Laser MOPA Color - LightBurn Material Test

Using LightBurn's Material Test feature and a JPT MOPA laser, I demonstrate how to find settings to mark a range of different colors on stainless steel, or any other metal.
Links
MakrTheory.com
Discord server
/ discord
/ makrtheory
LightBurnSoftware.com
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Stainless steel tags used for testing
amzn.to/3sLU0lx
Opex F-Theta Lens -175x175 F254
amzn.to/3LhSg9b
Cloudray F-Theta Lens 300x300 F420
amzn.to/44dqvr4
00:00 Introduction
00:56 LightBurn Material Test setup
03:16 First Test
04:55 Making Adjustments
06:19 Second Test
07:48 More Adjustments
08:57 Third Test
10:02 Color Summary
11:34 Different Material Finishes
14:02 Lessons Learned

[@kgloverfl]

Outstanding! The single best resource for color marking I have found! Thank you!

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. I am glad you found it helpful.

[@LSEngraving]

Awesome man! Love the thorough testing!

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Scary part is the rabbit hole goes even deeper than this video. Definitely more content to come.

[@PhxSt0rmz]

My biggest thing was learning to do ONE SINGLE SCAN per squre, not crosshatch. I would get VIBRANT bright solid green..yellow..etc in stainless. But the minute I tried to put it onto something else, a big design, it didn't copy. Learned t was due to the heat not being the same as a 3x3mm box doing 2 scans. Ever since then, I just do a single scan, no crosshatch, and the color repeats dead-nuts accurate on any size decal. Love how vibrant/bright the colors can be when you get them tuned!

[@MakrTheory]

Because the test doesn’t identify cross hatch vs. single pass, I try to run the test in single pass to avoid confusion. Plus nothing worse than seeing a vibrant color and then see the cross hatch wipe it out.

[@silverstacktician5065]

This video was extremely helpful, very much appreciate it...

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for the comment. I am glad it helped.

[@LA98dyna]

Great video! Really appreciate the detail and time spent on this video. I'm about to embark on my very first Laser journey and this was super helpful, so thank you again....FYI, I purchased Cloudray 60 watt MOPA JPT and can't wait to get rolling!

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I am glad you found it helpful. 60w JPT is a great “do everything” source. I definitely regret not spending the extra money on a 60w instead of my 30w.

[@klc7919x]

Thanks for the work on this. It was helpful to see your approach.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. I am glad you found it helpful.

[@Ben-zx9su]

Excellent! Best video on the subject I've seen. Thank you for sharing.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Glad you found it informative. I am planning to do some more deep dives into laser settings in upcoming videos.

[@zylaserdg]

Wow, it's useful and thanks for your great video.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. I am glad you found it informative and helpful.

[@kelly-diyweldingplans4750]

Great video with a lot of helpful information.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I am glad you found it helpful. Stay tuned for more detailed info and explanations on fiber laser parameters.

[@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy]

Great video Geo!

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you Rich!

[@gavinkurey7508]

Incredibly grateful for this video and you are an effective speaker/teacher -- excellent methodical approach and nice job overall!

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I greatly appreciate the feedback and I am glad you found the information useful.

[@itdoesntmatter2670]

Great work, thanks for sharing.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you.

[@najort]

Tolles Video, danke dafür. Da haben sie aber ordentlich Zeit und Material investiert. Das erinnert mich an die unzähligen Tests mit meinem CO2 und Diodenlaser. Mittlerweile besitze ich einen JPT M7 MOPA 30W, und alles beginnt von vorne. Es ist wunderbar, dass sie ihre harte Arbeit auf diesem Kanal teilen. Ihre Tipps wie man seine Einstellungen findet, sind logisch und gut. 🖖

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for the kind words. I am glad my video was helpful. MOPA is definitely a more complicated learning curve than most other lasers.

[@keithbordlee976]

This is helpful in pushing me along to get a MOPA

[@MakrTheory]

Glad I could help. The colors are a neat trick, if you are willing to spend the time to find the settings and wait for them to mark. Some colors can be pretty slow. I believe the real benefits of a MOPA is the higher frequency range and the finer control of the power.

[@ulrichlumb7572]

Great video with a thorough approach. Concerning the out of focus colors: an easy way to a controlled defocus testing is to set the target at a slight angle so that each hatching field has a a slightly different height and a controlled defocus. I have sometimes used this approach with a different laser. Keep up the good work.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. That is a great idea I hadn’t thought of trying. I will have experiment and see if I can figure out the focus.

[@htl-customs]

Great job Geo!

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. This is just the beginning. I plan to dive in more in future videos.

[@thestophewatts6689]

Awesome video

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Glad you found it helpful.

[@j.0x00n4]

Awesome video mate. Been doing a lot of aluminum engraving lately, and looking to branch into stainless specifically for the colour engraving. Thank you sir!

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. LightBurn is the real time saver for this process.

[@ramiabuallan]

you are amazing , you the King

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you, but I am far from a King. Still too much out there to learn and experiment with.

[@ADRdaniel]

Easily the most interesting color results I've ever gotten have been due to some enigmatic variable, out of focus bent material, some forgien subtance on my material etc. Engraving curvy stainless steel surfaces speficlly snap button rivet heads I've one or two times I've goten a incredible rainbow effect across the material in a single operation. My approach to stainless targets is simply understanding what ranges of what paraments yield color and blindly picking a spot in that range as I am not targeting a spefic color most of the time, and I like the things I make to have unique qualities. Great video thanks for sharing your results.

