Laser marking is a non-contact, thermal process relying on the heat generated by a focussed laser beam to alter the surface of the workpiece. This is a complex process depending on the wavelength of the laser output and other laser parameters as well as properties of the material, such as its absorption, reflectivity and thermal conductivity. These have a significant effect on how well the material marks and what type of mark is achievable.

Laser Marking, Engraving and Etching have become well established techniques in a wide range of industries for product identification, coding and traceability. There are a number of different techniques that are used to generate the actual text or logo to be marked. The most widely used is beam steered laser engraving or vector marking, where the code is "written" on to the stationary workpiece, at high speed, using a laser beam reflected off two orthoganally mounted, galvanometer scanned mirrors. The beam is focussed by a special lens to mark over a flat field.

Depending on the material to be marked, a number of different laser types can be used in vector marking including CO2 and YAG to mark virtually any text or graphic image on almost any metallic or non-metallic material. Laser engraving offers a unique combination of speed, permanence, exceptional imaging properties and mark quality, and computer control and programmability.