What are the design guidelines for CO2 laser-engraved products?

Written by

Sabrina Barnes

Note

CO2 laser-engraved products are currently a part of our Early Access Catalog. This means that mockup previews are not yet available in the Product Creator, and pre-made mockups are not provided for these products. To ensure complete confidence in the final product, we suggest placing a sample order before offering these products to your customers.

CO2 laser engraving permanently etches designs, logos, text, and photos onto a product’s surface by removing a thin layer of material.

The CO2 engraving process uses varying laser intensities to replicate different shades of gray, resulting in a precise, durable, and detailed design that becomes an integral part of the product.

Keep in mind that the visual outcome and level of detail can vary significantly depending on the material being engraved.

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Understanding engraving results by material
General design dos
Design dos for vector (SVG) files
Design dos for solid-color graphics
Design dos for grayscale photos
Design don’ts

Understanding engraving results by material

When engraving designs with a CO2 laser, the visual outcome can vary significantly by material.

Wood and coated metals

The laser intensity adjusts based on the grayscale value of each pixel, enabling a wide range of shading and fine detail. This makes these materials ideal for rich, nuanced engravings with a photographic quality.

Glass

The laser creates a frosted effect that doesn’t respond to grayscale variation. Instead, each pixel is either engraved or not, resulting in a binary, high-contrast appearance with limited detail.

Because glass is a poor conductor of heat, the engraving process can sometimes cause thermal shock. This is a natural effect of the laser, and it may result in tiny micro-fractures within the design. These small variations are normal and expected—they aren’t considered defects.

In addition, glass items may have slight natural inconsistencies in density, even within the same piece. Since these products are mass-produced, such variations can cause the engraving to appear slightly uneven. These unique differences are part of the character of laser-engraved glass and make each piece one of a kind.

Note

Due to the nature of engraving on a hard surface like glass, designs with bolder lines and simpler details will appear the sharpest and clearest. Intricate details may not retain their full clarity.

General design dos

Use a file in one of the supported formats: .png or .svg.
Use transparency for areas where no engraving is desired.
The engraving process can generally capture small details effectively, meaning intricate designs are supported. However, it’s crucial to remember that the level of detail and shading can vary significantly based on the material of the product.

Design dos for vector (SVG) files

If using text in vector design files, be sure to outline it before saving the SVG file. Non-outlined fonts may get converted to default fonts if the Print Provider doesn’t have the original font.

Design dos for solid-color graphics

To engrave solid-color graphics with consistent intensity, create designs using solid black elements on a transparent background.

Design dos for grayscale photos

For photographic or gradient images, we recommend converting the image to grayscale to better predict the engraving results. Typically, photographs with medium contrast yield the best results.
For color gradients, high contrast is better to enhance the distinction between light and dark areas, ensuring smoother and more defined transitions. Keep in mind that the engraving results for grayscale images can vary based on the material, its color, and the underlying color revealed during the etching process.

Design don’ts

Avoid using semi-transparent designs. If using gradients, make sure to have enough contrast between light and dark colors.

For fiber laser-engraved jewelry, see the design guidelines: What are the design guidelines for fiber laser-engraved jewelry?