[@MakrTheory]

That sounds like a very interesting process. All my projects have been for someone wanting a specific color or appearance. The bespoke approach you have taken sounds like a lot more fun and less stressful. Thank you for sharing.

[@andresbrito954]

Thank you, excellent video, I have tried for hours and hours, with a 20 watt Rycus laser, which is not supposed to be made for that purpose, but to my surprise I have achieved a very interesting range of colors, I agree that the approach It is crucial to achieve a good range of colors, greetings.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. Great work! It is possible to get color results from a standard Q switch fiber laser, it is just a more limited range of settings to get results. If you play with different lens sizes, you may find additional colors from your 20w.

[@wantafastz28]

Thanks for this video.

[@MakrTheory]

You're welcome. I am glad you found it helpful.

[@Ricks2Cents]

*Great Video & Advice!!!*

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I’m glad you found it helpful. Best of luck on your quest for color settings.

[@Ricks2Cents]

@@MakrTheory *I have a 60W Mopa JPT Fiber Laser OMG-X I'll be making my attempts at Duplicating your IMPRESSIVE Results!!!*

[@harrygithens3908]

Thank you for your help. My laser will not go lower that 600mms but with my speed set at 600mms all I get is a silver/gray color for all boxes. I have started to change my setting hope I can find the right setting. Thank you you have a grate video.

[@MakrTheory]

That is odd. You should be able to fix that in the machine setup. What software are you using?

[@hectortorres8580]

Thanks your video ment a world I get a jpt60w and I need all the fundamentals available thanks again

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. Best way to learn and figure out how things work is to make small changes and take notes for each test.

[@hectortorres8580]

@@MakrTheory thanks you read my mind that’s my second question, lol.

[@LongIslandHobbyist]

Thanks for the video. All the others were for co2. I have a 60w mopa and want to start messing with colors.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. It is definitely a lot of time to play with finding colors, but the Material Test in LightBurn is a really big help. Best of luck on your color quest.

[@LongIslandHobbyist]

@@MakrTheory thank you very much

[@chocolatemonk]

thank you!

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome! I hope it helped.

[@billb295]

Great vid! Do you have one for deep engraving? I’m trying to smooth out the bottom surfaces as much as I can for engraving inside cnc machined casting molds in 6061 T6.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I do not yet because my laser has a low max pulse energy and I had mostly larger lenses, but I have experimented with other machines and I would start by increasing frequency and speed by the same multiplier. It will take make more passes. Low frequency with high power tends to leave micro craters and splash up material.

[@pipapete]

Really wonderful and informative-thank you so much for posting! You answered many of the same questions I’ve been wondering about myself! I was wondering how the colors have survived now one year later. Do you see any degradation? Any patterns of what colors are more stable? Do the samples on 316 survive any better than the 304 etchings?

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Most have survived well. With no after treatment, some corrosion appeared on one of the bottle opener samples of unknown alloy (assuming 304), but it was on a seemingly random spot. The others appear to be doing fine, but I live in a dry desert climate.

[@nick066hu]

Thank you, nice job. My 60W JPT MOPA is on the way due to arrive in 2-3 weeks. Bookmarked your video, I will begin with tests based on your settings. Will you do some testing also on aluminum?

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. My settings will be a bit heavy for your 60w, but if you cut the power in half it will give you a good baseline to start. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different size lenses. I have had best results with a 300x300 (F420) lens.

[@nick066hu]

@@MakrTheory Thanks, my machine comes with a 175 and a 220 lenses. I was also thinking about a 300x300 lens but I somehow thought the larger dot size will result aliased lines especially when marking small fonts. I may be wrong, may be it would worth to get a bigger lens also.

[@MakrTheory]

@@nick066hu Spot size with a 300x300 lens on fiber is still smaller than a CO2 beam, so you still have pretty fine detail. Take a look at the text at 13:08 (175 lens) and the text at 13:40 (300 lens). You should be fine with the lenses you have selected already. If you think you may want a 300, it is usually cheaper to have them add it to your laser order. I would double check the price elsewhere just to make sure though.

[@engineeringfun8542]

I’ve been looking for this Mopa testing and information thank you! I have a 30W JPT MOPA too and most of my need is to engrave deep black on silver anodized aluminum. I’ve struggled with settings and consistent results. I seem to get the darkest at a Q pulse of 2 at 460khz. But even then the viewing angle is not wide (lighter as angled) and lighter than hoped. The range of options are endless, just recently considered ‘out of focus’. I would be elated if you made a video with this material.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed it. Anodized aluminum is on my list of materials to do more experiments with. Make sure to subscribe with notifications turned on so you don’t miss it. Out of focus can increase your spot size and disperse the energy over a larger area. If you do try this, make sure you lower the focus below the material to help reduce chances of reflecting back into the lens. I personally prefer switching to a larger lens rather than out of focus because the depth of focus provides more forgiveness on uneven surfaces.

[@TMS5100]

@@MakrTheory raising focus is actually worse and causes reflections to focus on the lens. inadvertently damaged a lens by using raised focus. you want to mark off center so reflections go off to the side, not back into the lens.

[@MakrTheory]

@@TMS5100 Thank you for pointing that out. Not sure how I had reversed that when all my notes say to lower the focus. I will edit that response for anyone else going forward.

