Welcome to SCL

We have an array of lasers in varying beams and wavelengths that we employee. This guarantees your project has the perfect cut. We can cut most nonconductive materials as well as most thin metals. 

Laser marking refers to the placement of legible information onto the surface of a part with little or no penetration. For example in the case of marking anodizing aluminum, no actual depth is created into the part, only the anodized surface is removed by the laser beam.

Etching and engraving is used mainly on metals such as titanium and stainless steel.  Both of the processes use high heat to create permanent markings on most metal surfaces. This option is most popular for our customers in the firearms industry as well as the tool making industry for creating a permanent, lasting surface mark. 

Aluminum is one of the most commonly marked substrates and is used in many industries. Typically, with lighter marking intensity, aluminum will turn white. It looks good when the aluminum is anodized, but white marking is not ideal for bare and cast aluminum. More intense laser settings provide a dark grey or charcoal color.  Ablation is the most common marking technique for anodized aluminum, but some cases call for etching or engraving. 

There are many types of coatings used to harden or protect metals from corrosive elements. Some coatings, such as powder coat, are thicker and require more intense laser settings to completely remove. Other coatings, like black oxide, are thin and meant to protect only the surface. These are much easier to ablate and will provide great contrast marking. Our lasers can ablate, etch and engrave coated metals. 

Tungsten and Carbide are two of the hardest metals on earth and are widely used in tooling and cutting applications. Another popular application for these materials is wedding bands for men. Tungsten and carbide are receptive laser marking metals and laser engraving metals. 

Nickel is commonly used as a plating. It can be forged or used as the base metal for some parts, but is usually considered too soft for industrial use. Alternatively we can also process thin, delicate foils such as used in next generation battery technologies.

Non-semiconductor ceramics come in a variety of shapes and forms. Some are very soft and others are hardened providing a lot of variety. In general, ceramics are a difficult substrate to laser mark as they do not typically absorb a lot laser light or wavelength.  Ceramics that can be marked are often annealed, but etching and engraving are sometimes possible, too. 

Plastics and polymers are by far the most expansive and variable materials that are marked with lasers. There are so many different chemical compositions that you cannot categorize them easily. The most common we see include: Acrylic, PEEK, PEI, and PET.  Most plastics and polymers can be lightly etched or engraved, but consistency is always a concern.

Precious metals like silver and gold are very soft. Silver is a tricky material to mark as it oxidizes and tarnishes easily. Gold can be very easy to mark, requiring little power to get a good, contrasting anneal. Annealing allows the surface oxidation to create contrast, removing only a precise amount of material.  Because of the value of these materials, engraving and etching are not common.

Besides aluminum, stainless steel is the most commonly marked metal we see at Santa Clara Laser. It is used in virtually every industry. There are several types of steels, each with varying carbon content, hardness, and finishes. Part geometry and size also vary greatly, but all allow for a variety of marking techniques.