Guide
Laser Engraving vs Vinyl Cutting vs 3D Printing: Which to Use
Laser engraving, vinyl cutting and 3D printing all turn a digital file into a physical object, but they make very different things. Matching the idea to the process is the quickest way to get a good result at a fair price.
Laser engraving: marking and cutting flat material
A laser burns a design into the surface of wood, leather, cork, slate or cardboard, or cuts thin sheets. It is the right tool for personalized gifts, signs, plaques, coasters and branded leather or wood goods. The result is permanent and has a natural, burned look.
Vinyl cutting: bold graphics on a surface
A plotter cuts adhesive vinyl into letters and shapes in solid colors and special finishes. Use it for decals on vehicles, windows, laptops and equipment, and for lettering on walls. With heat transfer vinyl, the same process decorates shirts and hoodies.
3D printing: making a three-dimensional object
A 3D printer builds an object layer by layer from plastic. Choose it when you need a shape: a bracket, an enclosure, a replacement part, a model or a prototype. It is the only one of the three that makes true three-dimensional objects.
Combining them
Many of the best projects use more than one: a 3D printed holder with a vinyl label, a laser engraved wood sign with a printed mount, or a shirt and matching decal in the same design. We can make all of them, so you can order the set from one place.