[@layneyost7393]

Very new to this, thank you for making this video. A couple of newbie questions if you'll permit. What does the interval factor represent? I get speed, power, and pulse width, but wonder if this is line/ hatch spacing. You have a 3mm lens setting, not sure what this means as height above material would seem really close. Thanks in advance!

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. You are correct, interval is the line/hatch spacing. I am not sure what 3mm lens setting you are referring to. There was a setting for the size of the sample squares that I adjusted to make them 2mm x 3mm. I also mentioned using a 300mm x 300mm lens, that would be in regards to the scan field size. Are either one of those what you are wanting clarification on?

[@shoguncustoms]

EXCELLENT video man. Just subbed to your channel and hit that bell. I'll also be joining your discord. My laser actually arrives today. It's a 60 watt Mopa and I'm actually looking for someone who offers training. I'll be needing some soon

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Laser arrival day is always exciting. I am not offering any training at this time, but Patrick @LSEngraving does and is really good with settings. You can ping him on the Discord or on his YT channel.

[@Whithersoeverthougoest]

Excellent videos, I’m looking to buy a mopa fiber laser to mark metal, mostly copper, brass. My question for you is what gives the color, is it a frequency of the laser type thing as it seems by watching you video or is there a physical color dye that is somehow added to give color? I’ve searched for information on this and am getting conflicting answers to the question. Thanks

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Marking copper and brass take a lot of energy, so if you plan to mark large pieces or quantities of pieces more than just hobby, I would definitely look to 60w or more. For the color marking, there are no dyes. I have seen conflicting answers as well. For the most visible and vibrant colors, I believe the answer is a mix of the microscopic grooves left in the material distorting the light and the heat temper of the metal. If it was only the grooves, we should be able to get the same colors on aluminum or copper alloys as well, but I have never seen them on those materials.

[@Hugh_Mungus]

great video! will these colors rust or corrode with time? really thinking in buying one after watching your video also is it possible to get results like these with a standard fiber laser?

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. With no surface protection or post laser treatment, I have some samples that have started to corrode, but most have not. I live in a very dry climate, so I’m sure that is helping prevent corrosion. I have intentions of doing more testing of the corrosion resistance and possible solutions. For now, I have seen others use clear coat finishes to protect markings on mild steel. I would imagine the same would work for stainless steel.

[@mitchellroberts5643]

I need these colors from my laser !!!!

[@MakrTheory]

Experimenting with the test grids is your best way of getting them. I wish I could provide exact setting, but there are too many variables between sources and lens size to give a blanket setting.

[@nephilimninjaofnibiru2907]

Are they fading with time? Great video thanks.

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome. There are a few colors that appeared to fade, but as time has progressed they turned out to be slowly rusting. I want to follow up with some post treatment in a future video when I have the time to tinker again.

[@nephilimninjaofnibiru2907]

@@MakrTheory Thank you this is what worried. You saved me some time. I'm going to try automotive clear coatings.

[@rexminchey7807]

Great job, However I have a Snapmaker Ray diode 40w. I am not sure of the settings in the material test because they are different than the ones you used. I am ordering the dog tags to start trying like you did. Again, great job.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. Diode will definitely be a different setting than Fiber due to the different wave length of the laser (450nm vs 1064nm) and the way it is absorbed by the metal. Best of luck.

[@christopherverkuilen8388]

I keep reading about stainless and titanium rusting (and quickly) after coloration. Your samples look amazing, would you say they oxidized easily or with handling?

[@MakrTheory]

My stainless steel samples have been pretty resilient, with only a few areas of the samples starting to oxidize. I have yet to dive into titanium. The “shimmering” marks seems to be the most reactive. I live in a very dry climate, so that may be a good part of why I have so little issues with oxidation. I plan to revisit this after I establish a proper testing environment. I have some ideas that I believe may work to preserve the colors longer, but I want to validate them myself before I spread misinformation.

[@GarlandFarms]

​@@MakrTheory Any news on this front?

[@MakrTheory]

@@GarlandFarms I haven't managed to do any further testing. I have been tied up with family obligations of late. This is still a topic I plan to revisit.

[@williamjayneco]

The JPT unit's jump the q-pulses. Can't remember where I red but doing lower than 6 isn't worth it, and doing numbers between multiples of 3 in between is pointless. Try running lower end tests with a q going something like 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30. At some point this changes, and I don't know where, but definitely it makes a difference. I have stacks of stainless beside me, done hundreds of tests like you have. Good work, it's a tedious adventure.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for that information. That would definitely explain the results I got where q-pulse didn’t seem to make much difference. I will have to do some digging into the source specs before my next video on colors.

[@videola-nn4pr]

txs for video! I dont see the option "Q Pulse Width" in my latest version from lightburn.... what am I missing?

[@MakrTheory]

You are welcome! You will want to make sure your laser is an adjustable pulse width model. If it is a JPT and has “M1”, “M6”, “M7”, or “M8” in the model number, you will have the ability to control pulse width. There are other laser manufacturers that offer adjustable pulse MOPA laser, but JPT is the most common. To enable the controls, you will need to go to the device settings in LightBurn (the icon with the wrench and screwdriver) and and toggle the enable QPulse switch in the middle of the window.

[@MCSEDanny]

30W JPT MOPA with Lightburn I’m trying to match your settings but I don’t seem to have Q-pulse width? Do you know why this would be or where to turn this setting on?

