Fiber vs. CO2 lasers is one of the first questions people ask when they start looking into laser engraving. Both are excellent tools, but they work best on different materials. Knowing the difference helps you understand why a laser shop recommends one process over another for your project. At our laser engraving studio in Los Angeles, we match the laser to the material to get the cleanest result.
How the Two Lasers Differ
The main difference is wavelength, which determines how the laser’s energy is absorbed by different materials.
- CO2 lasers use a longer wavelength that organic and non-metal materials absorb well. They are the workhorses for cutting and engraving wood, acrylic, leather, paper, fabric, glass, and stone.
- Fiber lasers use a much shorter wavelength that metals absorb efficiently. They excel at marking and engraving metals and some plastics with fine detail.
What CO2 Lasers Do Best
Cutting non-metals
CO2 lasers cut acrylic with polished edges, cut wood and plywood cleanly, and handle leather, felt, cardboard, and rubber.
Engraving organics and glass
Wood engraves with rich tone, acrylic engraves frosty white, leather darkens attractively, and glass and stone take a frosted or lightened mark.
Coated metals
CO2 lasers can engrave anodized aluminum and powder-coated or painted metal by removing the coating, but they generally cannot mark bare metal directly without special marking compounds.
What Fiber Lasers Do Best
Permanent metal marking
Fiber lasers mark stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, copper, and tool steel. They can create dark annealed marks, light etched marks, or deeper engravings.
Fine detail
The small spot size allows tiny text, serial numbers, barcodes, QR codes, and logos with crisp detail, which is why fiber lasers are widely used in industrial part marking.
Some plastics
Certain plastics mark well with fiber lasers, producing contrast without cutting through. Results vary with plastic type and additives, so testing is important.
Quick Comparison by Material
- Wood, plywood, MDF: CO2.
- Acrylic cutting and engraving: CO2.
- Leather and fabric: CO2.
- Glass and stone: CO2.
- Bare stainless steel, titanium, brass: fiber.
- Anodized aluminum: either, depending on desired look.
- Tools, parts, and nameplates needing permanent marks: fiber.
- Jewelry engraving on metal: fiber.
Cutting Metal Is a Different Process
Engraving lasers are not the same as industrial sheet metal cutting lasers, which use much higher power to cut through steel plate. For metal cutting, we can coordinate with fabrication partners or suggest alternatives like waterjet.
Why the Right Laser Matters for Your Project
Using the wrong laser can mean faint marks, inconsistent results, or damage to the material. For example, trying to mark bare stainless steel with a CO2 laser produces poor results, while a fiber laser cannot cut clear acrylic effectively. When you send us a project, we choose the right machine and settings, and we often run test marks on your actual material.
Bring Your Project to eCadCam
eCadCam has more than 22 years of fabrication experience. Visit us at 4212 San Fernando Rd, Glendale, CA 91204, call 213.489.1173, or request a quote and tell us what material you are working with.