The idea of marking or decorating products is not new. There are several methods to decorate or apply functional markings on a substrate, some of which make more permanent marks than others. Over the years, companies have used these methods to mark products, and there are many different kinds of marks to be placed on a product. The types of markings on a given product can range anywhere from decorative designs to bar codes and serial numbers. Today, a new technique for producing durable, high-contrast markings on a variety of substrates is beginning to emerge as a preferred method for marking appliance products. This marking technique is known as laser bonding.