrates light onto a material. Where the material absorbs enough energy, its surface changes or material is removed. Engraving makes a surface mark or recess. Cutting passes through. Scoring follows a line without necessarily cutting through. Each needs a suitable material and a checked setup.
A common desktop machine moves a head across a bed. Another type uses fast-moving mirrors to steer the beam; this is called a galvo system. Movement style and laser source are different choices. A moving-head machine is not automatically a diode, and a galvo is not automatically a fiber laser.
The material must absorb the beam
Different laser types produce different wavelengths, or types of light. A material may absorb one and transmit or reflect another. This is why the same wattage does not make two different laser technologies interchangeable. Color, coatings, composition and thickness can also change the result.
Focus concentrates the beam in the intended region. An incorrectly focused beam can produce a wide, weak or inconsistent mark. Increasing power is not a substitute for checking focus, clean optics and the material’s identity.
What a first project should teach
Start with a small engraving on a known, flat, laser-approved blank. Learn placement and consistency before adding a cut-out shape. A router removes chips; a laser introduces heat and fumes. Both need planning, but they have different material limits and safety arrangements.
Your practice task
Separate the design from the process
- Sketch a name tag and mark which parts are engraved and which are cut.
- Choose a material whose supplier and machine maker confirm suitability.
- Write what you need to learn about positioning before running it.
Keep a record: The project, material identity and the operations it needs.
A mistake worth avoiding
Assuming a machine that engraves a surface can also cut through that material.
Check your understanding: Does engraving metal prove a laser can cut metal?
No. Marking, removing a coating, engraving and cutting are different jobs with different equipment requirements.
05 / Project notes
Notes for your next project
Check off the topics you have reviewed and record anything useful for your next build. This tracks your learning progress; use your equipment’s setup procedure for machine checks.
Record: The project, material identity and the operations it needs.
No notes recorded. Use this space for your observations.
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Check each topic above to mark the lesson as reviewed. You can browse any lesson at any time.
Sources and next reading
Read the instructions for your exact model. Linked manufacturer examples explain particular systems; their settings and procedures are not universal. Sources checked October 17, 2026.