EM030

Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Research Report
Introduction

Conventional metal surface coloration via surface painting and coating, although
inexpensive in the industrial setting, still present various problems, such as poor wear
resistance, colour fading over time and environmental pollution due to the usage of
chemicals. Recent studies (Laakso, Ruotsalainen, Pantsar & Penttilä, 2009) have
shown that multiple colours and colourful patterning can be created on metallic
substrates via a pulse laser, by varying the experimental parameters such as laser
marking speed and pulse width.

In this procedure, the pulse laser serves as a heating source, producing transparent
oxide films on the metal surface when exposed to atmospheric oxygen (Li et al., 2009).
Colours are produced at a given angle of incidence of light due to constructive or
destructive interference and hence it depends on the type of metal used as well (Li et
al., 2009).

The colours display strong adhesion and do not fade over time. This technology shows
significant potential for both cosmetic (personalized gifts, fashion jewellery, souvenirs
etc.) and industrial (product identification and tracking via colour QR code or barcode)
purposes.

Objectives

The main objective of this research is to identify how the experimental parameters
“marking speed”, “pulse width”, “frequency” and “type of metal used” affect the colours
of the oxide layers formed on the metallic substrate.

Methods

In the software of the pulse laser, a matrix consisting of 50 squares of equal

dimensions was designed. Then, the marking speed for each square was adjusted
individually, with square 1 having a marking speed of 1 mm/s, square 2 having a
marking speed of 3 mm/s and so on until a marking speed of 99 mm/s for the 50th
square. This was to allow ease of observation for the colours produced for different
marking speeds and to make comparisons easily. Each plate held 5 matrices with the
following parameters:

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 EM030
Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Plate 1

Parameters

Matrix no. Frequency / kHz Pulse width / ns Material

1 600 1 Stainless steel

2 500

3 400

4 300

5 200

Plate 2

Parameters

Matrix no. Frequency / kHz Pulse width / ns Material

1 600 5 Stainless steel

2 500

3 400

4 300

5 200

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 EM030
Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Plate 3

Parameters

Matrix no. Frequency / kHz Pulse width / ns Material

1 600 1 Titanium

2 500

3 400

4 300

5 200

Plate 4

Parameters

Matrix no. Frequency / kHz Pulse width / ns Material

1 600 5 Titanium

2 500

3 400

4 300

5 200

After the laser marking process, the four metal plates were scanned using an Epson
L220 printer and the digital images of the plates were used in the photo editing
software, Adobe Photoshop CC. Each colour observed was assigned a hex code using
the software’s eyedropper tool. To ensure that the colour recorded was accurate, a
range of 11 x 11 pixels (in the eyedropper tool) was chosen and the hex code of the
average colour was allocated to the appropriate experimental parameters that
conceived it. A summary of all the colours for all the parameter combinations was then
tabulated.

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Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Results

The colours obtained on the stainless steel metal plates (refer to plates 1 and 2)
changed gradually throughout the varying marking speeds while the colours on the
titanium metal plates (refer to plates 3 and 4) changed vividly from 1 – 30 mm/s, after
which, it changed even more gradually than on the stainless steel metal plate.
Additionally, a wider variety of colours was able to be obtained via the stainless steel
plate compared to the titanium plate. Furthermore, from the results, it can be seen that
a higher pulse width results in the colours becoming more saturated. Low frequencies
and high marking speeds also result in minimal colours being formed.

Plate 1 Plate 2

Plate 3 Plate 4

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Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Conclusion
The hex codes obtained for the colours produced under various parameters serve as
an objective classification of the colour that is viewed since the colour that we view via
the naked eye changes with the angle at which we view the metal plate (Li et al., 2009).
Additionally, they also serve as a standardized manner in which to record how the
colour was affected as well. Furthermore, the collection of hex codes for the varying
colours will make it easier to achieve a specific colour via laser marking in the industrial
setting. This will allow more precise artistic uses as well as larger data storage
capabilities in colour QR codes (Taveerad & Vongpradhip, 2015). Future work
regarding this field of research might include studying the relationships using a wider
range of frequencies (e.g. >600kHz) and marking speeds (>100 mm/s) as well as
using different types and grades of metals.

Bibliography

Antończak, A. J., Kocoń, D., Nowak, M., Kozioł, P., & Abramski, K. M. (2013). Laser-
induced colour marking—Sensitivity scaling for a stainless steel. Applied Surface
Science, 264, 229-236.

