Precision Laser Etching Services

Precision Laser Etching Services

CO2 laser engraving, etching and cutting for drinkware, glass, anodized aluminum, stainless steel, lamacoid, acrylic and stencils.

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A laser marks without touching the surface, which suits coatings, glass and fine detail.

Laser work covers coated drinkware, glassware by approval, anodized aluminum, stainless steel marking with a metal-marking compound, lamacoid tags, stencils, fine detail, serial numbers, and customer-supplied items that need review. It is often the better choice when rotary engraving would be too physical, too large a tool path, or not compatible with the coating.

Coating removal

Powder-coated drinkware is usually marked by removing the coating to reveal the material below.

Surface marking

A laser metal-marking compound can create a dark mark on suitable stainless or bare metal items.

Fine detail

Small type, logos, serial numbers, QR codes, and complex graphics often suit laser setup better.

Material review

Glass, coatings, unknown metals, and customer-supplied items need approval before production.

Choosing the laser route

Coating removal, metal marking and cutting are three different jobs for one laser.

CO2 laser work
Used for coated drinkware, glass etching, acrylic, wood, plastics, stencils, lamacoid, and many organic materials.
Metal-marking compound
Used with the CO2 laser to create dark marks on suitable stainless or bare metal items.
Laser cutting
Useful for stencils, acrylic, thin plastics, and shapes where a clean cut path is required.
When rotary is better
If depth, tactile engraving, paint fill, or heavy metal removal matters, rotary engraving may still be the right process.

What the laser reacts with

Coating, glass or metal: each one marks differently.

A laser can remove coating, frost glass, mark a chemical compound, change an anodized surface, cut plastic, or burn/etch organic material. The final look depends on the material, coating, colour, thickness, and surface condition.

Coated drinkware

Most powder-coated tumblers are marked by removing the coating; bare metal may need a different marking approach.

Glass and acrylic

Glass quality, shape, thickness, and stress affect etching. Acrylic can engrave or cut depending on type and thickness.

Metals and tags

Anodized aluminum, suitable stainless with a metal-marking compound, and some coated metals can mark well; unknown alloys need testing.

Before the laser runs

Laser jobs are often simple to repeat, but not always simple to set up.

Shape and fixture

Cylinders, tapered tumblers, curved glass, and irregular items can need rotary setup or special positioning.

Small text and QR codes

A laser holds finer detail than a rotary cutter, but tiny text and codes still need clean vector artwork to stay sharp.

Testing and risk

Customer-supplied items, unknown coatings, and one-of-a-kind pieces may be accepted only at the customer’s risk.

Before you order

Tell us the material, the artwork and how many

Material and coating

Tell us the material, coating, brand, colour, thickness, and whether the item is customer-supplied or stocked through Pro-Touch.

Artwork and placement

Send vector artwork where possible, plus size, placement, orientation, and whether the item is single-sided, wraparound, or repeated.

Quantity and testing

Send quantity and deadline. If the material is uncertain, let us know whether a test piece or backup item is available.

Before we test or mark

What to know about laser results before production.

Tumblers, glass, permanence and when to switch to rotary.

Is laser engraving permanent?
Usually, yes, but permanence depends on the material. Coating removal, glass etching, anodized marking, and dark metal marking behave differently.
Can you engrave my own tumbler?
Often, yes, by approval. Coating, shape, brand, taper, and unknown materials can affect setup and results.
Can glass be etched?
Often, but glass quality varies. Shape, thickness, stress, and manufacturing differences can affect the finished look.
When is rotary engraving better?
Rotary is better for deeper tactile cuts, paint-filled metal engraving, some lamacoid and nameplate work, and jobs where physical depth matters.