A Guide to Setting Laser Marking Parameters in Ceramics: From Beginner to Expert

The book provides a practical guide to the parameters of ceramic laser marking, from the basics to precision control.The technology optimizes core parameters such as laser power, speed, and frequency, and combines these with the characteristics of different ceramic materials, enabling users to solve problems such as blurred engraving and cracks, and thus improve marking efficiency and product quality.

Why is it so important to get the parameters right when marking ceramics?

Ceramics are hard and brittle, and it is very easy for the parameters to be set incorrectly, leading to blurry carvings, chipped edges, or even the material being burned.Many beginners who are just starting to adjust the settings tend to either crank up the power too high and burn the surface, or set the speed too low and cause the heat to build up.So, if you want to make clear, elegant marks, you have to master the art of parameter matching.

Preparation: Become familiar with your equipment and materials.

Identifying the type of ceramic and the condition of the surface.

Don't rush into using the laser! First you have to know what kind of ceramics you want to mark--alumina ceramic, silicon nitride ceramic, or ordinary glaze ceramic? Different materials have very different laser absorption rates.For instance, the surface of a glazed ceramic is smooth, so the power must be reduced to prevent the light from being too strong. On the other hand, the surface of an industrial ceramic is rough, so the energy density can be appropriately increased.

Calibration of equipment and basic parameters.

Inspect the wavelength of the laser to see if it matches the material of the ceramic (1064nm fiber lasers are more suitable for most ceramics).At the same time, the light path must be kept clean and the focus must be accurate.A little tip: Use scraps to test the focus, and find the clearest focal point before you officially mark the product. This will save you a lot of time!

Basic Parameters: Start from scratch.

Power and speed in a golden ratio.

Beginners are advised to start with a "low power + medium to high speed" combination.For example, for a 20W fiber laser, the initial parameters can be set at 30 % power and 800mm / s speed.If the mark is too light, the speed is reduced rather than increasing power, so that the mark will be deeper without the risk of cracking.

Balancing frequency and density.

When carving fine patterns, a frequency of 20-50 kHz yields even finer results.The density of the filling is recommended to be between 0.02 and 0.05 millimeters, because if it's too dense it will lengthen the processing time and may even cause the temperature of the material to rise too high.When encountering a complex image, try setting different parameters for different areas. For example, use a higher frequency for the outline and lower it for the filled-in area.

Advanced optimization: Solving real-world problems.

How can we avoid this?

If there are fine cracks along the edges after labeling, the most likely cause is excessive thermal stress.In such cases, the "multiple shallow etch" method can be tried, whereby the laser's power is reduced (e.g. to 25 %) and the laser is run over the surface two to three times, thereby achieving the desired depth while also dispersing the heat load.

Techniques for increasing the contrast of dark pottery.

When white labels are applied to black ceramics, many people have found them to appear grayish and not very conspicuous.There is a little known technique in the industry: by reducing the frequency to 5-10 kHz and slightly raising the power (for example, by 5 %), the laser can produce a slight carbonization effect, which immediately boosts the contrast one notch!

The following is a list of common problems and their solutions.

If the focus is off, try lowering the speed or increasing the power.

If the surface turns yellow: Reduce power by 5-10 %, or increase the flow of cooling air.

Distorted patterns: Check that the galvanometer is correctly calibrated. Check the resolution of the graphics file.

- Partially unengraved: This could be due to oil on the surface of the ceramic. Clean with alcohol before engraving.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone to always retest the parameters when changing batches of ceramic. Even if the ceramic is the same alumina, the different sintering processes used by different manufacturers will affect the end result.It's much more economical to spend 10 minutes testing a prototype than to have to do the job over again.