index / materials / anodized-aluminum
Anodized aluminum
also: business cards, dog tags
Anodized aluminium has a coloured oxide surface over the metal. OMTech and Boss Laser list that surface as markable by diode and CO2 machines; xTool and OMTech list aluminium for fiber.
Board
YES x2 two or more makers say yesNO x2 two or more say noMAKERS SPLIT makers contradict each other1 SOURCE one maker page only, not confirmedNO STATEMENT nothing publishedIF = yes only under a stated condition
| Laser type | Engrave or mark | Cut |
|---|---|---|
| Diode (blue, about 450 to 455 nm) | YES x2 | NO STATEMENT |
| CO2 (10,600 nm) | 1 SOURCE: YES | NO STATEMENT |
| Fiber (1064 nm) | YES x2 | NO STATEMENT |
Run anodized aluminum through the matcher to add a cut thickness.
What each maker says
Diode, engrave or mark YES x2
Diode target materials: Wood, leather, dark acrylic, anodized aluminum.
OMTech, Diode vs CO2 vs fiber lasers guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026They also engrave on ... titanium, aluminum
Glowforge, Craft Series tech specs (Aura, Spark), read Nov 5, 2026
CO2, engrave or mark 1 SOURCE: YES
a CO2 laser only marks coated or anodized metal, not bare metal.
Boss Laser, Materials and safety FAQ, read Nov 5, 2026
Fiber, engrave or mark YES x2
Engraving: Metals: Stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, brass, copper, gold, silver, and platinum Plastics: Engineering plastics like ABS and PVC Some opaque acrylic Stone Ceramic Leather Rubber Silicone
xTool, Fiber vs CO2 vs diode laser guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026The gold standard for deep engraving and etching bare metal
OMTech, Diode vs CO2 vs fiber lasers guide (blog), read Nov 5, 2026
No statement found for: Diode cut, CO2 cut, Fiber cut.
Notes from the pages
- Glowforge's list says "aluminum" and does not say anodized. Kerf Index counts it as a diode yes for the coated case only.
Fumes
Every page read treats lasering as a fume source. Match your machine's exhaust figure to an extractor on the fume and room lookup.