[@MakrTheory]

It is in the “Device Settings” ( the wrench and screw driver icon next to the gear). Under laser type there is a check box “Enable Q-Pulse Width Setting”. If you don’t see qpulse making any changes, you will want to confirm your source model number to make sure it is a variable pulse MOPA. I have seen some sellers list the JPT LP-E models as MOPA without differentiating that they are a fixed pulse width.

[@1776laserco]

im trying to use some bottle openers that look exactly like the ones in your video here. but mine have a film on them that i have to remove with some very light engraving passes first. did your bottle openers have this film on them as well ?

[@MakrTheory]

No, the bottle openers I used were not coated with anything. If it is a clear plastic film, I would be sure to peel it off before laser marking them because it is very likely PVC and toxic

[@1776laserco]

@@MakrTheory thank you for the fast reply, ill try to get some that are not coated.

[@Heavenofsound4U]

Hi, have you ever done some tests for color marking on brass and/or bronze? I am very interested how many colors tou can do on these two metal alloys?

[@MakrTheory]

I have not yet. I know Patrick @LSEngraving and Jeremy @HTLHolsters have been experimenting a bit with brass coins and adding different finish passes to get a shading effect. I’ll have to add a color search on brass to my list of things to test. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@BrianTucker-bi2dq]

Whats an easy way to get the perfect focus on your lens? Recently got a 60w MOPA fiber laser engraver and it came with no instructions on how to do that! I see videos with folks using focus sticks but are they that accurate? If so where can I get sime?

[@MakrTheory]

Unless you get a high end lab grade lens varies slightly, so a focus stick is something you make or order to size after you have found the focus distance for your lens. I have been meaning to make a video on finding focus, but for now, a real quick way the find the focus is put a piece of of scrap steel or stainless steel on your laser. Draw a square an easily measured size (1” or 30mm) and trace the shape. Adjust the height until the trace measure the same as on your your software. That will be close, enough to start. To increase accuracy, raise the lens another 20mm and use a high power setting and use and offset fill on the square. Check the “Continuous” mark setting and run the mark. Slowly lower the lens. You should see the burn intensity increase until you get to the focal point, and then they will start getting weaker. You will want to go back up until you get the strong sparks again. That will be your focus distance. You can either order a focus stick to size, or Patrick @LSEngraving sells an adjustable one that you can make to the length you need and then glue or bolt it in place. I’ll make it a priority to get a formal video up soon.

[@wolpumba4099]

Looks like a task that calls for design of experiments.

[@MakrTheory]

Absolutely. There are too many variations of laser source and lens tolerance, the settings for a color are not universal to every laser.

[@twinbits-eu]

Since the focus seems to play such an important role, do you know if the material thickness plays a role? Would it mess with the focus ever so slightly, resulting in different colors with the same settings?

[@MakrTheory]

When focus was properly set, thickness did not appear to make any difference on the material test grids. Perhaps that could change when marking a large area and a thin material were to overheat or warp. But that would be an issue of going out of focus.

[@I-LOVE-EARTH]

Great Video! I'm doing a bunch of research before I purchase a Fiber, it's pretty much for hobby and not business, just fun stuff. Do you think a 30W MOPA is OK for what I described? Can you please let me know which laser you used for this video, I'm assuming you like it. :-)

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. A 30w MOPA will give you a lot of versatility to play with different materials and settings. The M7 series sources are definitely an upgrade from what I am running if you want to do etching. There are several good laser companies out there, but also some not so great ones. My machine is from @nanjingspeedylaser4319 and I have been happy with the build quality. My friend Patrick @LSEngraving has been happy with his Noua Laser also. At the time of writing this, I am not affiliated with any laser company, so my recommendations are purely based on my own experience and from people I personally know.

[@I-LOVE-EARTH]

@@MakrTheory thank you for the information. The number of vendors really makes it overwhelming to try and decide.

[@oerwolf]

can the stainless steel rust after engraving on it? and I'm talking about black engraving and color (MOPA)

[@MakrTheory]

Yes, it can. Stainless is corrosion resistant because of an invisible (to the naked eye) layer of Chromium Oxide. This is the result of a chemical reaction between oxygen in the air and chromium in the metal. I usually apply a light coat of Bar Keepers friend on the mark and let it set for 3-5 minutes to try an build up the oxide layer. I plan to do a video testing different methods of post treatment to protect the marks on stainless.

[@nick066hu]

How durable are the markings? I suppose the lighter colored ones are prone to fade, discoloration, rusting(?) when used outside. (in direct sunshine, rain, frost, etc) I would bet on the blackest setting when used outside, how durable is that?

[@MakrTheory]

This is something I have been monitoring. Some of the samples had been made months before filming and sat in my non-climate controlled garage during that time. I live in a very dry area, so higher humidity areas may see different results. I plan to follow up with further testing, exposing the marks to corrosive environments and find solutions to preserve the marks if necessary.

[@brianwaayenberg3099]

have you tested color marking on multiple stainless steel alloys? im very curious how marking changes between 316, 17-4 1100ht, and most importantly 303! the alloying composition between these materials is very diferent!

[@MakrTheory]

In the video I did test on 304, 316L, 17-4, and unknown “stainless steel” parts from Amazon. All results were similar with the exception of one sample, but I believe that one was a focus issue because a second sample of the same material matched the other alloys.

