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The best laser engraving machines to engrave logos, names and motifs on everyday objects. laser engraving machines make it possible to engrave any object with patterns, logos or images without any problem.

The powerful lasers used for engraving can seriously damage the human retina. Therefore, strictly adhere to the safety requirements when engraving or laser cutting with the devices. In particular, always wear laser safety glasses or mount a laser protection plate on the device.

Some powerful lasers can engrave the motifs not only on non-metallic materials, but also on aluminum or copper, for example. Take extra care when handling it. For engraving on glass, crystal or other transparent materials, we recommend that you consult a professional company.

The larger the engraving area, the larger the objects that you can edit with your laser engraving machine for wood or metal and provide them with patterns, logos or images. Therefore, choose a device whose size is suitable for your purposes.

Business pens, door signs, key rings. Engraving company logos on everyday objects has been very popular for years. But laser marking is also becoming increasingly popular in the private sector. Using a powerful laser, almost any motif can be applied to surfaces and workpieces.  Unlike printing, however, laser engraving is permanent. A laser heats the surface of the workpiece of the surface to be machined in such a way that the material evaporates, chars or discolours. The prices of laser engraving machines are now so affordable that you no longer have to fall back on used laser engraving machines.

In my purchase advice for our laser engraving machine I show you what to look for when buying engraving machines and I give you information about laser cutting and the use of laser marking equipment.

How can you engrave and cut using light?

The performance data of lasers describes the emitted light output. The power of the lasers described here is many times higher than that of other types of laser. An example: a normal laser pointer has light output values ​​of 3 to 10 milliwatts (mW). The higher the specified value, the stronger the light emitted by the laser.

But how can lasers actually be used for engraving or even as laser cutting machines? After all, it’s just light. The answer to this question lies in a small  physical property of light , which I would like to explain to you with a short example.

An engraving laser would be able to burn through a projector wall without any problem, while a show laser would be harmless at the same light output. The secret of lasers lies in their scattering. While the  light forces are bundled and focused on a small point with the engraving laser, the show laser spreads the power widely and thus distributes the power over a large projection area. The same phenomenon is also used by children who scorch blades of grass in the garden using a simple magnifying glass. Using the magnifying glass, you can focus the solar radiation on a point where the heat scorches the blade of grass.

In addition, the surfaces of workpieces from a very short distance are processed with lasers. Projection lasers are used over greater distances. The longer a laser beam is, the more energy it loses along the way and is therefore weaker at the destination.

Lasers are divided into several categories , which are defined according to the international standard IEC 60825-1: 07-2015. For example, lasers suitable for skin contact (for removing hair or reducing skin wrinkles) are classified in laser class 1C. All lasers built into laser engraving machines fall under laser class 4. This is the highest laser class and has no performance limit. The laser weapons of the clone warriors from the Star Wars movies would therefore also fall into this category if they were real.

All laser class 4 products are very powerful and  can cause a fire or even explode . However, there is only a risk of incorrect and gross negligence of the device. If you strictly follow the safety rules, you always play it safe. Nevertheless, we recommend that you take special care and attention when using the devices.

laser engraving accuracy 

According to various laser engraving machine tests on the Internet, the engraving accuracy of a laser describes how accurate the laser is in engraving the pattern or image or how large the deviations are. The principle is similar to that of a  printer that can print in certain resolutions. The more accurate the laser engraver, the higher the quality of the patterns or images. I would recommend a laser engraving machine where the deviation of the machines does not exceed 0.05 mm.

Large machines for large laser engravings

The larger the dimensions of the engraving size, the larger objects or workpieces you can process with the laser engraving machine. While small objects such as pens are easy to engrave with small devices  , large devices should also  be used for larger workpieces, for example if you want to laser the letters into the wood of a wooden nameplate for the front door.

Are the supplied laser safety glasses often cheap?

