Laser Marking & UV Printing
Laser marking and UV printing service: permanent marks at 0.03–0.1 mm recessed depth on aluminum, stainless steel and steel alloy up to 330 mm × 330 mm, plus UV printing in 8 colors on metals, plastics and glass.
Last updated: 2026-10-26
Laser marking and UV printing put identity on parts: serial numbers, QR codes, logos, traceability and compliance codes. Laser marking etches permanently into aluminum, stainless steel and steel alloy — the mark survives handling, chemicals and wear because it changes the surface itself rather than sitting on it, at a recessed depth of 0.03–0.1 mm. UV printing complements it with color: 8 colors of ink cured on the surface, for parts and packaging where the mark must carry brand as well as data.
The catalog envelope covers a 330 mm × 330 mm marking field on 3-axis positioning — enough for full panels, nameplates and batch layouts in one setup. Between the two processes the range of markable substrates extends beyond metals to plastics, glass and packaging, which is why the pair usually routes together: data on the metal, color where the product needs it.
Specifications
| Specification | Laser Marking & UV Printing |
|---|---|
| Tolerance | Marking depth 0.03–0.1 mm (recessed) |
| Max Part Size | 330 mm × 330 mm |
| Axes | 3-axis |
Materials
Surface Finishes
A surface finishing service offering laser marking on aluminum, stainless steel, and steel alloy, plus UV printing in 8 colors. Suitable for fine text, QR codes, logos, and traceability codes on metals, plastics, glass, and packaging.
Values above are the collected catalog specification envelope for this product family. Tolerances and lead times at the demanding end of a range are confirmed for the specific geometry, material and batch at quotation.
Applications & Selection Points
Traceability and compliance marking
Serial numbers, date codes, QR and DataMatrix identifiers are the load-bearing marks of manufacturing traceability — and they are exactly what a recessed laser mark is for. The 0.03–0.1 mm depth is enough for scanner-grade contrast without disturbing dimensional callouts, which matters when the mark lands near a sealing surface or inside a tolerance band. Mark content and position belong on the drawing, because a mark added after finishing is a mark that may compromise the finish.
Brand and appearance marks
Logos, ratings text and part identity on consumer-facing metal carry both requirements at once: legible and permanent. Laser marking on aluminum and stainless produces the contrast without ink, so the mark cannot scratch off; where the design calls for color, UV printing applies it in any of the 8 colors. The two combine on the same part — etched data, printed brand.
Non-metal substrates and packaging
UV printing is the process of the pair that leaves the metal world: plastics, glass and packaging all take cured UV ink. Product carriers, instrument panels, glass equipment and packaged goods get labeling without labels — no adhesive to fail, no liner to stock. For mixed-material assemblies this keeps marking and printing in one vendor step instead of splitting the batch.
Post-finishing sequencing
Marking order is a process decision, not an afterthought. Marks applied before anodizing or plating get buried; marks applied after bare-metal finishing sit on the surface the finish protects. The working rule: dimensional-critical marks before finishing where the process allows, cosmetic marks after, and the sequencing agreed at quotation — it changes cost and rework risk in both directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Laser marking or UV printing for my part?
Decide by what the mark must survive. On metal parts that see handling, solvents, heat or wear — tools, fittings, instruments, serialized hardware — laser marking is the answer: it etches into aluminum, stainless steel and steel alloy at 0.03–0.1 mm recessed depth and cannot peel. UV printing answers the opposite brief: color, larger graphic area, and substrates beyond metal — plastics, glass, packaging. Data goes under the laser; brand and color go under UV.
How deep is the mark, and does it affect dimensions?
Laser marking etches to a recessed depth of 0.03–0.1 mm. On most part geometries that sits well inside general tolerances — but not all: a sealing land or a bearing seat with a tight finish callout is the wrong place for a deep mark unless the drawing accounts for it. State the marking position against the drawing and the quote resolves whether the mark and the tolerance coexist or the position moves.
What does a marking/printing RFQ need?
The part model or sample, the mark content (text, code symbology, artwork for printing), exact position and size on the part, substrate material, and — if the parts arrive already finished — the finish, because marking over anodize, plating or coating behaves differently than marking bare metal. Color choices for UV printing are made from the 8-color range. Batch sizes and the 330 mm × 330 mm field limit per-setup layouts; say if panels exceed it.
Ordering & Documentation
Documents
Mark content as files (text list, code symbology with required grade, vector artwork for printing), position called on the drawing or on a marked-up render, substrate material, and finish state of incoming parts. For traceability codes, state the scanner environment — grading requirements change the mark parameters.
Quotation
Quotes price from mark complexity and count per part, substrate, finish state, batch size and color usage. Marking is usually a per-part operation quoted with the batch; a quote for parts that arrive unfinished and leave marked is a scheduling question — the marking step sequences after finishing, confirmed at quotation.
Sample & Supply
A first-article mark — one part, full content, verified under the intended scanner or lighting — precedes a production marking run. Marks are identity: a systematic marking error on a batch destroys traceability, so the sample approval is the control point, and repeat orders re-verify against the approved sample.
Storage & Shipping
Marked surfaces ship protected like any finished surface — abrasion turns a cosmetic mark into a complaint even when the data survives. UV-printed parts are packed with printed faces separated. On receipt, store marked parts as finished goods: handled well, a laser mark outlives the part it identifies.