[@brianwaayenberg3099]

@@MakrTheory hmmm. 304 is reasonably similar to 303 with a few exceptions. thanks for the insights! ill have to investigate furthr as i go down this prooduct rabbithole

[@jtcustomknives]

I’m having nothing but problems coloring Titanimum. One thing I noticed was your hatch is way closer then mine. I was running .02-.04 and your in the .001 range

[@MakrTheory]

On stainless I achieved results below .020mm hatch spacing, but found .005mm worked really well for me. I haven’t tried Titanium yet, but I recently had a couple pieces delivered. I plan to do some more testing and post results in a follow up video. What lens and model laser source are you using? I found a 300mm F420 worked really well for my M1, but I suspect most other sources will work better with something a little smaller.

[@niltonmalaquias2160]

Please do you think with 110x110mm lens is possible to achieve the same results that you have got?

[@MakrTheory]

I believe it will be dependent on the source. I suspect an M7 E series source would be able to achieve similar results with a 110 lens. I have not tried using a 110 yet, but will have to look into it.

[@AZKICKER-LASERS]

Have you experimented with 100w mopa for this yet? I having looking in to 100w JPT and a lot of salespeople tell me only 30w is good for color marking? Also have you been able to cut through 18 or 16 gage SST?

[@MakrTheory]

I didn’t experiment as deeply with the 100w as I did with my personal setup, but we were able to achieve a range of colors using a 200mm lens. As for cutting through 16/18ga steel, if you do enough passes. It won’t be anything like a regular cutting laser because there is not high pressure assist gas. There will also be a little bit of taper to the cut.

[@AZKICKER-LASERS]

@@MakrTheory was it much faster?

[@MakrTheory]

@@AZKICKER-LASERS Cutting and deep engraving the higher wattage machines are remarkably faster than my 30w. For color marking, we were only looking to get color and didn’t optimize for speed. I’ll have to talk to my friend Patrick @LSEngraving and see if we can to some color speed tests with his 80w. I’ll see if I can get a 100w in the mix as well.

[@ronnyallred4540]

Hi love your video. I have a 60 watt mopa using a 175 lens. I have been trying to get RED but can’t seem to dial it in on stainless steel. Can you guide me to get some red. I know you said in your video you said you were out of focus so i need a little help Thank you Ron

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. If you have a deep blue color, try altering your speed and line distance by a factor of 1.25. (If line distance is .004 x 1.25 = .005 and speed could be 200 x 1.25 = 250) I have a friend in the Laser Maker’s Realm Discord that recently did that on his 60w MOPA with a 220 lens and it worked well. If that doesn’t work for you, I don’t know his exact settings, but if you join the Discord you could see some of the test grids he shared in the “fiber-show-off” channel. Those might steer you closer. Link is case sensitive discord.gg/Fyuea5dv

[@ronnyallred4540]

@@MakrTheory thank you sir please keep up the good work and continue to share. Your good

[@MakrTheory]

@@ronnyallred4540 you are welcome. Please let me know how it works out for you. Colors are tough and some of my theories are still a work in progress. I am hoping to have more time for content creation in 2024, but family takes priority over side projects.

[@remy9mm]

Hello can you do color engraving on silver ? if so how many watts does person need? i see they sell them from 20w to 100w ?

[@MakrTheory]

You can get a shimmery “white” and black/dark gray. Colors are limited to iron alloys (ferrous metals) and some exotic materials like titanium. Good way to verify is if you can heat the metal to near melting and see a rainbow effect after it cools, you can laser mark colors. It doesn’t take a lot of power to make the color marks on stainless. 20w is adequate, but if you also plan to do engravings on larger items, you will want more power.

[@remy9mm]

thank you sir @@MakrTheory

[@nick066hu]

Its me again, a proud new owner of a JPT MOPA 60W. Already tried some colors on stainless steel, look great, interesting. But what I could use more in my business would be the blacker blacks, and whiter whites (not shiny, but matte white viewed from all angles) both an stainless steel and aluminum. Can you give me a clue what specific settings there are (if any) a MOPA is capable of marking deeper blacks than a plain Q-switched laser?

[@MakrTheory]

Congratulations! I have not experimented with white, but black marks are typically pretty slow. The advantage to MOPA for any color marking is being able to use a standard focus distance, instead of being out of focus. Out of focus required the material surface be very flat and uniform for a consistent mark. Your source model and your lens size play a big part in getting the right settings. I am currently working on a calculator that will help translate settings more accurately. If you can provide those, I can give you a good starting point.

[@nick066hu]

@@MakrTheory Thanks, I have a JPT M7 MOPA 60W Model number of the laser source is: YDFLP-E-60-M7-M-R The galvo came with two F-theta lenses, a 175x175mm and a 220x200mm one. I use mostly the 175mm one nowadays. I need the darkest black marking possible on stainless steel and aluminum ( I know it works best on anodized, and only grey is possible on pure alu, would be also great to improve that) . Already tried to do some tests with multiple passes on steel, especially when marking QR codes as part of machine data plates, a higher contrast makes the QR code better readable. It is though important that the marking looks dark from any angle, I already managed some tests that look silverish shiny from one angle, and almost black from another angle. Interesting but not what I can sell. What I also tried is to clear the surface with a 'clearing', white run first, a rectangle behind the QR code and then mark black on it, but maybe this approach is too much of hassle though and does not give a better result at all.