Li, Z. L., Zheng, H. Y., Teh, K. M., Liu, Y. C., Lim, G. C., Seng, H. L., & Yakovlev, N.
L. (2009). Analysis of oxide formation induced by UV laser coloration of stainless
steel. Applied Surface Science, 256(5), 1582-1588.

Laakso, P., Ruotsalainen, S., Pantsar, H., & Penttilä, R. (2009, August). Relation of
laser parameters in color marking of stainless steel. In 12th Conference on Laser
Processing of Materials in the Nordic Countries (NOLAMP).

Taveerad, N., & Vongpradhip, S. (2015, November). Development of color QR code

for increasing capacity. In Signal-Image Technology & Internet-Based Systems
(SITIS), 2015 11th International Conference on (pp. 645-648). IEEE.

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Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

Annex A
Stainless Steel Titanium
Speed/ mm/s

1 ns 5 ns 1 ns 5 ns
Marking

200 300 400 500 600 200 300 400 500 600 200 300 400 500 600 200 300 400 500 600
kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz kHz

1 6b3e40 1d0706 3a0e0d 300807 46111e 010000 0e0505 0a0406 0b0304 33201b a19294 acb9c8 8b8b97 888792 807e83 e4eaeb b7c7d7 96a5b4 8d98a2 81898d

3 ce9c90 a57065 b68780 b58c7a b18a81 20120d 57484f 655256 715757 6e5754 857b82 887d7c 857e83 827d84 6f7379 828b95 78787b 696a74 757b81 7d838e

5 deae96 c59886 cba193 c5a194 b89d91 44413f 685465 795763 7d5e5c 725651 695b5b 827a7b 7f7878 7b7377 646266 70777e 4e4c54 707076 7c7e88 7f7f8c

7 dbbba3 d7a293 d2a798 cba89d b7a193 57575b 745669 7c555e 805654 6f4e4b 5b5f5c 72686d 756f72 6e696d 565255 5b5d69 535057 646b6c 78787d 786e7f

9 d3c1af dfa994 d7ac99 cca998 bd9787 6c6067 77556b 7b4d59 7e5251 6e4c43 3d5a64 6a5e62 656465 625f63 514c50 535660 6f6a6a 54526a 71707f 6a6879

11 d3c1b0 deb093 dcab97 cfaa98 ac9386 836c6e 7b5369 774854 774947 674139 25364f 645c5b 58575c 58575d 4b4b51 535a61 4c484f 4a5055 66686b 68626d

13 c3c2b8 e1b594 dab096 d2ab99 af9686 957673 7c556d 74404f 744343 673e37 372834 5b5a5c 4b484f 505358 424449 5c646d 584e56 3d4753 5f5f63 5d616c

15 a5b4ba e3b89b ddb196 d1ab93 ac8f7b a28179 865971 723f4f 6f3c3e 5e312e 5e3b37 4e5458 4a4549 494a51 43464e 4a5060 5f5360 404d44 5e5d68 5a5d69

17 99afbc e2bf9d dab495 d3ae96 ad8a78 aa8c7f 8d6174 743f4c 6b373c 582d2e 7a5340 4a565e 423f3a 4d4e4e 3e4349 525665 786c6f 344051 5d576d 575f6b

19 92a9b6 e1bfa1 d8b391 d2ad92 aa8975 ba9b8a a56f7d 6e3f4a 683938 52282a 71513d 45525b 433f3b 4b4647 45484b 665960 625c68 4d473c 665b70 5c5d73

21 7694a6 dac8af c4a27f be987e a38473 9b8c80 7d5b58 5d2f33 47181b 3a1617 634c38 322f38 333632 393633 373838 684441 4b5e6a 523540 645370 685d77

23 728ea3 d5c7b1 cba58a c19d81 97866b 948c83 825b55 5a2f30 491c1a 371215 6c5544 332f32 293131 353736 363937 6d4637 475c6c 5b4749 70555b 6a596f

25 6f889b d2c7b9 cca98c c2a085 a57c74 8e8d84 856154 5f3330 471d19 3b181b 735d4b 3f3130 253233 353b39 373b3d 94715a 3c445a 45524e 6c5a5d 7f6365

27 74899a cfc8b9 c6ad93 c2a58e 9f8770 8a8888 866355 5f372f 4d271e 3e1c1a 766553 47322d 1b2c39 28383c 343d3f 8d6c50 2a1e3c 30494f 63645e 836e69

