Laser Marker Buying Guide

Are you looking forward to DIY or buy an affordable laser marking machine for hobbyists or industrial manufacturing to mark parts, tools, crafts, gifts, arts, tags, signs, jewelry, bearing, wire, guns with metal, wood, plastic, fabric, leather, glass in USA, UK, UAE, Canada, Australia, Russia, South Africa, China, India or other countries from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania? Review 2022 best laser marker buyer's guide for CNC machinists, operators and beginners, we'll offer you 2022 top rated laser marking systems with custom laser marking service to fit your laser mark projects, ideas and plans.
What Is A Laser Marking Machine? - Definition
Laser marking machine is a type of laser system with CNC (Computer Numerical Control) which adopts fiber, CO2 or UV laser beam to leave permanent marks of texts, numbers, letters, logos, signs, photos, pictures, patterns on 2D or 3D surface of metals (aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized steel, carbon steel, titanium, iron, alloy, brass, copper, silver, gold), wood, fabric, leather, plastic, acrylic, glass, ABS, PCB, rubber, silicone, and polymer. This is different from ordinary inkjet printing. Laser markers have advantages of high speed, high quality, high precision, pollution-free, safety, easy operation, free maintenance and low cost. Laser marking machines are also known as laser markers, laser mark machines, laser marker machines, laser marking systems, laser etching machines, laser stippling machines, laser labeling machines, laser printing machines and laser marking tools.
How Does A Laser Marking System Work? - Working Principle
Laser marking systems adopt laser beam to mark label that has been made by graphic utilities. There are both 2D mark for flat surfaces, and 3D mark for curved surfaces.
2D Laser Marking System
The mirror galvanometers are used to scan laser beam and mark on 2D surface. The f˜ lens is used to concentrate the light on the 2D surface.
3D Laser Marking System
The mirror galvanometers are used to scan laser beam and mark on 3D surface. They will move the focus lens (instead of f˜ lens) back and start adjusting the laser beam not only on X axis and Y axis, but also on Z axis.
Laser Marking Process
The system has six different marking processes include annealing engraving, marking, staining, foaming, removing and carbonizing, which is widely used in industrial manufacturing applications, school education, small businesses, home business, small shop and home shop.
What Are Laser Marking Machines Used For? - Applications
The best laser marking machines are distinguished by the laser oscillator. We have fiber laser oscillator generating a 1.06μm laser beam, a UV laser oscillator generating a 0.355μm laser beam, a CO2 laser oscillator generating a 10.6μm laser beam. UV laser converts a fundamental laser to one-third wavelength by a non-linear optical crystal. Fiber lasers are known for generating power effciently, thy are compact due to the oscillation principle. Fiber laser is more suitable for processing metals than UV laser and CO2 laser. UV lasers are effected by the laser wavelength conversions, they can make detailed processing with a low thermal effect for the materials that have a high absorption rate for these wavelengths, however, the operating cost may be high. UV laser markers are very good for plastic. CO2 lasers are more easily absorbed by clear materials because they have a longer wavelength than fiber lasers and UV lasers, this makes them good for marking glass or other clear materials. CO2 lasers are very good for PVC, paper, rubber, glass and wood.
How Many Types Of Laser Marking Machines?
As you are looking for, we always call them as laser metal marking machine, laser part marking machine, laser tool marking machine, laser wood marking machine, laser jewelry marking machine, laser gold marking machine, laser stainless steel marking machine, laser bearing marking machine, laser plastic marking machine, laser glass marking machine.
Laser Sources: Fiber lasers, CO2 lasers, UV lasers.
Table Sizes: Mini laser markers, portable laser markers, handheld laser markers, desktop laser markers.
Applications: Home laser markers, hobby laser markers, industrial laser marking systems.
Functions: Color laser engravers with MOPA laser source, 3D laser deep engraving system, online flying laser engraving machines.
How Much Does A Laser Marking Machine Cost?
If you have an idea to buy a cheap laser marking machine, you may wonder how much does it cost? how to get a fair price or final price?
According to different laser powers, laser sources, laser software, control system, driving system, spare parts, kits, other hardwares and softwares, you will get a final price range from $3,500.00 to $70,000.00.
A fiber laser engraver has an affordable price range from $3,500.00 to $28,500.00. A CO2 laser marking system is priced from $4,500 to $70,000.00. An UV laser marking machine costs from $10,000 up to $30,000.00. If you want to buy overseas, the fee of tax, customs clearance and shipping costs should be included in the final price.
What Are The Advantages Of Laser Marking?
Laser marking is one of the fastest stipping solutions available in the market. This results in high productivity and cost benefits during manufacture. Depending on the material structure and size, different laser machines (e. g. galvo lasers) or laser sources (e. g. fiber lasers) can be used to further increase the speed. It's permanent and at the same time resistant to abrasion, heat and acids. Depending on the parameter settings, certain materials can also be marked without damaging the surface. Thanks to the high precision of marking, even very delicate graphics, 1-point fonts and very small geometries will turn out clearly legible. At the same time, stipping with the laser ensures constant high-quality results.
As a modern precision engraving method, laser marking technology has unparalleled advantages compared with traditional engraving methods such as corrosion, EDM, mechanical scribing, and printing:
1. The laser is used as an engraving method, and there is no processing force between workpieces. You can get benefits of no cutting force, small thermal influence, and no contact to ensure the original accuracy of the object. At the same time, it has wide adaptability to materials, which can make fine marks on the surface of a variety of materials and has good durability;
2. The space control and time control of the laser are very good, and the material, shape, size and processing environment of the processing object are very free. It is especially suitable for automatic engraving and special surface engraving. And the engraving method is flexible, which can not only meet the needs of laboratory-style single-item design, but also meet the requirements of industrialized mass production;
3. Laser marked lines can reach the order of millimeters to micrometers. It is very difficult to imitate and change the marks made by laser marker, which is extremely important for product anti-counterfeiting;
4. The combination of laser marking system and CNC control technology can form efficient automatic engraving equipment, which can print various characters, symbols and patterns. It is easy to use software to design marking patterns, change marking content, and adapt to the high-efficiency and fast-paced requirements of modern production;
5. It has no pollution source and is a clean and pollution-free high environmental protection processing technology;
Laser marker has been widely used in all walks of life, opening up broad prospects for high-quality, high-efficiency, pollution-free and low-cost modern manufacturing and production. With the continuous expansion of modern laser marking applications, the requirements for miniaturization, high efficiency and integration of laser manufacturing systems are also higher.
Technical Parameters - Specifications
Brand | STYLECNC |
Laser Power | 20W, 30W, 50W, 60W, 70W, 80W, 100W, 130W, 150W, 180W, 200W, 300W |
Laser Source | Fiber laser, CO2 laser, UV laser |
Laser Generator | IPG, Raycus, JPT |
Marking Depth | 0.01~0.5mm |
Marking Speed | ≤15000mm/s |
Marking Content | Letters, Numbers, Signs, Logos, Patterns, Pictures |
Price Range | $3,000.00 - $70,000.00 |
Cooling Way | Air cooling, Water cooling |
Operation System | Microsoft Windows |
How To Use A Laser Marker?
Check the waterway and circuit before turning on the power of laser marker. The boot sequence is:
1. Turn on the incoming power and turn on the key switch. At this time, the machine exhaust and the cooling system are energized, and the ammeter shows a value of about 7A.
2. Wait 5 to 10 seconds, press the trigger button on the external control panel, the ammeter shows the value is zero, after 3 to 5 seconds, the krypton lamp ignites, the ammeter shows the value 7A. (Refer to the operating instructions of the laser power supply).
3. Power on the galvanometer.
4. Turn on the computer and call up the required marking file.
5. Adjust the laser power to the working current (10 ~ 18A), you can start marking.
After marking, turn off the power of each component in reverse according to the above sequence:
1. Adjust the working current of the laser power supply to the minimum (about 7A).
2. Shut down the computer.
3. Turn off the power of the galvanometer.
4. Press the stop button.
5. Turn off the key switch.
7. Disconnect incoming power.
How To Buy A Laser Marker?
1. Consult:
We will recommend the most suitable laser marking machine to you after being informed by your requirements.
2. Quotation:
We will offer you with our detail quotation according to the consulted laser stipping machine. You will get the most suitable specifications, the best accessories and the affordable price.
3. Process Evaluation:
Both sides carefully evaluate and discuss all the details (technical parameters, specifications and business terms) of the order to exclude any misunderstanding.