[@MakrTheory]

@@nick066hu for your setup using the 175x175 lens, I would start with Speed: 60mm/s Freq: 34kHz Power: 19% QPulse: 210ns Line spacing: .028mm This should get you pretty close, but you may have to adjust the QPulse up a bit. I normally use 2 passes or a single pass with a cross hatch. The mark should be smooth, glossy, and be dark from almost every angle.

[@nick066hu]

@@MakrTheory I just tried it, it looks great, deep and uniform black at all angles. Did it as you suggested with a single pass but cross hatch. What I learned when I looked at it at an angle during the marking right after the first pass but before the second, it was then showing different darkness depending on the angle a looked at it. But the second pass made it right, now it looks the same dark at all angles. 👍 I think did not pay attention to turn on multiple passes / cross hatch at my earlier testing. and also those five setting make a lot of combinations we have to try out. Thanks a lot. One thing I will keep trying to refine later, if there is a setting that marks faster with the same results would be even better.

[@MakrTheory]

@@nick066hu Perfect! Thank you for testing and providing the feedback. My calculator is still in development, but so far it is working as I have intended. Next step is to have it calculate optimized settings to take advantage of higher power output machines.

[@nightlifegamer]

do these rust after time? im trying to learn if color marking with mopa lasers causes rust on stainless steel

[@MakrTheory]

I have had some rust on a one sample, but not on most of them. I live in a dry desert climate, so I’m assuming that is proving me a positive result than other videos I have seen discussing colors rusting. I have been wanting to make a follow-up video with testing for corrosion, but have had a shift in priorities since I made this video.

[@Team90j97]

Could you share where you outsourced the materials you used?

[@MakrTheory]

I provided a link to the dog tags in the description. The bottle openers are no longer sold by that same supplier, so I have to buy some others and test to provide a link. The 416 and 17-4 were from OnlineMetals.com. I'll update with a link in the description this weekend. The 316L discs were scrap slugs from a local metal shop. It was a lucky find and I grabbed what they had of them at scrap prices.

[@cubingcracked3521]

Hey, I’ve just started using a fiber laser and this video really helped I was just wondering if you have still pictures of the setting and the results?

[@MakrTheory]

I don’t, but honestly each setup will vary so you will likely not get anything close to the same results using my settings on your machine. Your best bet is to run the material tests yourself and see what works best for you.

[@cubingcracked3521]

@@MakrTheory sounds good I’m working with a laser star fiber laser and they don’t allow like any content on it which is kinda dumb but how did you get those tests done is there a video I can find?

[@MakrTheory]

@@cubingcracked3521 I’m using a different software called LightBurn. I believe your Laser Star software is actually EZCad with a custom skin. You can go to LightBurnSoftware.com and download a 30 day trial to see if it will work with your machine.

[@cubingcracked3521]

@@MakrTheory okay thank you

[@MakrTheory]

@@cubingcracked3521 you are welcome. If that doesn’t work, you could try an EZcad grid from the website lasertips.org . They have some preconfigured grids for EZcad, but because it is not an automated script, it requires you to change each setting manually when you want to try something different. The last option is to literally draw your own and assign a pen to each square. I have done it before and it is very tedious.

[@kevinlargent1262]

Are you able to get color on alluminum?

[@MakrTheory]

Not really. Black and white are possible on anodized aluminum. I have seen some people get an ugly grey color from raw aluminum, but looks more like a grainy soot than an actual color. To get a range of colors, there needs to be iron or chromium in the metal.

[@sonofableep13]

Hey brotha! would you be willing to do a range of tests with grade 5 titanium?

[@MakrTheory]

Yeah, that is on my list. I have collected a couple pieces of grade 2 and grade 5 titanium.

[@nephilimninjaofnibiru2907]

Would flooding the workspace with oxygen intensify the effects?

[@MakrTheory]

On large industrial cutting lasers, I have used oxygen assist gas to mark black on some metals. This is something I had thought of trying with my MOPA, but want to make sure I have a way to safely regulate and contain the oxygen in the workspace. This is not something I am ready to try in my garage with a natural gas water heater.

[@nephilimninjaofnibiru2907]

@@MakrTheory Thank you for responding. Yes very good points. Maybe an ozone generator might have a similar oxidation effect with less dangerous risk. I was planning on setting up an evacuation air system. I'll mess around and get back to you.

[@JohnTaylor-cd3sb]

I want a machine that can do the same on copper, although I'm not too hung up on colors id like a real dark finish on copper, so I'm still researching i will be putting detailed images on copper

[@MakrTheory]

Copper takes a lot of energy to mark because of how quickly it dissipates the heat. A newer 30w will work, but I recommend 50w or more if you plan on having a work area bigger than 110mmx110mm.

[@user-mx9ph9qy9b]

What parameters are for the "perfect" black? I mean, a perfect black is a black which black from any angle.

[@MakrTheory]

This is really dependent on your source, lens, and focus. For a smooth black I am using a 300mm lens on my 30w JPT M1 MOPA, but at certain angles it has a tinge of green. There are other videos that claim to provide settings for the "Perfect black" mark, but they have not worked for my setup. Your best bet is to play with the LightBurn Material Test grid and see what works best for your setup.

[@user-mx9ph9qy9b]

@@MakrTheory thanks for your response. Could you please share some values for your setup up as reference?

