Hello,
I am a beginner in engraving, I would like to engrave a QR code on the GPS housing. The equipment is Falcon 2 22W.But I would like it to be in color like the attached photo. Can you tell me how to set the program to do this? Setting the power and speed does nothing, only smaller or deeper engravings. Unfortunately, I am not able to obtain such color, or something similar even through the grayscale.
Thank you in advance for your help.
The short answer is, you can’t. Your type of laser only produces certain results, depending on the material you are lasing. On wood it will only produce shades of brown. on Slate, shades of gray, etc. The lasering process burns the material it contacts. Any color is the result of the combustion process and generally only shades of a material specific color are possible.
You don’t specify what material this is made of, but if it’s a plastic, unless it states that it is laser safe. DON’T engrave it. Many plastics emit toxic and corossive fumes when lased and if you’re not sure it’s safe it’s best to avoid it.
Thank you for your answer.
As you wrote it is plastic. Can you tell me/know what device would make me get a similar result.
UV Printer? As far as engraving, possibly a fiber laser. But there again, toxic fumes.
Thank you very much for your answer.
UV laser. Not gonna get “colors”, but will generally mark better than 1064 fiber or green lasers on most plastics. But they are rather pricey!
Not sure I’ve ever seen color laser marking on plastic, nor can I think of a mechanisms it would be achieved, save for modified chemistry, specifically embedding laser activated components. In metals, it’s achieved by varying the temperature and density of marks, and in some special cases (femtosecond stuff) engraving diffraction patterns. Not possible in plastics.
One other option for getting color is making a laser-cut rubber stamp and dipping it in paint.
QR codes do not usually come in color. Is there a special situation requiring this?
Once a qr code has decent contrast it should be fine; tend to be better to have dark foreground, light background, but most readers can deal with inverted versions.
This is a housing for a GPS that is mounted on a container. The driver’s task is to read the QR code with the phone in the application to make changes.
I would like the data on the housing to be legible.
After testing, I have what is shown in the picture.
Paint a white square or circle on that first? Krylon makes paint labeled for plastic.
The SN and QR that are visible were already engraved by someone with a laser. I just have no idea what kind because I didn’t get a response from that person.
That changes the character of this entire thread. We thought it was you doing the laser work.
You have an issue with the work from that other person. If the QR is iffy on being read, have them make the adjustments. You cannot fix it with your own laser.
No, someone made a few GPS units with such engravings earlier.
But a larger batch arrived and I decided to try to do it myself, but I ran into a problem as you can see.
And right now I don’t know if it could be caused by the device, as thelmuth mentioned
Tim Helmuth.
Mine are showing dents as you can see.
Nope, can’t see but I suspect it is melting due to too much power.
yeah, not gonna happen with a diode laser; wrong frequency. You have to use a green or uv laser.
Exactly. If the power is too high, it melts. If it is too low, the print is visible only at the right angle.
I have marked my tests in the photo.
You started the posting with QR code. What is this?
When melting plastic, you need a controlled heat source AND a controlled environment. Even then, getting repeatable results will be difficult because you have no control over the density or composition of the plastic.
Definitely the wrong tool for the job. I don’t have any further advice as to what the right tool is, though. Outside of my skillset.
Alternative option…could you get the case 3d printed and make the QR code a part of the design?
I know contrast is an issue…but not an insoluble one…there are two-colour 3d printers readily available, so you’d just make the outer skin a different colour…