4. Placing Order:
If you have no doubt, we will send you the PI (Proforma Invoice), and then we will sign a contract with you.
5. Production:
We will arrange the machine production as soon as receiving your signed sales contract and deposit. The latest news about production will be updated and informed to the buyer during the production.
6. Quality Control:
The whole production procedure will be under regular inspection and strict quality control. The complete machine will be tested to make sure they can work very well before out of factory.
7. Delivery:
Shipping will start as the terms in the contract after the laser marker buyer's confirmation.
8. Custom Clearance:
We will supply and deliver all the necessary shipping documents to the buyer and ensure a smooth customs clearance.
9. Support and Service:
We will offer professional technical support and free service by Phone, Email, Skype, WhatsApp, Online Live Chat, Remote Service. We also have door-to-door service in some areas.
How To Maintain A Laser Marker?
Laser marking machine is a professional CNC laser machine that integrates laser generator, CNC control system, machine and electricity. Nowadays, with more and more emphasis on copyright, it has become indispensable, whether it is used in manufacturing or DIY in terms of personalization, it is very popular in all walks of life. With the continuous expansion of market demand, the use of laser markers in all walks of life is becoming more and more widely, because its price is not cheap, and its maintenance is also valued by everyone.
After the machine is used for a period of time, if it does not pay attention to daily maintenance, its function is easily subject to certain wear and tear, which will directly affect the marking effect, marking speed and the life of the machine. Therefore, we must regularly perform maintenance.
Daily Maintenance
1. Clean the dust, dirt and foreign matter inside the equipment, use a vacuum cleaner, alcohol and dust-free cloth to remove dust, dirt and foreign objects;
2. Check whether the focal length is within the range of the standard focal length, and test that the laser reaches the strongest state;
3. Check whether the lens of the field lens is dirty, wipe with lens cleaning paper;
4. Check whether the parameter setting screen on the laser is normal and the laser parameters are within the setting range;
5. Whether the machine is turned on normally, whether the machine main switch, laser control switch, and laser marking system switch are turned on normally;
6. Confirm that the switch is normal and effective. After pressing the switch, check whether it is energized; whether the laser is working normally.
Weekly Maintenance
1. Keep the machine clean and clean the surface and interior of the machine;
2. Check whether the red light preview can be turned on normally, the laser parameters are within the setting range, open the red light correction on the software to turn on the red light;
3. To clean the laser field lens, first use special lens cleaning paper dipped in alcohol to wipe in one direction, and then wipe it with dry lens cleaning paper;
4. Check whether the laser light is normal, open the software and start manual marking for laser test.
Monthly Maintenance
1. Check the lifting rail for looseness, abnormal noise, oil leakage, clean with a dust-free cloth and add lubricating oil;
2. Clean the dust at the air outlet of the laser to ensure normal heat dissipation. Clean the dust, waste nodes and other foreign objects inside the equipment, use a vacuum cleaner, alcohol and dust-free cloth to remove dust, dirt and foreign objects;
3. Check whether the laser light emitted by the laser becomes weak, use a power meter to test;
4. Check whether there is any looseness in the power plug and each connection cable connector, check each connector part; whether there is poor contact;
5. Check whether the red preview light path is shifted and perform red light correction.
Annual Maintenance
1. Check the laser cooling fan, whether it rotates normally, and clean the laser power supply and control board dust;
2. Check whether each motion axis is loose, abnormal noise, smooth operation, clean with a dust-free cloth and add lubricating oil.
Precautions
1. Please wear protective glasses when working to avoid stimulating the bright light to damage the glasses;
2. Special attention is forbidden to put your hand within the laser scanning range during use;
3. When the machine is improperly operated, resulting in an emergency, immediately press the power off;
4. To prevent electric shock, do not operate with wet hands;
5. During the operation of the machine, do not put your head or hand into the machine to avoid personal injury;
6. No specific system parameters may be changed at will without the permission of the equipment technician.
Tips
The marks marked by the laser marker are difficult to wear and easy anti-counterfeiting, which makes a great role in promoting the improvements of product quality and grades. The existing laser marker in which the hardware must be installed on the computer’s motherboard and the whole marking process is inseparable from the computer and reduce the stability of laser marking machines, but also increase the cost and the size.
