Fabrication Service

Laser Engraving
& Part Marking

CO2 engraving across wood, leather, and acrylic. Fiber laser permanent marks on metals.

At a glance

Two laser systems under one roof. CO2 laser for engraving wood, leather, acrylic, and specialty plastics. Fiber laser for permanent part marking on bare metals — stainless, aluminum, anodized, brass, and hardened steel. Used regularly for serial numbers, barcodes, logos, awards, leather goods, and props for film and television. Same-day quotes from our Orange, CA facility, with nationwide shipping on completed work.

Capabilities

Two Lasers.
The Right One for Each Material.

Engraving and marking aren’t one process. They’re a category of processes that depend on what you’re engraving and what mark you need. Our CO2 laser handles wood, leather, acrylic, anodized aluminum, painted metals, glass, and specialty plastics — the materials that absorb CO2 wavelength efficiently. Our fiber laser handles bare metals — stainless, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, hardened steel — producing a permanent surface mark that survives handling, cleaning, and standard operating environments. We pick the right laser for each material rather than forcing one system to cover work it isn’t suited for.

CO2
Wood, Leather, Acrylic
Fiber
Bare Metal Marking
40″×28″
Engraving Bed
Permanent
Fiber Marks on Metal
Vector + Raster
File Support
Same-Day
Quote Turnaround
WoodLeatherAcrylicAnodized Al.Painted MetalGlassSlateStainlessAluminumBrassCopperTitaniumHardened SteelSpecialty Plastics
Process Comparison

CO2 vs Fiber.
When Each One Wins.

CO2 and fiber lasers operate at different wavelengths, and each wavelength couples better to certain materials. The short rule: CO2 for non-metals, fiber for bare metals. Where the rule blurs is on coated or treated metals (anodized aluminum, painted plates, powder-coated finishes), where CO2 can engrave the coating layer cleanly. We run both systems and choose per material rather than per habit.

Choose CO2 When

  • Material is wood, leather, acrylic, glass, or specialty plastic
  • You’re engraving anodized aluminum or painted/coated metal
  • The job is a deep relief or contoured engraving rather than a surface mark
  • Photo engraving on dark wood, leather, or anodized plates
  • Promotional items, awards, signage, or branded leather goods
  • Film and TV prop work with stylized engraved detail

Choose Fiber When

  • Material is bare stainless, aluminum, brass, copper, or titanium
  • The mark must survive handling, cleaning, and operating environments
  • Serial numbers, asset tags, barcodes, or QR codes on metal parts
  • Logos and identification on finished metal products
  • Hardened steel that CO2 cannot engrave
  • Production runs of marked metal parts

Not sure which laser fits your job? Send the artwork and the material and we’ll pick the right one. If both lasers could do the work, we’ll recommend the cleaner result honestly.

The Process

How an Engraving or Marking Job Actually Runs.

Engraving and marking workflows are short by design. Once the artwork is in good shape and the material is on hand, the laser does the rest. Most of the work happens upstream of the laser: file prep, layout, parameter setup, and a test pass on a sample so the production run hits spec the first time.

01.

Artwork & Material Review

Send your artwork (vector preferred) and tell us the material, quantity, and target size. We confirm the right laser for the job and flag anything in the file that needs cleanup before engraving.

02.

File Prep & Layout

We convert fonts to outlines, set engraving fills, and lay out multiple parts on a single sheet for nesting efficiency. For raster or photo work, we process the source image into the dithered or halftone pattern the laser interprets.

03.

Test Pass & Parameters

For new materials or new artwork, we run a test piece first to dial in power, speed, and depth. The production run goes only after the test confirms the result matches what you approved.

04.

Production & Handoff

Production runs on the appropriate laser. Finished pieces are inspected against the approved sample and either staged for pickup at our Orange, CA facility or packed and shipped to your destination.

Applications

Where the Lasers Actually Earn Their Keep.

Our engraving and marking work spans branded product runs, industrial part identification, awards and recognition, leather goods, film and television props, and custom labels for manufacturers. The same shop that cuts your part can also mark it, which means a single workflow rather than a separate vendor for the engraving step.

