Removing powdercoat with fiber laser

[Jesse Wheeler]

Hi everyone,

Did a search but didn't see anything related so here goes:

I've had some powdercoated Swell bottles show up and I'm trying to work out the settings I need to engrave(remove) the powdercoating using my 20w galvo fiber and the rotary. Haven't had much success or at least nothing I would sell, so I was hoping someone will share some baseline settings that I can use as a starting point?

Right now I'm using:

-laser in focus
-100% power
-500 speed
-35 Hz
-rotary increments .01mm

I would rather not make 2 passes, has anyone had success with this?

TIA

Jesse

The results are patchy at best and if I reduce the speed, it seems to affect the steel under the coating

[Kristian Matz]

I was just testing the JDS black powder coated cup this morning. On my 30 watt fiber galvo I was using 700 speed, 5% power and 80 hz. 45 deg hatch .01.

It was removing the coating and polishing the metal under it. Much better results than I get on my Co2.

I did not try in on the rotary yet.
IMG_20170403_142833.jpg

[Kev Williams]

At your current settngs, once the beam penetrates the coating you WILL be engraving metal. If your goal is shiny un-engraved metal after getting thru the P-coating, your Hz needs to be much higher, around 85--- Speed needs to be increased to around 1500, and power I'd start at 40%. It will likely take more than one pass the clear the coating regardless, so for good results, run it however many times it takes.

I engrave powerdcoated suitcases, and it takes a pair of crosshatches at 1200s-100p-40hz to clear the coating and 3rd 90* pass at lower power/higher freq to get it bright white. But the aluminum beneath is fully engraved at this point. You have a little more leeway with stainless before it engraves, but not much. These things LOVE to engrave metal...

[Kristian Matz]

I have noticed on mine that when I use speed much over 1000 that it seems to miss a lot of the engraving area. Even at higher power and multiple passes I have this issue. This is on all surfaces, not just pc items.

[Gary Hair]

I modified these settings a bit for my purposes - what I came up with that worked really well is 700 speed, 10% power, 80 hz, 45 and 135 hatch at .07. One pass and I have nice shiny metal showing! If the coating is a bit thick then it might take two passes but so far one is working. Even with the double hatch and two passes, it was significantly faster than using .01 hatch.

I was just testing the JDS black powder coated cup this morning. On my 30 watt fiber galvo I was using 700 speed, 5% power and 80 hz. 45 deg hatch .01.

It was removing the coating and polishing the metal under it. Much better results than I get on my Co2.

I did not try in on the rotary yet.
IMG_20170403_142833.jpg

[Kristian Matz]

I just tested your settings. They are faster and look good. It is not as brightly polished as my settings. I will play with it more.

[John Lifer]

Guys, thanks for posting. I was working with my rotary yesterday (darn harder than the co2 rotary!) and had a cup I had powder coated that I was really working on bare section.
my settings weren't touching the coating at all. I was way off from anything you posted, so I'll give them a go again.
BTW, I had put some painter's tape on a piece of steel rod that I was working with. I couldn't get the laser to touch the tape! Darn funny machine!

[John Kleiber]

Guys, thanks for posting. I was working with my rotary yesterday (darn harder than the co2 rotary!) and had a cup I had powder coated that I was really working on bare section.
my settings weren't touching the coating at all. I was way off from anything you posted, so I'll give them a go again.
BTW, I had put some painter's tape on a piece of steel rod that I was working with. I couldn't get the laser to touch the tape! Darn funny machine!

This has nothing to do with powder coat, but if you simply want to get your alignment with a fiber, tape will not work, try foil and mark it with a wide Marks-a-lot, then mark it at low power.

[John Lifer]

Yep, I saw your mention of that earlier, I do need to steal, uh borrow a bit from the kitchen..

Oh, tried my powdercoated cup that's my tester. Fiber just brittles up the coating at 100% power and I tried each of the settings above. Guess on my coatings il. Stick with CO2

[Jesse Wheeler]

Thanks guys I'm testing the settings today and will report back

[jermey fontenot]

Late .....

but what hat settings did you come up with?