Cutting vs engraving on metal — the difference and how to choose

What's the technical difference between cutting and engraving?

Both run on the same fiber laser, just at different settings. Engraving runs at reduced power so the beam removes or discolors only a thin top layer, leaving thickness and strength unchanged. The practical test is easy: a cut passes light through the sheet, while an engraved area leaves the metal solid and the mark readable only on the surface. That's the whole distinction — cutting changes a part's shape, engraving adds content to it. Specify the required tolerance in the drawing; achievable tolerance and edge finishing are confirmed for the material, thickness and geometry.

• Cutting = full separation or opening through the material's thickness
• Engraving = a surface mark that doesn't touch the part's thickness
• Same thing, different words: laser engraving is also called marking

When should you choose cutting, and when engraving?

The rule is simple. If the part needs a new shape, that's cutting. If the part needs information on it, that's engraving. Choose cutting for signage letters, a panel pattern, mounting holes, a keychain outline — anywhere a new piece has to come out of the sheet. Choose engraving when the part already exists or is a plain flat piece and only needs a name, logo, serial number, date, or QR code added. Often you need both: a door plate is cut to size first, then engraved with the apartment number; a name keychain is cut to shape first, then engraved with the name. In that case, order both as one job.

Can cutting and engraving be done on one part at the same time?

Yes. A single vector file carries the cut contour and the engraved text on separate layers — the machine completes one operation, then the other in the same setup, with no repositioning in between. That is why both operations in one order come out faster and cheaper than two separate jobs where setup happens twice. Typical examples: an award plaque with a cut shape and an engraved name; a door plate cut to size with an engraved number; a metal business card with a cut outline and engraved contact details. Several parts can also be nested on one sheet, each with its own text.

Why is engraving sometimes the better choice?

Highly reflective and thin metals — copper, brass, 0.5-1mm aluminum — are more predictable to engrave than to cut with fine detail: beam reflection affects cut precision and edge quality far more than it affects surface marking. So on small decorative items — medals, badges, metal business cards — the usual approach is to cut a simple outer shape from a more stable material such as stainless steel, then engrave all the fine detail. The result is more repeatable than trying to cut the same pattern through a thin, reflective sheet.

How different is the price between cutting and engraving?

They are calculated by different formulas. Cutting price is driven by total cut length, material thickness, and the number of holes; engraving price by the area covered and how detailed the artwork is. In practice, engraving short text and a small logo is faster and cheaper than cutting a complex contour on a part of the same size, though the final ratio always depends on the specific file and the batch size. Minimum order is 1 piece, so a single part can be quoted too. Timing is agreed after the project review. Send the metal grade, thickness, drawing, finishing and quantity, required date and collection or delivery location.