Ablation is the cleanest method of altering the surface, but since the affected area does not change color, the marking contrast is low. Deeper, wider marks can improve legibility but reduce material integrity, which is clearly unacceptable for aerospace applications. One possibility would be to apply an extra layer of wire solarium and then selectively remove it to reveal a different colored primer, but that doesn’t look very practical either.
Melt and burn marking processes have long-term durability issues, as melted material and burnt deposits may not adhere well to unaffected areas. This is similar to the 21st century hot stamping technique. Sure, this version is more advanced, more flexible, and more precise, but it’s still hot stamping with all its well-known flaws.