29 788997 c9c8bf c6ae98 bea58e a27d6a 848986 886757 5d372e 512c24 402019 7c6e5f 483024 122532 20363f 303d3f a1806c 4d212e 133c4e 5c656e 807a72

31 808796 c4c8c2 c6b6a0 baa793 a08170 808687 8d705f 613b2e 4d3022 432620 78675c 493023 0c1827 172c3a 2d3e46 9f8569 5d242f 0a1b3f 4a626b 7b7b77

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Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

33 828995 bfc5c1 c3b6a7 b9aa97 a08170 7a8587 8f7360 604432 4f3325 462d25 7d7062 533a26 0e1023 142234 283847 a18773 773e35 1b1025 455565 7c7f79

35 8b8c96 bbc7c6 bebaab b6ab98 9e7f6e 778285 977d68 634634 4f372a 452c25 897b71 5a3c2a 140f1d 181f31 2e3b48 a2886d 7c3818 300d18 5b4d5c 6b7178

37 8e8f99 b5c3c1 bbbaad b3ad9e 9c866c 76828b a2886e 644b37 503b2e 422b22 96887a 624330 1c0e18 26222f 2f3542 a48e7c 94613b 4e110a 6f5356 686e73

39 919097 afc3c3 b7b9b0 b3aaa0 9a8378 838f98 b5987f 624f38 514030 432c24 8a7e75 68472e 281015 2b1f2c 2e2f3c a68e7c 95653e 6a3722 775f55 7e6b7e

41 969196 9ab9c5 9f9f96 a29b8e 977c6f 5a6870 756d5e 4c3422 352519 2f1e18 796c67 614533 200b0c 27191d 35262f 98857b b1825e 672f15 78494a 6c6c7c

43 9a9595 97b4be a0a6a0 a7a498 8e8278 56606e 746e61 4b3627 36281c 2f1e17 7f756f 614c32 26120e 2b191b 312227 978476 b39177 72401e 7e4c48 726771

45 a19c9b 8cadbe a2a7a2 a4a39a 968a69 545e69 726e63 4e3e27 3b2f26 35251e 817671 654d34 331810 301517 402c2d a08c82 b98f69 7a5623 845445 8c6a6b

47 a79d9c 82a9bc 9ca8a7 a3a39f 93917f 565d68 707066 4f402e 3e3128 3f3027 867f76 664f3c 301610 2e1611 332123 a18880 c0977a 875127 8c5945 8a6a67

49 aba1a1 7ba2b7 9da9a9 a4a39d 9f927f 555d67 73746a 524638 3e342a 3c2f27 8b817b 695541 32180d 391f17 503b34 a88b7d aa9070 906840 8e5d40 977169

51 afa5a1 78a3b7 9baaae a0a49f 938d87 565c67 767870 514434 433830 3c2f27 - 6d5640 3e2012 3f261b 513936 aa9983 c49e7d 9a674c 95694c 9f796f

53 b5a5a3 779eb6 95a7ae 9fa8a8 9d968d 585e66 737870 514839 413a33 403225 - 735f4b 3e2714 5c4b45 4c3430 ad9485 c3a387 9e694d a47d5f 9f796f

55 b5a8a4 6f9bb3 94a5b4 9faaa6 9c938c 565e66 787e76 544c40 463d31 47382a - 816b59 442e1c 4b3328 4f372e a48e7a caaf99 a17d56 b58a6d ab8876

57 bbada5 6d97b3 8ea6b1 9faaaa 969188 5c6169 808883 575040 4b3e37 4a392e - 816e59 544131 533b2d 503c34 ad9991 cba78c a07b55 b9947b b08c77

59 b9aaa6 6d97af 8ba4b1 a0acac 9f9796 636c74 909a96 575146 4d4537 4b3c33 - 816a5a 513e2b 513c2e 564339 a68c80 d0b3a2 a68263 b99888 b39870

61 bdada7 668ba2 7b919b 909ca0 888c82 605e5d 525f63 564d46 3c3127 362821 - 6f5e4d 4c3d32 453124 4f372c 9f918f cdb7a2 9e7c5a ac886d ae7d65

63 c0b2a9 64879e 7a90a0 96a2a6 9b9b90 625d5d 535f62 413d31 3e3428 382b21 - 766357 4a3721 4f3c2e 533e31 a58f84 c5aa9a aa9275 ad866d b7977a