Since strong light, such as that emitted by a laser or produced during welding, can be harmful to the human eye, it must be well known. Therefore, you should never expose the retina of your eye to laser radiation. This applies to both direct and indirect radiation. To ensure that you do not look into the laser during the manufacturing process, some manufacturers install screenson their devices that protect your eyes from the harmful radiation. Instead, other manufacturers supply special safety glasses with laser engraving machines that you must wear during the manufacturing process. These safety glasses are in most cases not of particularly high quality and should be regarded as an absolute minimum of safety. High-quality safety glasses are available in many online stores or at electronics stores.

Which materials can be processed with an engraving laser?

Depending on their performance, laser marking machines can engrave different types of material. Many online laser engraving machine tests divide the materials into three categories Engraving metal requires particularly powerful lasers.

Non-metallic materials : Wood, plastic, leather, paper, stone

Metallic fabrics : aluminum, copper, sheet, stable, iron

Transparent fabrics : Glass, crystal, Plexiglas

Non-metallic materials are usually engraved by private individuals. Practical examples include name labels for the wooden door, leather cases, personalized postcards or even stones. In the industrial sector, metals are engraved with the best laser engraving machines, such as key rings or high-quality ballpoint pens  with the company logo. Some companies  even engrave the company logo on workpieces as a branding measure. The possibility to engrave metal is the laser engraving machine Kecheer 7000 .

The laser marking of transparent materials such as glass, crystal or acrylic glass is in most cases used for decorative purposes such as cups, vases or glass figures.

Most commercially available marking lasers and laser cutters are compatible with all common Windows versions such as XP, 7, 8 and 10, . The operating system is required to make the necessary settings for the engraving via the software of the device. A few devices are compatible with Apple’s MAC operating system, but your choices are very limited in this area. The focus is clearly on the Windows platform. If you are looking for a laser engraving machine , I recommend using the Microsoft operating system.

Laser engraving machines and image file formats

Depending on the operating software, the devices can use different image formats as templates for the laser engraving. Particularly flexible and versatile products (often from well-known manufacturers) can be recognized by the fact that they can process a large number of image formats. According to laser engraving machine tests, the three most common image formats are JPG/JPEG, BMP, and PNG. Any good software should be able to handle at least JPG files for engraving.

The most sold laser engraving machines

Orion Motor Tech 60W CO2 laser engraving machine 400 x 600 mm laser engraving machine with USB connection (60W-400 x 600 mm)

  • laser power: 60 W; engraving area: 400 x 600 mm; cutting thickness: 0-10 mm (depending on different materials); engraving speed: 0-500mm/s; cutting speed: 0-80mm/s. Positioning Accuracy: <0.01mm.
  • Compatible software: The open source platform works with all laser software such as Lightburn, AutoCAD and Coreldraw. Beard with LCD digital controls up to 256 different tones. Compatible with Windows 7, Win 8, Vista, XP and Win 2000. The RDWorks/Corellaser software is included.
  • Laser positioning design: The illuminated red dot guide indicates the cutting position. Speed, power and other parameters can be adjusted through the control panel. The color-coded raster/vector mapping allows intuitive changes in engraving speed and performance.
  • USB Connection – Download image files easily via the USB connection, so you can work without a PC. It supports multiple graphic formats: AI, GIF, JPG, JPEG, PDF, PNG, PLT, DXF, SVG, NC, Daylight Savings Time, DSB, UD5, BMP and others.
  • Wide range of applications: suitable for jewelry, crafts, woodworking, textile cutting, industrial branding and prototyping, painting production, aerospace design, architecture models, plastics, stamps, photo frames, personalized gifts, barcode, carving, puzzle making, furniture manufacturing, trophies engraving, sliding patterns, finger joints, inlays and overlays, game clocks, circle models. 

