Thanks to their precise heat control, lasers create detailed, durable and permanent marks on ceramic materials—improving traceability and product identification.

The advantages of ceramic laser marking include:

No consumables. Marking ceramic with a laser doesn’t require extra consumables like ink printing and other ceramic marking methods.

Localized energy. Thanks to the laser’s localized energy, you can mark small details on the ceramic while keeping the heat-affected zone confined to a small area.

Non-contact. Laser marking doesn’t make any mechanical contact with parts—enabling you to mark fragile parts without causing wear or damage.

CERAMIC MARKING METHODS

Melting. The laser’s energy heats up the ceramic material—melting the surface and causing a direct color change. Melting causes the material to darken, creating a color contrast without fully ablating the surface. Typically, we use 1064-nm fiber lasers for marking parts via melting. Applications include part identification, decorative marking and more.

Etching the surface. Lasers can etch into the surface of the ceramic part to create engraved lines or patterns. This method ablates the ceramic material—changing the angle of light reflection off the surface and allowing marked areas to stand out from the background.

Laser-absorbing additives. A less common method involves precoating the part with a laser-absorbing substance. When the laser hits the coated surface, it’s absorbed—creating a color change that adheres to the surface of the part. After marking is complete, the non-lasered coating is cleaned away, leaving only the marked area.