How to get black mark on Aluminum with a Fiber Laser

[Kenny Davis72]

Hi, Does anyone want to share their settings to get a black(or dark grey) mark using a Chinese fiber laser? I'm only getting the frosted white marks. Is it even possible?

Kenny

[Keith Winter]

I'm not sure it's possible. Aluminum engraves white.

[Gary Hair]

You need to have not only the settings but you need "wobble". It's a feature in the newer version of ezcad and it really makes marking aluminum better and easier. Attached is a pic using 300mm/sec, 100%power, 40 freq, .05mm wobble. Adjust the wobble to accommodate your specific needs.

[Kenny Davis72]

Thanks Gary! I did a quick test with the wobble and it did make a noticeable difference in the engravings darkness. My fiber laser is a 20w unit so I'm sure the setting are going to be slightly different then your 30w unit. With the wobble turned on I get a medium gray which looks acceptable to me when viewed straight on. When viewed at an angle is very hard to read. See the image below. The first image shows the mark when looking straight at it and the second one is at an angle. BTW, each image shows wobble turn "on" at the top and off at the bottom. All other setting stayed the same.
fiber laser wobble 1.jpgfiber laser wobble 2.jpg

[Gary Hair]

I forgot to say that I used two hatches, one at 45 and one at 135 degrees, .05mm spacing, see pic for type.

[Keith Winter]

You need to have not only the settings but you need "wobble". It's a feature in the newer version of ezcad and it really makes marking aluminum better and easier. Attached is a pic using 300mm/sec, 100%power, 40 freq, .05mm wobble. Adjust the wobble to accommodate your specific needs.

Interesting I didn't know this was possible on Aluminum, good tip Gary!

[Scott Challoner]

I still get my best mark on aluminum with 60mm/sec 100%power and a freq. of 30 (30watts). 90 degree hatch, one pass with .05mm spacing with no wobble. Wobble seems to make the mark bolder and slower. My wobble setting has two parameters, Diameter (Default is 1.0mm) and Distance (.5mm default).