Laser engraving allows permanent customization of objects and accessories, on an industrial scale or in small batches.
In this article we explain how the process works and why personalization makes the difference in the market, also in terms of economic margins.
Finally, we will present SEIT technologies for laser personalization and their advantages.
Laser Engraving: What It Is and How the Process Works
Laser engraving uses a concentrated beam that hits the surface of the material and causes its removal or controlled alteration, leaving a permanent mark.
The difference between engraving and marking is very important, and clarifying it helps to guide the choice of process in a more targeted way: marking modifies the color or appearance of the surface without removing material (for example by darkening or lightening it), while engraving removes a layer, creating a groove with measurable depth. In practice, marking is used for tracing and identification, engraving for decoration or to obtain a tactile perceptible relief.
The final result depends primarily on the type of laser used and how it interacts with the material being processed (each wavelength allows different effects on different materials), and also on the parameters, on how power, speed, and number of passes of the laser beam over the path are adjusted. With low parameters a superficial engraving is obtained, suitable for logos, text and fine graphics, while increasing power and passes leads to deep engraving, chosen in cases where good wear resistance or a more evident three-dimensional effect is required.
Laser engraving machines can process a very wide range of materials: metals and alloys, technical plastics, glass, ceramics, wood, leather and textiles.
Which Lasers Are Used for Engraving
There is no single source suitable for all processes: it is the material that determines the most effective solution. The three most common families in industrial use are:
- CO2 Laser–work well on organic materials and those sensitive in the infrared spectrum: wood, fabric, leather, paper, glass, ceramics and various plastics. It is the natural choice for the decoration of promotional items and for the textile and footwear sector.
- Fiber lasers (YAG) – are the source for metals and alloys, including galvanized or coated ones. They engrave precise and deep marks on steel, aluminum and brass, where CO2 lasers are not effective.
- Green & UV laser– work “cold” on plastics such as ABS, PET, PVC, rubber and heat-sensitive materials, reducing thermal stress and allowing fine detail management.
The rule adopted in practice is simple: first define the material to be processed and the type of mark to be obtained, then choose the source. A platform that hosts multiple sources allows covering different materials without multiplying machines, as we will see shortly when presenting some SEIT technologies.
Personalization: Why It Has Become a Market Advantage
In many markets products tend to become more and more similar: as a consequence, differentiating only on basic characteristics becomes increasingly difficult.
When products are equivalent, perceived value decreases (and consequently the ability for companies to generate margin) and this is where personalization helps to rebuild profitability: those who want a personalized object are willing to pay for it, and revenue depends less on the product itself and more on how it is made unique.
It is a point of view that reverses traditional sales logic: today profit opportunities are linked to customization more than to the product itself, especially in sectors such as clothing, accessories, home décor, promotional items and giftware.
The data confirms this trend: according to a Deloitte study in some of the mentioned categories, for example in the fashion sector, more than half of consumers are interested in personalized products. Among these, one out of five is willing to pay a surcharge of 20%.
However, only a minority have actually purchased a personalized product: the gap between demand and available supply is wide, and precisely this gap can become a strategic market space for companies that equip themselves effectively to cover it.
Let us take a concrete example to better understand the mechanism, considering the clothing sector, an area in which SEIT Elettronica technologies are widely used.
It is the customer who chooses graphics, text or detail:
- through online configurators (a growing trend in the sector), as happens in the customization of gadgets and promotional accessories,
- following other paths for more tailor-made production, as occurs in the luxury sector, where perceived value is maximum because the product becomes unique.
In laser engraving the design is digital: moving from one basic graphic to another does not involve machine tooling or setup changes and this makes both mass production and single-piece production sustainable.
In fact, it is enough to load a new file to change decoration or text, without molds or clichés to remake for each variation: the cost of changing graphics is almost zero, and it becomes possible to sell even small batches or single pieces retaining the margin that personalization brings with it.
Personalization by its nature involves executing a single file only once on a product already finished, therefore at its maximum production cost.
As a consequence it requires systems able to:
- minimize scrap which would be extremely costly, since it would mean discarding a finished product,
- manage personalization both for small quantities produced in a semi-manual way and for “mass personalization”.
In this second case, the front-end (i.e. the website or shop the customer uses to decide how to customize the object) and the back-end (the physical production of personalization) must interact with systems designed to handle huge volumes with minimal human intervention.
In situations of this type, SEIT has supported customers who started from zero to achieve up to 2500 unique pieces per day on different products, maximizing effectiveness and efficiency thanks to specific machinery and dedicated software.
Sometimes the margin of personalization is higher than that generated by the sale of the object: as a consequence, this forces optimization of processes.
Laser Engraving Machines: SEIT Technologies
From a production point of view, laser engraving offers several advantages for companies that choose to use this personalization technology:
- Zero setup and no consumable disposable materials: no stamps, molds or dies to prepare and replace, just load the file and work. In this way costs and downtime typical of printing and pad printing are reduced.
- Maximum flexibility: the design can be changed in a few seconds, therefore a batch of one thousand identical pieces and a series of all different pieces have the same preparation cost. This is a major advantage for advanced personalization.
- Permanent mark and more sustainable process: engraving resists washing, scratching and wear, while prints and applications degrade more easily. No inks or solvents are needed: fewer waste, green process and fully digital, therefore automatable and integrable in line.
For those who want to enter this market or expand their product offering with laser personalization, SEIT offers two platforms that respond both to the needs of serial production and to customized personalization requests for small batches or single pieces.
Performa Laser Decoration and Cutting Platform
Performa is the most complete and flexible CO2 laser cutting and decoration platform in the range. It works on clothing, textiles, leather, heat transfer films, ceramics, wood and more.
The platform is equipped with embroidery accessories, integrated vision system, roll-to-roll cutting system for labels and transfers, rotary spindle for cylindrical marking and footwear equipment, all configurable also at a later stage.
With power from 60 to 150 W and three selectable working areas, Performa is the choice for medium production and for those aiming at high-end personalization.
SL-MIX Laser Marking and Coding Platform
SL-MIX is the laser marking and coding platform designed for personalization. Its strength is the possibility to mount laser sources of different wavelengths — fiber/YAG, CO2, green/UV — on the same machine, allowing work on very different materials.
It manages dynamic texts, serial numbers, batches, date and time and 2D DataMatrix codes: the ideal solution for mass personalization.
Both platforms are integrable into automatic lines and Industry 4.0 environments and are managed by SMF software developed by SEIT to control graphics and processing parameters in a very agile way: file optimization, for example, is an integral and automatic part of the process.
The choice between the two platforms depends on the objects and materials, as well as production volume and type of desired mark.
Do you want to understand which solution is right for you? Contact us: a discussion with our technicians is the best starting point to turn laser engraving personalization into a competitive advantage.
