Etching and engraving are used interchangeably though there are important distinctions which is between them. Major difference between etching and engraving is a depth of a mark. Then what’s the difference between etching and engraving? Engraving is the computer generated process that has the beam of light which basically drills into a product in a way to remove top layer. You may discover that with engraving, surface is very rough to touch where the design may appear uneven. However, etching is the manual process that use the film stencil that can develop the required image together with the area which etched is got sand blasted. Etching result at the same time as more manual giving you softer and clearer satin finish. It is know that etching is 100% permanent and this won’t come off an item. The image of the engraving is designed and also the design of etching can be seen with a visual difference.
Etching, and engraving have the marking that have different applications which can be used together with different materials. Engraving is effectively on almost various material of the choice that include metals, wood, plastics, leather, glass, soft materials such as paper, and acrylic. Etching affects the materials surface, enhancing contract and altering reflective. The best material to use for the etching are anodized or bare aluminum, stainless steel, plated metals, ceramics and polymers. Etching is widely used throughout the industry to make permanent marking without destroying the materials. It can also be used to form UID codes, bar codes, logos, and QR codes, for different products.
Engraving creates the cone-shaped indentation in a chosen material with the help of the high-powered laser. Deep cut is around 0.020″ to 0.125″, but the deeper engravings will be attained by passing a laser on similar place for some times. Engraving is best for the parts which experience tear and wear, but not all parts which are critical for the safety. Engraving is the best for keepsake items and also personalizing gifts, and may be used with different materials.
Etching creates the shallow markings which is about 0.001″ through the help of high-powered laser that make the surface layer to melt using the chosen material. It is the best for the low-wear applications because the shallow markings have the tendency of fading easily with time. The hard materials like anodized, plate or bare metal surfaces are actually the best materials to be used in the etching applications.