Laser Marking And Etching Stainless Steel
Many types of stainless-steel alloys and grades exist. They're all made of elements such as iron, nickel, carbon, and chromium. The latter makes up for at least 10.5% of the alloy. Chromium reacts with oxygen and creates an isolating, thin layer that prevents the formation of rust on the surface.
Not all laser technologies can be used to mark stainless steel parts. For instance, you can’t laser engrave or laser etch stainless steel. To mark data matrix codes, barcodes, serial numbers, and logos, you must rather use laser annealing. This ensures that:
- The mark will be permanent on the surface of the material
- The metal surface will be left intact to avoid degradation by oxidation
This is especially true for applications like marking exhaust linesthat are exposed to corrosive acids. It also applies to marking parts that must remain spotless like car interiors.