[@MakrTheory]

@@user-mx9ph9qy9b​​⁠ My settings likely will only work if you are using an M1 MOPA source, but here they are: 300mm lens in focus Speed: 60mm/s Power: 48% Frequency: 34kHz QPulse: 210ns Line Distance: 0.038mm Bi-Directional 1 or 2 passes.

[@hammeredgem.j.c.9030]

I have a 60w M7 MOPA so with power how would I compensate 🆚 your 30w?

[@MakrTheory]

Cutting power in half should get you close. There are some other factors, like lens size that play a role in power output. I am working on a calculator help convert setting between machines, but it is not quite ready yet.

[@hammeredgem.j.c.9030]

@@MakrTheory 👍

[@hammeredgem.j.c.9030]

@@MakrTheory it hard to decide what lens as well.

[@MakrTheory]

@@hammeredgem.j.c.9030 to get results similar to my 300 (F420) lens, you will want to use a 175 (F254) lens on your 60w M7. There are two model numbers for the 60w, if yours has an “E” in the model number you may need to increase power slightly.

[@hammeredgem.j.c.9030]

@@MakrTheory thank you that is what I got on right now 👍

[@maxgul.x]

thank you so much for this video. I have now run countless material tests and I just can't get any color at all. I have a JPT MOPA 60W machine. I ran many of your tests also. Could you maybe help me? also I asked the seller to help me, he sent me test files with frequency ranging from 20 to 80 khz and no Q Pulse changes. Also he said I needed the lens to be 3-4mm off focus which really sounds weird as I thought mopa lasers werent supposed to be off focus to be able to do color engraving. I really hope you can help me out

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you. I struggled for a long time before getting to the point of making this video, so I understand your frustration. I know your source can mark colors while in focus with the right settings, because I know other that are doing it. Let’s start with a few questions. First, what material are you marking? Second, what size lens are you using? Third, are you etching into the material, like I was on my first tests, or are you getting any results at all?

[@maxgul.x]

@@MakrTheory thanks for your response. I am lasering on stainless steel (I think it should be V2A) Lens is 70x70 I got to the point where I managed to not etch into the material but just leave a white-silverish mark. But when I do a grid test of that setting all the marks weirdly look exactly the same

[@MakrTheory]

@@maxgul.x still too much power then. You will have a tough time with that small of a lens. There is a lot of energy in a very small area. I would run low frequency, low power, and low QPulse. If you can, I strongly suggest a 175 or 210 lens.

[@maxgul.x]

@@MakrTheory I will try the settings from your video with a 175 lens and report back. Thank you for your help!

[@MakrTheory]

@@maxgul.x cut the power in half since you have a 60w and I have a 30w.

[@CrashPro1]

Your SS dogtag link is the same as the Opex lens

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for pointing that out. I have updated the link to the correct product.

[@harrygithens3908]

I have a 100W JPT M7 MOPA Fiber Laser. How do I set up my setting

[@MakrTheory]

You can start with what I ran on one of my initial tests that got color, but I would drop the power to 30% of what I use in the video. Lens plays a factor as well. If you are using a lens smaller than 175x175 (F254), you will likely need to drop power a little more.

[@MasterTheNEC]

​@MakrTheory I have a 60W Monport Mopa. Have you published all these settings anywhere? Very Nice work here, thank you for sharing.

[@MakrTheory]

@MasterTheNEC I have not published them, but I am currently working on something that would help people find their starting points. I will be announcing them in a video soon.

[@MasterTheNEC]

@@MakrTheory Perfect...Keep it Simple for us Simple Folks...LOL

[@harrygithens3908]

Is there anywhere I can find a material library for a 100 watt laser or any material library I have tried everything and can not get colors

[@MakrTheory]

I can try to guide you in the right direction, but it will really depend on your specific setup. What size lens are you using? There should be a marking on the lens stating something like “110x110 F160”.

[@harrygithens3908]

@@MakrTheory I have a 70x70, 110x110 , 250x250, 300x300 and I have on order a 175x175 i am using a 110x110 lens. I really appreciate all the help

[@MakrTheory]

@@harrygithens3908 lens is likely your issue because the spot size is so small. You either have to drop the power even further and tighten up the line distance, or switch to a larger lens. I got my best results with my 300, but each machine and lens is different.

[@47zero]

My machine has no Q-pulse field in the material testing box. Does that mean it does not have Mopa / Mopa is not correctly configured?

[@MakrTheory]

Could be either one. If you know what model your laser source is, you should be able to look it up. Most common MOPA sources are the JPT “M” series. Model number should have “-M1-“, “-M6-“, “-M7-“, or “-M8-“ in the model number. There are other variable pulse width MOPA sources, but I am not very familiar with them.

[@47zero]

@@MakrTheory it was just a radio button to show the field. All good now. Even got some colour, but a long way to go! Thanks for your videos!

[@MakrTheory]

⁠@@47zeroexcellent! I always preface turning on the radio button with finding out the model source and if it is capable of adjusting the QPulse. I am glad you were able to get it working and start making some colors.

[@jakerazmataz852]

Is a Laser Pecker 3 capable of different colors?

[@MakrTheory]

It is a completely different wavelength of laser. I have heard of people being able to get a dark mark on stainless with a very select few high powered diode lasers, but I have never used a diode, so I cannot confirm nor deny the claim. I would contact the manufacturer and see if they recommend that device on bare stainless steel.

[@Nynexx]

I dont have a MOPA and I can do color got a 50w Raycus.

