Color laser engraving is a technique to add different colors to the engraved surface.
The most typical material for color laser engraving is metal (stainless steel and titanium). By adjusting the laser’s frequency, power, and speed, metals can be colored in diverse ways.
It is recommended to use a blue laser head for color engraving. The effect of color carving and power is interlinked, and I suggest you use a laser head with a high power to engrave, such as one with a 20w laser module. If the power is too low, there will be no color.
The change of colors is determined by many variables, including air humidity, temperature, the attenuation level of the laser head, and the laser head's focal length.
Since the outcome may vary greatly, you can run a test grid before you start engraving.
To give you an example, I did a project, and it turned out great. Let’s take a look at it!
Material: TA1 titanium alloy
Applicable Machine: D1/ D1 Pro/ M1
Working Machine: D1 Pro 20W
Recommended parameters:
Power: 50%, Speed: 100mm/s, Pass: 1
Let’s get started!
You only need to put the metal under the laser machine and start engraving like you normally do. The color will appear on the engraved part automatically.
Here's the outcome: