Apr 30, 20242 min read

Discover the Precision of the MAGIC™-L3, Fiber Laser Marking Machine

Updated: Dec 30, 2024

What is the Minimum Size for Fiber Laser Marking with the L3?

Introducing the MAGIC™-L3 Fiber Laser Marking Machine, a cutting-edge tool capable of marking and cutting a wide range of materials, including metals. But how precise results can this machine get? We put it to the test to find out.

Testing the Precision of the MAGIC™-L3

To show off the precision of the MAGIC™-L3, we used a toothpick for visual comparison. The thickness of a standard toothpick is approximately 1.6 millimeters. Our goal was to see how small we could make our markings.

Preparing for the Test

First, we measured the thickness of the toothpick, which was about 1.6 millimeters. Then, using the dedicated drawing program MagicEngrave-Laser, we created a design with the text "Redt." We converted this text into a “Scan Line” toolpath.

Initial Marking Test

For our initial test, we resized the toolpath to a thickness of 2 millimeters and marked it on an 85mm x 55mm aluminum plate, as fiber lasers perform best on metallic surfaces. We positioned the laser pointer accurately and pressed the “Start” button to begin marking.

Curious about results? A clear and precise 2mm marking, which easily covered the 1.6mm thickness of the toothpick.

Create a drawing using MagicEngrave-Laser, a dedicated drawing program.

Let's create a toolpass with “Redt” as the text.

Create a “Scan Line” toolpath in the upper right corner to convert the text.

As a first marking test, let's resize a toolpath of the text we've written

to a thickness of 2 millimeters and mark it.

Since fiber lasers are suitable for metal materials, let's try laser marking on a thin aluminum plate measuring 85mm x 55mm. Prepare the aluminum plate by positioning the laser pointer to define the work area.

We have finished laser marking the 2mm size as shown in the image above.

You can see that a 1.6mm toothpick has more than enough coverage.

Next, we'll laser mark at 1.5 mm, a 0.5 mm size reduction.

You can see that a size of 1.5 mm is sufficient for marking.

This is how it looks like when you mark two sizes of text on pandent.

We've tried marking at 1.0 mm, which is 0.5 mm smaller.

We've tried laser marking down to 0.5mm.

Pushing the Limits

We attempted a 1.0mm marking, reducing the size by another 0.5mm. Finally, we marked at 0.5mm. At this size, the markings were difficult to see with the bare eyes, so we used an electron microscope to check the results.

Electron Microscope Analysis

Under the electron microscope, the 0.5mm markings were confirmed to be precise, even the smallest details like the inner circle of the “e,” clearly visible.