[@MakrTheory]

MOPA helps give more options and fine tuning, but is not required to get colors. It is all about getting the right settings. I focused on MOPA because that is what I have and it seems to be the big selling point most manufacturers use for them.

[@joenicholson2213]

RED!!

[@MakrTheory]

Definitely closer. Still some more experimenting to do. Maybe even pickup another lens between the 175 and 300.

[@authentic4225]

Is it 254mm lens for colors lol. Can not seem to laser stainless steel

[@MakrTheory]

It really depends on the settings and laser. I have managed to get color with my F254 (175x175) and my F420 (300x300) on my 30w M1 JPT. I know other people use the F254 with their 60w M7 for color as well.

[@authentic4225]

@@MakrTheory Actually got mine to work. Just have to get correct distance. Do you know what the smallest and biggest diameter the 254 head can laser?

[@MakrTheory]

@@authentic4225 I’m not sure I follow. Are you talking how small or large of an area you can mark on a flat surface?

[@drbelli]

3:17 wish u let the laser sing its cyberpunk song... >=o

[@MakrTheory]

Haha. I maybe I’ll create an extended cut for those looking for an ASMR kick. Some of those tests take a long time to burn.

[@drbelli]

@@MakrTheory kzbin.infoUgkxBSaeAxkhBwlpg2JKaGc8cg-t47j2qZgf clip i made of it, how neat iz that huh?! hehe =D

[@user-ot1wm5tl4h]

CAN I BUY A BOTTLE OPENER WITH BEST COLORS ON THEM

[@MakrTheory]

If you are looking to use it as a reference chart to get colors on your laser, I would strongly suggest you run your own tests with your specific laser and setup. My settings will likely not work on your machine, which is why I explained the process without providing specific settings.

[@tommyharbofriis]

How does it do colors?

[@MakrTheory]

There are a couple ways, the colors with more shimmer to them are a microscopic surface distortion that bends the light to make our eyes perceive a color. The more solid colors are a heating of the material to just the right temperature to produce a specific color, similar to like you could do with a flame or TIG welder.

[@tommyharbofriis]

@@MakrTheory Thx 👍

[@robertarmstrong2323]

Everytime I make material test .the material settings over rides my grid setup

[@MakrTheory]

The grid settings reset every time it is closed. You can save and label them by pressing on the little save icon on the top of the test window. To recall them, you click on the drop down arrow and a list of saved test settings will appear.

[@robertarmstrong2323]

@@MakrTheory I didn't consider that .I'll have to double check

[@robertarmstrong2323]

@@MakrTheory so I should set up material settings before test grid?

[@MakrTheory]

@@robertarmstrong2323 as of writing this, the setting in the Material Test is not linked to the active setting of your work space. Looks like you could set your desired library setting as the “Default” and then reset the test setting to default. Being able to select an existing library setting for the test seems like a reasonable feature. I will make a feature request for it with LightBurn and see if they can add it.

[@thanhngovan6519]

OK

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for watching. Hope you found the information useful.

[@gojfert]

I love you movie but I am 65 years and cant see you settings

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for the feedback. My focus, at the time, was more on showing how to find settings to work on your specific machine than to share settings that work on my older, and less common, machine. In addition, I was still learning the tricks of the editing software, so I didn’t know how to zoom in on the settings at the time. I plan to make a follow up soon that should hopefully provide more clarity.

[@TheMontanaBladesmith]

Coming from a brand new laser owner, looking for information, I gotta say that this video is just confusing. Needs better explanation for beginners.

[@MakrTheory]

Thank you for the feedback. I have a few ideas written down to cover the basics of what each setting does and how it works. Color marking is definitely a more advanced topic.

[@MasterTheNEC]

Most certainly not for a newbie...LOL...Lost me at settings...LOL

[@MakrTheory]

Haha. Definitely one of the more frustrating ways to get started, but not impossible. All marking has to start with a blind guess. Changing one setting at a time is the key to learning how they each work.

[@MasterTheNEC]

@@MakrTheory Yeah, I can see I gotta start with learning what speed, frequency, power and all that new terminology is. I just got a Mopa G160 Fiber Laser from Monport and this is all overwhelming...LOL

[@MakrTheory]

@MasterTheNEC be sure to checkout some of the tutorials Patrick @lsengraving has done with his Monport. He has a lot more content than I do with some starting settings. Once you get a good mark you like, you can start manipulating the settings to see what they do. If time permits, I have plans to make more content explaining the settings and other tricks of the trade.

[@josejgomezq3810]

You are totally wrong ....use one M7 MOPA from JPT and you will update your knowledge about marking metals with colors on it. Your comments are based on one M1 MOPA of JPT and thats an old model ... again use one M7 MOPA from JPT and you will get a lot better results.

[@MakrTheory]

I would love to get my hands on an M7, but I can’t justify replacing my M1 just yet. The settings are controlled the same way between the sources, so I wouldn’t say I am wrong. Never did I state my setting will work for everyone. I’m just showing an effective method to find settings. The settings between different sources will vary greatly, especially when comparing the M1 to say an M7-E model. The beam quality and power are worlds apart.

[@AZKICKER-LASERS]

Jose what power mopa have you used?

[@MakrTheory]

I have recently helped a few M7 owners follow my process in this video to find color. One with a 60w, one with an 80w, and another with a 100w. The process I used in this video still works, but the settings were different for obvious reasons.