With the further integration of the laser processing technology, it is becoming a trend that laser marking develops into the lighter and the smaller. The marking system can be divided into two parts: graphics editing and marking control. The work of graphics editing is achieved on the computer. The core of the control software runs on the control card. LDB file is used to store the data making by the graphics editing and through the USB device sends the data to the control card, which doesn’t need the involvement of the computer any longer when it’s marking. Research has focused on the improvement of oblique-line and correction algorithms, and a control algorithm to control the marking of the graphics, and analysis the FAT file system of the USB device.
A fiber laser engraver is a type of professional laser marking system used to use the laser energy to remove layers and change the appearance metals, plastics and glass fibers to create permanent text and patterns. A fiber laser marking machine is composed of laser generator, galvanometer scanner, and control card. It features with small size,good beam quality, automatic follow-up, no consumable materials, no pollution, no noise, low-cost, maintenance-free, energy saving and environmental protection. 20W and 30W laser powers are used for shallow engraving. 50W, 60W, and 100W laser powers are able to do deep engraving. MOPA laser generators are used for color engraving on stainless steel, titanium, and chromium. Rotary attachment is optional for rotary engraving on cups, rings, and cylinders. Belt conveyor is optional for industrial assembly line production with online flying marking system.
A CO2 laser marker is an automatic laser printing system using a gas laser generator with a wavelength of 10.64μm, which uses the high-energy laser beam released by CO2 gas molecules to engrave photo, pattern, text, or line on wood, paper, ABS, PVC, resin, acrylic, leather, glass, ceramic, and rubber. It is equipped with a high-speed scanning galvanometer and a high-precision beam expander focusing system for fine marking. With a conveyor belt, it can mark on the fly, with a rotary attachment, it can engrave a cylinder, and with an XY moving table, it can achieve automatic segmentation and etching of large areas.
Laser Marker Stories
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Customer Reviews & Testimonials
Nikki from United StatesPosted on Jun 15, 2022My husband is starting a custom gun building business and he has to make a mark on the completed firearm to stay in accordance with the law of ATF. I searched for weeks and made some feature comparisons and finally decided to give the ST-50F a chance. Took 7 days for shipping. Got it on June 9. How easy and precise the fiber laser engraver fits together makes it worth the money. This unit works great for small gun parts. Rotary laser engraved marks have surprised me. So far it has performed better than expected.
Masahiro Kamei from United StatesPosted on Mar 08, 2022Very good fiber laser engraver. It's portable, easy to carry and move. On receipt, I was slightly concerned about some damage to the shipping container, but once I opened it, the system was so well-packed that it made no difference. Assembly was easy and probably add a secondary platform from Thorlabs or Newport to improve the precision by which targets may be placed for etching, which I anticipate going as easily as placing the guides that came with the system. Software and driver installation was easy and now it's a matter of adjusting to the quirks and limitations of EZCAD. The foot pedal seems to do nothing and it is not even mentioned in the documentation. Mechanically, there is only one way for it go in, so that's not the issue. In consequence, I have it on a switched outlet and I further safeguard against accidents by unplugging it when not in use. Does very well on the business card targets provided. Etched Ni-steel test target, but slightly faint. If deep etching steel, go 50W.
Dean B Vigil from United StatesPosted on Aug 16, 2021This is new for me, I am a gun DIYer and wanted to have a way to customize my pieces. There is quite a learning curve but that is expected. I purchased this unit as an intro to the gun engraving. The engraver was easy to assemble thanks to well written instructions and bagged parts. Easy to use and lots of fun. So far I am really enjoying creating projects. The quality of the laser engraved guns is excellent.
Madison from AustraliaPosted on May 17, 2021Great customer service, very responsive to emails and helping sort out any issues. The mini fiber laser engraver is well built and easy to use. I absolutely love the finished work. Very easy to put together. Took me about 30 minutes to put together and another 20 minutes to figure out how to use the software. I bought this to personalize the wedding gifts. The price was good for a beginner.
