Optimizing Aluminum Oxide Parameters for Industrial Laser Marking

In response to the difficulties of using industrial lasers to mark aluminum oxide, they provide optimized parameters and practical advice.The guide covers core parameters such as laser power, frequency, and speed, recommends suitable equipment models, and shares solutions to common problems with aluminum oxide surface engraving, to help users increase their marking efficiency and product precision.

Why does alumina require special parameters?

Aluminum oxide is a commonly used industrial material, with a high hardness and high reflectivity. If you try to mark it with standard parameters, you can easily get blurry, burned, or uneven results.We tested it out ourselves, and found that the same laser machine required a 20 % reduction in power to mark aluminum oxide, or it would over-carbonize.Especially black anodized aluminum, the slightest change in parameters will easily result in a "painted face" (a reference to a type of Chinese opera).

The key parameters are adjusted in accordance with practical experience.

The perfect balance between power and speed.

They suggest starting with a power of 40W and a speed of 800mm / s.For example, when a line is broken, the speed is appropriately reduced; when the color is too light, the power is increased by 3-5 %.Remember that if the power is increased by 10 %, the speed must be increased by at least 15 % to avoid burning or melting the material.

There's a trick to choosing the frequency.

Aluminum oxide is best engraved at high frequencies of 30 to 50 kHz, which reduces the heat-affected zone.But note that when cutting very fine logos, you may need to reduce the frequency to 20 kHz, so that the energy of each pulse is higher, and the details are more clearly defined.

Don't forget to set the depth of field.

Adjusting the laser focus position 0.3-0.5 mm higher than normal produces unexpected results: it avoids overheating the surface of the material while making the color of the marking more uniform.This technique is especially suitable for treating coated aluminum oxide workpieces.

A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls in Choosing Equipment

Don't let the dealers fool you into buying a machine with a power rating that's too high! In our own tests, we discovered that the best price-to-performance ratio was for machines in the 50-70W range.The two main points were: ① the machine must have a red light alignment function, to make it easy to align the machine with curved workpieces, and ② the cooling system must be a dual circulation system, so that the machine can work continuously for eight hours without the frequency dropping.

Quick responses to common problems.

If the marks turn white, first check to see if the air pressure is stable, then try adjusting the filling spacing from 0.05 mm to 0.03 mm.If you see a halo around the picture, it's probably because the lens is dirty. A little alcohol on a dust-free cloth and you'll be able to see the difference immediately.

Finally, a reminder: The chemical composition of aluminum oxide produced by different firms varies greatly. When you get a new material, be sure to do a test on a 5 x 5 cm area first.The parameters can be saved in the equipment and called up the next time, saving half an hour in setup time.