Variable results with anodized aluminum

[Dave Johnson29]

Hi All,

Many thanks to the settings offered in yesterday's thread. It turns out the anodizing and/or the substrate aluminum is the issue for getting good results.

I get a really nice bright white with the Purple and Gold (orange) using 100% power, 30% speed and 300-DPI.

Black is next best, then Dark Blue, Dark Green and the Pink being at the lower end of the scale with a pale gray mark. Still quite acceptable marking but not the brilliant white of the Purple and Gold.

I also noticed that the beam is a bright white dot on the ones giving the good finish and at the other end of the results, the beam is a barely visible dark orange color.

The samples where all lasered in the same spot on the table and at the same settings and focus so my guess is it is something to do with the anodizing process as I cannot see the colors causing the issue.

I did not try the lower power settings that Tim and James suggested but will do so tomorrow. Getting too cold out there.

Thanks to everyone for the help and settings.

[Gary Hair]

Hi All,

Many thanks to the settings offered in yesterday's thread. It turns out the anodizing and/or the substrate aluminum is the issue for getting good results.

I get a really nice bright white with the Purple and Gold (orange) using 100% power, 30% speed and 300-DPI.

Black is next best, then Dark Blue, Dark Green and the Pink being at the lower end of the scale with a pale gray mark. Still quite acceptable marking but not the brilliant white of the Purple and Gold.

I also noticed that the beam is a bright white dot on the ones giving the good finish and at the other end of the results, the beam is a barely visible dark orange color.

The samples where all lasered in the same spot on the table and at the same settings and focus so my guess is it is something to do with the anodizing process as I cannot see the colors causing the issue.

I did not try the lower power settings that Tim and James suggested but will do so tomorrow. Getting too cold out there.

Thanks to everyone for the help and settings.

The different colors will have an effect on the results as well as the process they used to anodize the parts. Anodizing is not completely science, it has a big factor of "art" in it as well. If the chemicals are newer or older, if the temp is a degree or two higher or lower - there are many factors in the results of anodizing. The results with your laser will differ as well. Even though the lasered part looks brighter on the darker colors, it may be closer than you think - the eyes are fooled by a lot of things. The attached image gives a good example of how our eyes are fooled.

Gary