Raymond Todd from United StatesPosted on Apr 09, 2021The sales person, Nina was very knowledgeable and helpful in answering all my questions and concerns. The quality of the 50 Watt Laser is top notch. I purchased all the options and got automatic focus, which adjusts height automatically based on thickness of material. I was skeptical about buying a unit overseas, but Nina helped me with peace of mind in making my purchase. So far after a few months of using it, I'm very satisfied with my purchase and the price is low compared to equivalent USA models. It took me over 1 year to make this purchase after extensive research and looks like I made the right decision, although this is my first laser machine, so I do not have any other experience or use of a fiber laser engraver to compare. Bottom line is it works great and was easy to setup with videos Nina sent and other videos found on YouTube.
Terry A Dunlap from United StatesPosted on Apr 05, 2021Stop looking at other laser machines this is the machine you are looking for.
If you are looking to buy your first fiber laser engraver for metal: This is the engraver you should get.
If you already have a fiber laser engraving machine and looking to add to your collection: This is the engraver you should get.
If you have another engraver but it is not very good: This is the engraver you should get.
If you are debating whether you should get this machine: This is the engraver you should get.
You are not going to find a better engraver at this price point. Period. This machine is actually underpriced for the quality it outputs.
I bought my first fiber laser marking machine over a year and a half ago after doing extensive research (as you are most likely doing now) I purchased an STJ-50F. I was very excited to enter into this new area of metal deep engraving. Set up took all of about 10 minutes if that. Everything was packed securely and did not have any damage and they include a ton of extras in the box including laser protective glasses.
I started my first test deep engraving which is a logo on the gun barrels and I watched details laid down with pure astonishment. The engravings came out so neat and clean, I showed them to everyone. By this time I was hooked.
After a couple of months I decided to buy the other three fiber laser engravers (two sets of STJ-50F and one set of STJ-50F-Desktop). I was also excited to get that as well. The STJ-50F is virtually maintenance free. I have never done anything to this machine. Never had any problems. Like this one all my STJ-50F are stock without any issues.
With that being said, as I write this my very first STJ-50F power supply didn't work. I contacted support. The lady I chatted with was extremely pleasant to talk to and just made me much more happy in my choice to continue supporting this company. Within a few minutes she has removed the trouble for me remotely.
Now that is some awesome customer service. (Some companies take a few days to get a hold of, but not STYLECNC).
I am very happy with my STJ-50F and very glad I chose to start my deep metal engraving venture with this machine. Had I started with something else in this price range I might not still be doing metal engraving as this requires virtually no troubleshooting other then the metal engraving parameter setting in EZCAD software.
The quality this machine outputs is amazing, The engravings are clean and smooth (as long as you have your settings right in EZCAD software).
I can not recommend this machine enough if you are a beginner, experienced or even looking for the right machine to start or grow up your business at an affordable price. Choose the STJ-50F. You can not go wrong and will not be disappointed.John K Rennie from AustraliaPosted on Apr 03, 2021Arrived on Saturday. This laser is easy to assemble and use right out of the packing box. Works great on fabric, leather, and wood. End results have been awesome so far. The CO2 laser marker is able to do many different things. I will test and share in future. Overall, I like it.
Josh Patterson from United KingdomPosted on Apr 02, 2021This 3D laser engraver was purchased to expand our one line custom designed product business. I love the easy to use fast set up that really let us jump right into releasing product to the market. It’s high quality and affordable price is perfect for small businesses like ours or the everyday enthusiast.
It is fairly easy to use. So far it pretty good once you get the hang of it and figure out what setting. The instructions with English were easy enough to understand.
Overall it’s a wonderful product that is sure to be put to great use. Really looking forward to future versions of this machine.Zachary Bell from United KingdomPosted on Feb 27, 2021I have now owned this laser metal engraving machine for 8 months. I use it on a daily basis and have made well over 2000 items, meaning the cost of engraving each is around 20 cents. How can that be a bad thing?. I have not upgraded or changed anything. I have upgraded my review to 5 stars, because even though there were some software issues in the beginning, there is literally no better machine for the money.
Paul Szurlej from CanadaPosted on Jan 02, 2021I bought this portable laser marking machine and was pleasantly surprised with the detail of the engravings. It is a small space and I learned to play around with the pictures to get them as big as possible. I also found that I can engrave a second time because the program will show you where the mid-point is and where the engraving block will be. You can line up fairly accurately where you want to mark and mark words to go with a picture or a second picture. All in all, a fun little machine with pretty easy program to use.