Llamacoids / Blog / Can you print a lamacoid?
Can you print a lamacoid? What a label printer can and can't do.
No. A lamacoid is engraved, not printed. A laser cuts through the top colour of a two-colour plate, so the letters are the plate itself. A label printer puts ink or thermal film on a sticker, and that's a different product. It's fine for indoor, short-life labels, but it isn't a lamacoid if your spec asks for one.
Email your tag listBuild and price a tag289-275-9572By Llamacoids Inc, the engraving shop at 1550 Yorkton Court in Burlington. Updated 2 November 2026.
What machine makes a lamacoid?
A laser or rotary engraver. Ours is a Trotec Speedy 400 laser. It removes the cap layer where the letters go, then cuts the outline and holes. A desktop label printer can't do either of those things. How lamacoids are made shows the steps.
Is there a lamacoid label maker for a small shop?
Label makers sold as "lamacoid style" print on plastic tape or film. They're quick and cheap to run, and they suit in-house labels. They can't produce an engraved plate. If you don't want to buy an engraver, you can order finished plates in any quantity, with no minimum.
When is a printed label good enough?
When the label is indoors, easy to replace, and nobody's spec says otherwise. It stops being good enough when sun, solvent, heat or handling can get at it, or when the drawings call for engraved plates.
| Situation | Printed | Engraved |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary label during a job | Fine | More than you need |
| Inside a cabinet, low handling | Usually fine | Fine |
| Panel door on a commercial job | Check the spec | Usual choice |
| Rooftop, solar, EV charger | Ink and adhesive are at risk | Screw it on |
| Spec says lamacoid or lamicoid | No | Yes |
Can I buy a lamacoid machine?
Yes. Laser engravers are sold through equipment dealers, and blank laminate comes from makers such as Trotec and Rowmark. Doing it in-house means buying the machine, venting it and keeping laminate in stock, so it mostly makes sense at steady volume. For occasional tags, ordering is simpler.
What do blank lamacoids do?
Blank plates are for shops with their own engraver. Without one, you'd have a plate with no way to mark it. Writing on a blank with a marker gives you the fading problem engraving is there to solve.
More questions
Can a thermal label printer make lamacoids?
It prints labels, some of them very good. A printed label isn't engraved, so it isn't what a spec means by lamacoid.
How much does it cost to get lamacoids made instead?
It depends on plate area and quantity. The Lamacoid Builder shows a live price once you sign in.
Can you match the look of an old engraved tag?
Yes. Send a photo and measurements and say what has to match: colour, thickness, layout or text height.