3000Mw Laser Engraving Machine, Engraving Machine, Laser Engraving Stylus Printer Acrylic 490×490 Pixels USB Mini Engraving Machine CNC Router Cutting Offline Operation Engraved Printer DIY Design

  • Wide range of applications, good for image engraving and deep engraving, you just need to adjust the laser head, flexible materials can even print 3D and degraded effects.
  • New engraving machine adopts innovative technology to support USB cable connection to PC. With the advanced Smart-App program you can engrave yourself anytime and anywhere via smartphone or tablet. Professional software helps to edit images and monitor the engraving process. (If the connection is not successful, an input call will be displayed.) The software is available in 6 languages. 

TOPQSC Engraving Machine, Laser Engraving Machine, Portable, Auto Logo, Laser, Craft, With Safety Glasses, Mini Engraving Machine, Working Space 150mm x 150mm, 3500mw

  • housing aluminum + acrylic, laser power: 3500 mW, material of the laser engraving machine: aluminum + acrylic, working range: 150 x 150 mm, software: laser GRBL, power supply: 12 V/5 A.
  • Easy to Operate: Some components and main components are mounted, which greatly reduces the trouble of high-precision mounting. The final behavior only takes about 10 minutes.
  • Controller software: GRBL; the software is easy to operate, free updates. Supported Operating Systems: Win7/Win8/XP/Win10, Android (Neje scanner).
  • Full function: This product is suitable for laser engraving on pin motor laser engraving and laser engraving. We offer laser modules with 2500 mW, 5500 mW, 7000 mW, 10000 mW. If you want to buy a laser module.

32 bit motherboard laser engraving machine cutting machine (Size : 15w)

  • Motherboard: It can preprocesses 32 instructions, support Baud rates up to 921600, and has more powerful functions. The engraving speed can be as high as 3000mm/min.
  • Smart: The main laser firmware is smarter, faster, more accurate and easier to use.
  • Accurate: The laser beam can be controlled more precisely and even a high-power laser unit can be used to “draw” images on paper.
  • Protection: If the computer system stops working or the USB cable is disconnected, which may cause the laser engraving machine to stop moving, the laser beam will stop to prevent fire. If the laser engraving machine is in a controlled condition, the user will forget to operate the laser beam and make it work normally, the extra safety will be cut off when the motor stops using fire. 

CNC Machine CNC 1310 Metal Engraving Machine Mini CNC Machine Cnc Router Pvc Pcb Aluminum Copper Engraving Machine

  • Spindle with cutters mainly used for engraving: copper/brass, aluminum, wood, plastic, PCB, acrylic, PVC, plywood, etc.
  • Laser engraving for: wood, plastic, leather, bone, stone, paper, shell, etc. (cannot engrave metal)
  • Offline controller supports offline work, no need to connect to a computer
  • ER11 is pre-assembled on spindle shaft before shipment.
  • Ease of use – According to the instructions, the machine is easy to assemble. Easily connect to computers via USB port and controlled by GRBL. Supports Windows XP, win7, win8, win10, (32/64) 

VEVOR CNC 3018 DIY engraving machine with 5500mW laser, DIY mini CNC machine engraving machine, laser engraving with 5500mW laser and GRBL engraving machine, 3 axis milling machine for wood, PVB, PCB etc.

  • Premium Quality: Made of 2020 aluminum profiles and black die-casting material for durable use and high precision. The working area is 300 (X) x 180 (Y) x 45 (Z) mm.
  • Simple operation – the machine is very easy to install. Connected to computer and operated by GRBL only with USB port. With the mini laser software, the laser engraving can be achieved. Supports Windows XP SP3, Win7, Win8, Win10 (32/64) and Linux system.
  • Practical Controls- A GRBL control panel with two Y-axis, four-axis drive and full functionality for easy engraving.
  • High Performance: Equipped with T8 screw-rod drive units, three 42 stepper motors and a 775 spindle motor of 24 V (12-36 V) with a speed of 10.00 rpm. There is also a 5.5 W laser with a wavelength of 450 nm.
  • Wide range of applications For engraving all kinds of plastics, soft aluminum, acrylic, PVC, PVB, etc. The laser engraving machine can be used to engrave plastics, leather and other soft, non-reflective materials.