Here at Vector & Raster Laser Services, we work with a wide range of different metal materials across a diversity of projects. From producing laser engraved signage to promote local businesses to laser etching custom badges for special events or staff identification, working with metal for laser cutting or marking provides boundless potential plus durable, long-lasting results.
Whilst our team of laser etching specialists have worked across a range of both industrial and creative or consumer projects, the majority of our industrial laser etching projects involve working with one metal in particular: anodised aluminium. Today, we’ll be delving deeper into all the many benefits of laser etching aluminium for tags and signage. With these insights, you’ll see why you can expect to find so many laser etched anodised aluminium labels virtually everywhere – from fire doors to hospitals and a range of other commercial and industrial settings.
What is Anodised Aluminium?
When aluminium sheets are given an anodic coating, that aluminium becomes anodised aluminium. Anodising is an electrochemical process that basically increases the thickness of the natural oxide layer that can be found on the surface of most metals. For reference, exterior grade anodised aluminium has an anodic coating that is approximately 65% thicker than its interior counterpart.
This extra thick anodic coating (which is again, basically an enhanced layer of aluminium oxide) is designed to offer superior corrosion resistance and an improved decorative finish, making laser etched anodised aluminium a suitable material for both interior, exterior, and even industrial applications.
With its improved durability, anodised aluminium is also an ideal choice for laser etching, as it delivers a consistently clean, legible finish and longer lasting results.
Why is Anodised Aluminium Ideal for Laser Etched Tags and Signs?
There are a few key differences between laser etching and laser marking. For starters, laser etching involves physically etching directly into a surface to produce a deeper mark, whereas laser marking is more superficial. This is why laser etching is so effective on thicker, layered, or powder coated surfaces, like anodised aluminium and other layered materials like traffolyte plastic.
And much like traffolyte plastic, which we use to produce traffolyte labels, laser etching anodised aluminium provides unique advantages when it comes to producing industrial tags and signage. The naturally higher corrosion resistance of anodised aluminium makes it a natural choice for industrial signage across both interior and exterior applications.
The hard-wearing surface of anodised aluminium also makes this material suitable for laser etching even the most intricate designs. Alongside working with text, our laser etchers can also etch images, graphics and logos. We can even laser etch signatures directly onto anodised aluminium, immortalising even handwritten text on these durable materials.
Finally, anodised aluminium is available in a wide range of colours and thicknesses, so there’s plenty of variety for our customers to select from. Anodised aluminium sheets are readily available and at lower price points per unit than other metals like stainless or brass.
So to sum up, here are some of the major advantages of anodised aluminium for laser etching, and why this particular metal material is used for industrial tags and signs:
- Durable, hard-wearing
- Corrosion resistant
- Lightweight for easy installation
- Allows for fine etched designs (incl. text, graphics, and logos)
- Affordable across bulk orders
How We Designed Today’s Laser Etched Anodised Aluminium Tags
Let’s get into today’s laser etched anodised aluminium tag project. A client inquired with our team about producing some heavy-duty anodised aluminium tags and signage for their industrial facilities.
The tags and signs would be used to signal the location and placement of safety equipment and amenities or appliances across their warehouses and other facilities. Laser etching these anodised aluminium tags was essential for ensuring legibility of text from a distance, supporting staff and visitors in navigating their facilities with ease.
These particular ID tags were manufactured using a 1.2mm thick exterior grade black anodised aluminium to ensure longevity. Being 1.2mm thick, these anodised aluminium sheets were excellent for producing tags and labels as they allow for very fine detailed etching and can be cut into any size and shape required whilst still being lightweight and easily installed.
As you can see, the results turned out splendidly, with high-contrast white etched text positioned across the centre of all our black laser etched anodised aluminium tags and signs. This was no surprise, however, as laser etched details always provide an excellent contrast that’s legible from afar and also allows for more than just text. In fact, our laser etchers have had extensive experience working with more intricate designs like laser etching branded graphics and logos across metal projects in the past.
All in all for this latest order, however, our client was very happy with the quality of these laser etched tags and had no doubts that they’d be able to rely on their new signage for decades to come.
Design Laser Etched Anodised Aluminium Tags and Signage with Our Team at Vector & Raster
At Vector & Raster Laser Services, we’re always on the lookout for new opportunities to innovate when it comes to laser marking metal. We love a good challenge and take great pride in delivering only the highest quality results for our customers, whether they’re after intricate laser etchings on small surfaces or hard-wearing laser etched anodised aluminium tags and signage for installation in industrial facilities.
If your workplace is in need of updated emergency and safety equipment signage that’s corrosion-resistant, then partner with our laser etchers to produce these durable essentials. Inquire now to get a free quote on your laser etched anodised aluminium tag project.
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