Darker engraving on aluminium

[Zlatko Kursar]

Is it possible to get darker engraving on aluminium with fiber laser.
I am using EzCad software, speed 200, power 100 and freq. 20.

[Gary Hair]

That really depends on the type of aluminum. If it's anodized then you can use an oxidizer to get very black marks, I do that for data plates for a customer. If it's raw aluminum then I haven't found the magic settings yet - but I'm still working on it!

[marco rodriguez]

Hi Gary, I know the topic is pretty old. But could you holm up to do this? "If it's anodized then you can use an oxidizer to get very black marks,"


20W fiber 30W fiber 50W fiber 100 yag

[Kev Williams]

There's several liquid oxidizers that will blacken brass and aluminum, New Hermes sells "Aloxide", Scott Machine Development sells 'Oxidizing Solution'-- most any engraving supply outlet will have these or another version-

These will blacken RAW aluminum and raw brass, but won't affect anodized aluminum or coated brass. Once you engrave thru the anodizing or coating, either with tools or a laser beam, then only the engraving will blacken.

[Zlatko Kursar]

Kev,

it is OK for small area, but whit large area I don't get uniformly darknes.

[Kev Williams]

For a large areas of black on anodized aluminum, you're just about out of options with any laser engraving. For RAW aluminum you can use Cermark, your 80w Shenhui should do it just fine. (my 80w Triumph does aluminum fine, but my 40w LS900, not enough power)