Color on Chrome

[Steven Wallace]

Has anyone heard of this or seen how this process is done. I have a customer inquiring if I can do this. So far I have been able to do the black image. See attached link. Thanks

http://www.thunderroadlaser.com/customdesigns.htm

[Doug Griffith]

Interesting. I noticed that they can only do a beige color + black. Could it be 2 different coatings ran in 2 different passes. The black coating being Cermark and ran after the color coating.

[Steven Wallace]

I agree with your post. The best I can figure is that they make two passes, probably with a graphic of two colors. Engrave the first color with the cermark and then second color with some coating other than cermark. That being said, I have no idea what the other chemical treating material is.

[Steven Wallace]

After reading more on the website, they ghost at high power giving them the second (beige color). I am not sure if my 35 watt machine.

[Doug Griffith]

I'd be scared to etch on chrome because of the reflectivity.

[Rodne Gold]

There are some lasers than can do colour depending on the metal , power and freq etc ...like this....
http://www.laserproi.com/en/mark_showcase_detail.php?ID=English_050623030833

[Dave Johnson29]

I'd be scared to etch on chrome because of the reflectivity.


Doug,

A simple method to overcome that fear would be to have the material on a very slight angle such that the beam is still within the focus range of the lens but any reflection will not be beamed right back at the lens, but off to a side.

I pretty much built my laser so I had the luxury of mounting the final mirror and lens assembly at a 2 degree angle to the perpendicular of the table.
It does leave a slight kerf angle on the Y-axis when cutting but barely noticeable.

[Martin Boekers]

I saw at a show awhile back that they had a four-color tile that was lasered. I thought it was made with a Cermark material, but I'm not sure.
dealing with Cermark is difficult enough I can't imagine doing one color recoating the tile doing the next until all four colors are represented. I know how difficult it was keeping registration and consistancy in the old Dye-Transfer photo process (yes I am an old fart!) or even on a silk screen.

On another forum they speculated about using a yag or a fiber laser for a pass and Cermark with a CO2 laser for a second pass.

The thing that the website addressed that leads me to think it isn't (totaly) Cermark is that when you tilt it in the light the "ghost" image fades and reappeares. That wouldn't happend with a staight laser etch.

They also said it's smooth to the touch which is interesting.

Also they said that they only do it on Harley parts which makes me think that Harley produces a better chrome for the process.

Just thoughts,


Marty

[Martin Boekers]

Question as for as the mirror effect bouncing back to the laser.

Not being an optics guy as the laser relects back through the lens wouldn't it lose focus? As the lens was designed for the light to be focused as it goes through the one side and not the reverse.:confused:

Marty

[Joe Hayes]

I have been told ( a little birdy ) that CerMark will be introducing a couple new colors at the ARA show in LV at the end of the month. Copper and Pearl. Samples look good.
Much more info should be available by the first part of March

[Dan Hintz]

Joe,

I spoke with Dave at Ferro a couple of weeks back and he told me the same thing... I'm very interested in getting a hold of those colors.

[Steven Wallace]

Remember that the chrome once it has cermark on it, is not reflective like it would be without any cermark on it.

[Marc Myer]

Keep in mind also that there are many different types of 'chrome.' There's the traditional chrome as on car bumpers and the like, but much more common now are the use of physical vapor deposition and other high-tech processes, as 'real' chrome is now very expensive due to environmental regulations. These new 'chrome' coatings are used primarily for smaller and decorative items, but are found commonly in many areas, including automotive and industrial uses. These coatings are usually clearcoated and are laserable, but the difficulty is determining what chrome process was used. In colored chrome, the tint is usually embedded in the topcoat.