Sorry so long of a post, insomnia....
Yes, its a co2 laser but low power. Doesn't cut metal but will do a form of etching or maybe better termed marking. This is the video which I watched before I bought my laser and does a nice job of explaining what the k40 laser etching is and isn't.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_06laAjMPc If the link doesn't work it's "RDWorks Learning Lab 59 Marking Metal" on you tube. There are many other vids on youtube about k40 and cermark vs moly. I haven't tried Cermark or Thermark because of cost - over $50 per can but apparently does a better job. I have used the CRC moly dry lube at about 10 bucks a can. It's also nice stuff for other uses.
I recommend watching k40 laser vids before considering a purchase. Mine needed mirror alignment when it arrived. Not difficult but not for everyone. Despite what vids might show, close lid when aligning laser or if alignment is just a little off, the test fire button is right in line with laser (ask me how I know).
Over the summer, somebody on another forum dedicated to pro machinists, wrote how disappointed they were with their k40. I don't remember specifics but I think they were expecting a plug and play experience and expecting clear documentation and professional software. With the k40, you get a nice starting point with many upgrades available such as air assist heads, bigger tubes (more power), etc. In place of written documentation, there are literally hundreds of videos on the net and a user base which likely exceeds all the high end laser systems combined. Pretty much the definition of a hobby grade machine....
The k40 whisperer software is by donation and the inkscape software is open source, giving a huge improvement for a little invested time and money. Apparently, there are some k40 laser boards which are not supported by k40 whisperer, so some research is needed before purchase. Inkscape also has fonts for stencils and making custom stencils is another option.