Laser marking parameters for five metals (stainless steel / aluminum / copper)

The company offers a laser marking parameter comparison chart for five commonly used metals: stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and two others. The chart covers critical settings such as power, speed, and frequency.The book provides a summary of the parameter ranges that were determined through actual testing. This helps users quickly match the characteristics of the material, and avoids problems such as blurring and scorching caused by improper parameters.

Why do the parameters of metal laser marking need to be adjusted?

Different metals have different absorption rates and thermal conductivity.For example, the surface of aluminum reflects light strongly, and copper conducts heat quickly. If you use the same parameters for aluminum or copper as you do for stainless steel, you can easily end up with unclear markings or even damage to the material.I recommend that everyone flexibly adjust the parameters based on the characteristics of the materials. The parameters shared below are stable values that have been repeatedly tested in our laboratory.

Table of five metal materials parameters.

Stainless steel series.

Stainless steel 304: recommended power 20-30 W, speed 500-800 mm / s, frequency 20-50 kHz.For darker marks, the speed can be reduced to 300mm / s, and the number of scans can be increased to two or three.

Aluminum alloy (containing aluminum oxide).

It is suggested that low power (10-15W) be used in combination with high frequency (80-100kHz), with the speed controlled at 1000-1200mm / s.Note: Aluminum is highly reflective. Rubbing the surface with alcohol before marking will greatly improve the results.

Copper and brass.

These materials require higher power (25-35 watts), but the speed has to be increased to 1500 millimeters per second to prevent overheating.Purple Copper recommended that they use the "pulse interval adjustment" function of the laser to reduce the problem of material oxidizing and turning black.

Parameter optimization tips.

First do a small test.

A 5 × 5 cm test area is left around the edge of the material, and the laser is used to mark the material using different parameters (such as three different power settings).Our team discovered that this approach could save more than 30 % of the debugging time.

Don't overlook environmental factors.

When the temperature in the workshop exceeds 30 degrees Celsius, it is recommended that the laser power be reduced by about 5 %.In addition, aluminum tends to carbonize at the edges in high temperature environments, so the addition of a secondary cooling device is even more effective.

Regularly adjust the light path.

Inspect the laser focusing lens at least once a week.Users have once reported that the machine's performance was getting worse even though the settings were correct. It turned out that the lens was covered with metal dust, which was causing the laser to misfire. After cleaning the lens, the machine returned to normal.

Common problems are solved on the spot.

If the marker is white, it may be that the frequency is too high--try reducing the frequency by 10 kHz.

If the lines aren't continuous, check the lubrication of the guide rails and reduce the marking speed by 20 %.

If the metal starts to smell burnt, stop immediately. This is a typical symptom of the power being set too high, or of the focus being wrong. Refocus and try again.