65 c1b3a9 66839c 7992a1 95a2a9 989791 625a5d 526066 464339 40352d 3e2f25 - 776658 453525 473426 5f493d a58c80 d2bba4 ab9975 b59374 bb967b

67 c4b3ac 68819b 8699a8 93a5aa 959999 635e5c 515f66 47443b 463a33 44392e - 726256 463726 533f37 5f483e a68d82 cebba7 b28c76 b08f78 bf9c80

69 c9b8b2 698398 7191a0 93a4ab 939f94 635e5c 4d5e68 44443d 494138 4b3f35 - 766958 4c392d 513c30 5f4d42 a9907e d1baae b0947b b7917b c5a289

71 cbb9b0 698197 6c8ea2 91a3aa 9c9e9e 655e5f 4f6069 45463f 4c433a 4c3f37 - 796960 584942 58483f 635046 aa9587 cfb8ab b19684 b89984 c5a991

73 cabeb1 6b8297 6a8ca1 94a7af 989b96 666061 5a6971 494947 50483e 54453c - 816e62 625952 645a52 705e53 ab8f81 d5c4b7 b49788 c1a189 cba691

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 EM030
Advanced Laser Colour Marking on Metallic Substrate

75 cfbbb5 6c8093 6988a1 91a6b1 9da0a3 6e6867 55666d 494c48 504a41 574b40 - 8a7b6d 5e5047 675955 706156 ad9786 d2c6b2 b9a78b c1a38e c8ad9f

77 cfc0b3 6f8195 63879d 8ca4ae 99a0a3 6d6464 5e6f77 484e49 534a45 5a5246 - 86776d 6e635b 675e56 69564b af998f d1c3b4 bfac95 bda38a ceb09d

79 c9baaf 718293 62899a 8ea2af 93a1a7 736f6b 6d818a 484f4b 56514a 5d544a - 8c7d74 787069 71655e 685b4c ab9384 d0c5bc c1a895 caaf9b cdb19b

81 cfbcb0 838992 577789 7d8f9d 919995 6c6763 414f58 404242 4a423b 4b4036 - 776561 554a46 534942 604e44 9e9584 d5c7b8 bcaa97 b79f90 caa78d

83 ccbcb3 858693 597a90 8097a3 8b969f 706864 434e58 414745 454039 4b4338 - 786d62 584e45 564b47 69584b a68f85 d2bbad c2aca3 9e8073 c9ae95

85 cebeb1 888a91 597892 7d94a3 979ca1 6e6563 434f59 45494b 4f4a42 50473d - 7b7063 50453d 5d5652 736357 a49186 d4beb0 c1af97 c3a899 d2ae96

87 cec0b3 8a8a91 59788d 8094a6 9499a6 726663 445159 434749 494840 524b43 - 796f66 594c48 56483c 68554b a59082 d6c6b3 bbaaa1 c8ad96 d6b79e

89 d2c1b7 8e8991 597a8f 7e95a4 9297a1 706865 4a4f5a 414848 4f4b44 564f46 - 7f766b 605550 69615a 6b5d52 9a8778 dac9b3 b3a293 c5ab9e d4b69c

91 d6c0b4 958e94 58758b 7d94a2 8d9fa6 766865 4b545e 404549 53504a 5a534a - 7b7168 5d514c 635950 6a5c57 ad9987 d8cbbf c6b29e c8aa9f d6b8a5

93 d3c4b9 928c90 5b778e 7e94a4 939fa1 756b64 4e555f 3f4648 545352 5e5a52 - 85786e 68635e 655950 6f645b ad9587 dbccba c8b5a7 c8aa9b d8bfac

95 d2c3b6 968f93 597287 7f96a8 92a2a5 756a67 535c64 3e4547 565652 625c56 - 8e837a 6c6663 695952 71645d b39c88 d2cbbb ceb8a3 c8b0a0 d9bdac

97 d7c4bb 958e90 5e788b 7f95a7 949fae 76706b 5a646d 43474e 73706a 65625b - 8a8077 675e5c 746c64 6f655e af9c8c dccdc5 cab6a0 bda996 dbc0a9

99 d2bfb9 95908e 607486 7f93a5 8e9fa6 837571 6a7179 4d4e4e 5a5854 6a6560 - 938880 6a6461 7d726c 72665e a8907d dacfc6 ccb4a5 c6b5a6 d9bea9