Laser engravers and laser cutters are basically the same machine. Mechblocklaser machines, like most lasers, can engrave as well as cut. They are just called laser cutters or laser engravers based on what their main use is. If the laser is largely used for cutting, it is usually referred to as a laser cutter. If engraving is the main application, it is called a laser engraver.

During the process of laser engraving, the laser processes a shape, graphic or picture (e.g. a JPG or PNG) on a wide range of materials. The laser moves horizontally along the individual lines of the engraving, and the material being engraved is removed point by point, line by line. This processing method is called grid engraving.

Among other things, surfaces or shapes can be engraved using this method, including photos, pictures, logos, inlays, fine to thick lettering, and stamps, to name a few.
Laser cutting is a thermal separation process. During the process, predetermined geometries are traversed and cut by the laser beam. As with engraving, a wide variety of materials can be used. A vector-based file (lines and curves of a geometry) is the basis for the cutting process.

This process is used to cut shapes (such as letters, signs and tags) as well as applications that have previously been engraved.