Part Serialization

Permanent serial numbers, lot codes, and asset identifiers on metal parts via fiber laser. Marks survive handling, cleaning, and standard operating environments.

Barcodes & QR Codes

Machine-readable barcodes and QR codes etched directly into metal. Verified for scan-readability before the run leaves the shop.

Logos on Products

Brand logos engraved or marked on finished products in wood, leather, acrylic, anodized aluminum, and bare metal. Crisp, repeatable detail across the run.

Trophies & Awards

Engraved plaques, awards, and recognition pieces in wood, acrylic, anodized aluminum, and stainless. Single-piece awards or full event runs.

Promotional Items

Branded merchandise and corporate gifts engraved with logos, dates, names, or custom artwork. Quantity flexibility from one-off pieces to bulk runs.

Leather Goods

Custom leather engraving for belts, wallets, holsters, straps, and bespoke leather products. CO2 laser produces a clean burnished mark on natural leather.

Film & TV Props

Engraved props, set pieces, and on-screen detail work for major studios. Precision detail that holds up under camera scrutiny.

Custom Labels & Plates

Anodized aluminum labels, identification plates, and equipment tags. Custom layout, logos, and serialized text in production quantities.

File Prep

What to Send Us for a Fast Quote.

Vector files give the cleanest result for engraving or marking: AI, EPS, SVG, DXF, or vector PDF. Raster files (PNG, JPG, TIFF) work for photo engraving and raster fills, and higher resolution helps. For raster work we recommend at least 300 DPI at the final engraving size. Convert fonts to outlines before sending so the type renders exactly as you designed it. If you only have a low-res image or a sketch, send it anyway and we’ll let you know whether we can clean it up in-house.

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Turnaround

Same-Day Quotes.
Honest Lead Times.

Most quotes go out the same business day. Standard engraving and marking jobs run 3–7 business days depending on quantity, complexity, and material availability. Single-piece and small-batch jobs often turn faster. Cut-and-mark workflows on metal parts coordinate with the cutting schedule so the order runs as a single job rather than separate handoffs. Rush availability depends on the scope. Call 714-278-9874 with your deadline and we’ll tell you honestly what is realistic. Pickup is available from our Orange, CA shop (1410 N Manzanita St) during business hours (Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM). We ship nationwide via standard freight.

Same-Day
Quote Turnaround
3–7 Days
Standard Lead Time
Rush Available
Call for Rush Pricing
When to Choose Us

One Shop. Two Lasers. The Right Mark.

Engraving and marking are easy to get wrong: the wrong laser leaves a faded mark, an underpowered file leaves an uneven engraving, an over-aggressive setting damages the material. We get it right by running both laser types in the same shop, by testing parameters on a sample before the production run, and by being honest when a job needs a different process altogether. If the artwork is wrong for the material, we say so before quoting rather than after delivering. If the cleaner result comes from waterjet etching or another process we run, we’ll say that too. The goal is the part you actually need, not the job we want to invoice.

Example Work

Recent Engraving & Marking.

A small cross-section of recent engraving and marking work. We mark a lot more than we can show here. Browse the full gallery for more examples across all our fabrication capabilities.

Fiber laser identification mark on a stainless steel plate. Permanent surface change, legible after handling and cleaning.
CO2 laser engraving on natural leather for film prop work. Deep tonal contrast and crisp detail across the full piece.
Anodized aluminum labels with engraved logos and serialized text. Production-quantity run with consistent legibility piece to piece.
Stainless steel award engraved with custom layout and recipient detail. Single-piece work with the same setup care as a production run.
View Full Gallery →
Common Questions

Engraving & Marking FAQs.

What is the difference between CO2 laser engraving and fiber laser marking?
CO2 lasers and fiber lasers operate at different wavelengths, which is why they suit different materials. CO2 wavelength is absorbed efficiently by organic materials and most plastics, so it engraves wood, leather, acrylic, paper, fabric, rubber, and similar non-metals well. Fiber wavelength is absorbed by metals, so it marks stainless, aluminum, anodized aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, and hardened steel directly. The short rule: CO2 for non-metals, fiber for bare metals. We run both in-house, so if you have a mixed-material job we use the right tool for each part rather than forcing one process to do both.
What materials can you engrave or mark?
CO2 engraving works on wood (hardwoods, plywood, MDF), leather, acrylic, anodized aluminum (engraving the anodized layer, not the metal underneath), painted or coated metals, glass, slate, certain plastics (delrin, ABS), rubber, cork, and paper. Fiber marking works on bare stainless steel, aluminum, brass, copper, titanium, hardened tool steel, carbide, and most metals including coatings designed to react under fiber wavelength. Tempered glass, polycarbonate, PVC, and certain reflective metals don’t engrave well or are unsafe to process. Send us the material spec and we’ll confirm before quoting.
Can you control engraving depth?
Yes. Engraving depth is controlled by laser power, speed, focal point, and number of passes. On wood and acrylic we routinely engrave anywhere from a surface mark to a deep relief that you can feel with a fingernail. On metals with the fiber laser, depth is more limited because we’re marking rather than removing significant material, but we can produce a tactile etched mark suitable for serial numbers, asset tags, and identification. Tell us the depth requirement upfront and we’ll set up the job to hit it consistently across the run.
Can you engrave photographs and grayscale images?
Yes. Photo engraving works best on materials that show good contrast under the laser: anodized aluminum, painted metal plates, dark wood, leather, and certain acrylics. We process the source image into a halftone or dithered pattern that the laser interprets as engraving density, which produces a recognizable photographic result. Image quality matters a lot. A high-resolution, high-contrast original engraves much better than a low-resolution snapshot. Send us the image alongside the material and target size and we’ll tell you honestly what to expect.
What is the smallest text or detail you can engrave?
Smallest legible text depends on the material and the engraving method. On anodized aluminum and painted plates with the fiber laser, text down to about 0.5 mm tall stays readable under magnification. On wood or acrylic with CO2, the practical minimum is closer to 2 mm because of how the material chars or melts at the edge of the engraving. Logos and symbols can go smaller than text because the eye reads shapes more forgivingly than letters. If you have a tight detail requirement, send the artwork and we’ll run a test piece before committing to the full run.
How durable is laser marking on metal parts?
Fiber laser marks on metal are permanent under normal industrial use. The mark is a localized surface change in the metal itself rather than ink, paint, or a sticker, so it survives handling, cleaning, solvents, and typical operating environments. On stainless steel we can produce dark annealed marks that resist abrasion well. On aluminum and brass the mark stays legible through standard wear. For parts that will see heavy abrasion, salt spray, or aggressive chemical exposure, the mark may eventually fade. Tell us the operating environment and we’ll set the marking parameters to maximize durability for your application.
What file formats do you accept for engraving and marking jobs?
Vector files give the cleanest engraving result: AI, EPS, SVG, DXF, and PDF with vector content. Raster files (PNG, JPG, TIFF) work for photo engraving and for raster fills on logos. Higher resolution helps; we recommend at least 300 DPI at the final engraving size for raster work. Fonts should be converted to outlines before sending so we don’t risk substitution. If you only have a low-res image or a sketch, send it anyway and we’ll let you know whether we can clean it up in-house or whether you need a higher-quality source.
What is the turnaround time on engraving and marking jobs?
Most quotes go out the same business day. Standard engraving and marking jobs run 3–7 business days depending on quantity, complexity, and material availability. Single-piece and small-batch jobs often turn faster than that. Production runs of marked metal parts coordinate with the cutting and fabrication schedule, so a cut-and-mark job runs as a single workflow rather than separate handoffs. Rush availability depends on the scope. Call 714-278-9874 with your deadline and we’ll tell you honestly what is realistic.

Ready to Mark Your Parts?

Send your artwork, tell us the material, and we’ll get back to you fast.

Get a QuoteCall 714-278-9874