High tech colouring: getting nice colours on stainless steel!

Laser is a 50w JPT fiber laser.
Learning as I go, but I'm ecstatic with the results I've been getting after months of testing and practicing!
#laserengraving #engraving #fiberlaser #satisfying #laser #fiberlasermarker #justforfun #sonic #sonicthehedgehog #knife #colors #lightburn

[@lexispapi]

Hooooowwwwwwwww!!!! So awesome!!!

[@Ricks2Cents]

*Looks Awesome!!!*

[@lightcutlasers]

Thank you!

[@1-Nice-Guy]

Looks nice at certain angles

[@browill9]

That was very cool

[@lightcutlasers]

Thank you!

[@jack5864]

This is so cool! thanks for sharing. We've got a pretty decent laser engraver at my machine shop so ill definitely have to look into its capabilities in this regard. Cheers!

[@lightcutlasers]

Thank you! I started trying after watching a bunch of other people do it. It's super intriguing. Enjoy the process!

[@dgrabec]

Wow awesome

[@lightcutlasers]

Thanks!

[@jengineer9405]

That is impressive

[@lightcutlasers]

Thanks!

[@kawag2780]

Never seen that done before!

[@lightcutlasers]

I'd seen other people do it, so I wanted to give it a try. After a lot of test grids to get the right settings for certain colours, it finally all game together! So much fun.

[@scooteracers]

@@lightcutlasersdid you have to stack multiple files on top of each other to do settings for each part or does the software (assuming light burn) allow you to just point and click what you want to be what setting on an image?

[@customsolutionsinc]

Might you share anymore insights or settings. I did achieve some colors, but they seemed week and the stainless biz cards warped.

[@lightcutlasers]

I don't recall specific settings, but my lens was 3mm out of focus, and no more than 15% power. Different material make up will also affect the final look. I tried the exact same settings on a different stainless steel pocket knife, and it looked nothing like this one. I imagine the much thinner cards you're using is also playing a part. All my business cards are anodized aluminum, so I can't try any test runs on them.

[@customsolutionsinc]

@lightcutlasers thanks for your response, it helps.

[@dronedynamics5820]

Could not believe this can be done by laser !! Amazing!!!

[@lightcutlasers]

I definitely do a little happy dance when the colours work out!

[@uglytv3417]

Was that knife blade parallel to the bed, or tilted due to how the knife lays? I'm assuming this is a MOPA laser probably operating at very high frequency--to those asking, the differences between MOPA and Q-switch technologies has a lot to do with your ability or inability to get color. It can still be done with a Q switched source (via defocusing and relatively low power, just pumping heat into the metal) but it is much harder and less precise.

[@lightcutlasers]

It wasrm shimmed to make the blade parallel with the bed. And not a MOPA. Just a 50 JPT out of focus by 3mm. Without the MOPA, I just can't get the colours (3mm put of focus), and a nice dark black annealing (7mm out of focus for this particular lens) at the same time.

[@uglytv3417]

@@lightcutlasers niiiice, using the 50W non MOPA JPTs to get color is awesome.

[@user-ff6jt2hc4i]

soo cool! I have the same laser from Pascal. are you using a 300mm lens? i've messed with trying to get color but wasn't successful LOL.

[@lightcutlasers]

210mm! I have a 300, but haven't set it up/calibrated it yet. I don't remember any of the settings, but I have a knife that I ran a bunch of test grids on that I reference. And I was 3mm above focus.

[@arivaviktor_tutpinkod]

Классно

[@Shakespeare1612]

Cool demo, but how?

[@Fevaboy2011]

Great video, How is it engraving my in color, what kind of laser engraver do you have?

[@lightcutlasers]

Honestly, I don't know much about the science behind it. I just do test grids until I find things that work. I have a 50w JPT fiber laser.

[@livinginhoustontx5671]

Is it a MOPA?

[@lightcutlasers]

@@livinginhoustontx5671 No, just a regular JPT.

[@caffeine9334]

Love this, I want to try it with my 40w. Can you tell me what settings you used? Working speed, Laser power.. what program you used? thanks

[@swflscratcher5893]

I can’t get any colors on any settings, I have a 50 watt fiber

[@Tpbmods]

WIZARDRY!!!!

[@lightcutlasers]

There's a lot of sciencey stuff to explain how it works, but I don't understand most of it. Wizardry is more up my alley... It works and it looks cool. Haha

How can a laser be coloured? Can you explain?

[@lightcutlasers]

I have a very limited understanding about how it works. I wouldn't want to give any incorrect info. www.stylecnc.com/cnc-solutions/different-colors-on-stainless-steel-by-fiber-laser-marking-machine.html That will do a much better job at explaining than I ever could.

[@SpikeyBoy25]

The laser isn't coloured, the colours are achieved by different power and speed settings, therefore different temperatures. That's was causes the different colours in the metal. I'm sure you have seen chromed motorcycle exhausts that look "rainbowy" Same principle.

[@The_pk_mds]

which machine is this ?

[@lightcutlasers]

50w JPT fiber laser.

[@mayconmaganha5568]

Name the machine please

[@lightcutlasers]

Haotian Laser 50w JPT

[@rosmia6952]

@@lightcutlasersnice I have the same, mind sharing some settings I was able to get a very bright and shiny magenta, but that blue is sick!

[@bluegizmo1983]

I always thought laser engraving colors on stainless steel was super cool! Until I learned the reason the colors even happen is because it's completely removed the "stainless" features of the stainless steel, and the colors are just the beginning of oxide layers forming, so the piece will now very quickly rust everywhere that was colored, which will obviously wipe out the cool colored design quickly as well.

[@hersch_tool]

That’s not correct, at all. Yes, it is an oxide layer. But it’s not "removing" the "stainless" property of the steel, (no steel is truly stainless, or oxidation proof anyway, just resistant). The addition of chromium Cr, and to a lesser extent other other alloying elements like Ni, are what give steels in the stainless family their corrosion resistant properties. This does nothing to remove those elements, or change the properties of the steel in any way whatsoever.

[@merceroutdoors]

and to add to that, the process of annealing or creating a surface oxide layer as you mention actually prevents rust on its own, even on mild steel

[@hersch_tool]

@@merceroutdoors Yep, exactly. It is even still used as a method for "bluing" steel in many applications.

[@leemon908]

Puerta Rican Sonic the hedgehog