Optimize Inventory Control and Reordering with Laser Part Marking
When it’s time to order a replacement part, you need a simple way to accurately identify that part, right? Or how about when you’re stocking inventory and need a way to catalog each piece for customers or team members?
Part marking is the solution for you.
At Accurate CNC Services, we’ll machine-cut or laser-burn identifying marks into your parts, enabling foolproof traceability and fast reordering.
Part Marking: Organize Inventory and Reorder with Ease
Part markings commonly include numbers, QR or bar codes, and even logos or graphics, making parts easy to identify for your customers, your team, and us—your manufacturer!
We use lasers, CNC mills, or CNC routers to apply custom markings that identify each part. Unlike the printed stickers many companies use as an alternative, part markings won’t fade, rub off, or peel away. Machined and laser part markings are permanent, ensuring clear identification at any time during the part’s lifecycle.
Part marking considerations
We are as committed to quality part-marking as we are to quality part-making. To create lasting, legible marks, we consider several factors when evaluating your part for marking:
How intricate is the part?
What size is the part to be marked?
What material is the part made of?
How detailed is the mark design?
How large does the mark need to be?
These simple questions enable us to recommend the best marking method for your job.
Option #1: CNC Part Marking
Many parts can be marked with a CNC mill or CNC router, though these cutting methods are typically more costly than laser part marking and can’t accommodate complex designs. Both CNC milling and CNC routing services are suited for marks with basic text and simple shapes.
Any material that can be milled or routed can be marked with the same CNC process as long as the part’s size and geometry can accommodate the preferred mark size and location.
Option #2: Laser Part Marking
Whenever possible, we prefer to mark parts with a laser for optimum speed, accuracy, and cost-efficiency. The nearly silent laser marking process is contactless and fully automated. And since laser part marking works without inks, acids, or pins, the method is practically waste-free!
Depending on your part’s size, geometry, and material, we’ll recommend one of these laser techniques:
Laser engraving disintegrates the material to leave deep, durable marks.
Laser etching melts high-contrast marks with incredible speed—a great solution for production runs.
Laser annealing is a slower process that chemically modifies the material’s surface without removing or displacing any material. The result is a flawless surface finish.
Laser ablation doesn’t impact the material itself. Instead, this laser cleaning technique removes the surface coating to create the desired mark. Powder coated and painted parts undergo this marking process.
The best materials for laser part marking
Almost any material can be marked for better inventory control and streamlined reordering.
Aluminum can be laser engraved to create high-contrast part marks that are easy to read or scan. These marks hold up well against surface treatments like shot blasting. Anodized aluminum, however, must be laser ablated to remove the anodized layer and achieve high-quality marks.
Anodized steel, carbon steel, and die steel all respond well to laser etching, laser engraving, and laser annealing. The resulting high-quality marks are durable enough to withstand surface treatments such as shot blasting, e-coating, and heat treating.
Stainless steel parts can only be marked through laser annealing, which creates a permanent mark that does not degrade or weaken the material’s rust-resistant surface.
Materials like magnesium, lead, and their alloys are conducive to marking processes that produce multiple shades of gray. These marks are highly detailed and durable in a range of harsh environments.
Plastics such as Delrin®, UHMW, Lexan™, Duraplex®, PVC, and acrylic can be marked with laser engraving and etching techniques.
Designing for Part Marking
You designed the perfect part; why not invest time into designing the perfect part mark? This step is especially important if your part mark will be customer-facing.
For laser part marking, in particular, we recommend these best practices:
Make graphic elements no smaller than 1” to maintain quality
Design your mark in grayscale
Export your design as a PDF, DXF, or EPS file
And, as always, we’re here to help! Accurate CNC Services can help you fine-tune a mark design for your part’s specific size, geometry, and material.
How to Request Part Marking
Want to add part marking to your next order? Simply include a request for part marking in your model, and remember to add any specifications to your drawing.
We’ll follow up with clarifying questions (if necessary) to ensure a high-quality result that exceeds your expectations and simplifies your workflow, from inventory control to reordering.
P.S. Bonus laser applications
Lasers do so much more than mark parts. Accurate CNC Services also offers laser engraving for rulers, scales, angle finders, and other similar applications!