Process Date: February 1999

Titanium marked with 50 watts, 200mm lens

Both titanium and stainless steels can be marked with as little as 50 watts of CO2 laser power. Titanium is readily marked with a 50 watt laser and 200mm lens, with a 69mm lens allowing for character heights as small as 1 mm. Marking speeds are around 1–3"/s, depending on the lens used, with high resolution.

Stainless steels can be marked with the 69mm lens as well, with only 50 watts of power, at speeds of approximately 3"/s. Both shiny and dull surfaces can be marked, and great results were achieved on bead blasted surfaces with a 125mm lens.

The marks are created as the laser locally anneals the very top surface of the metal, and darkening of the material occurs. The contrast with the base metal offers excellent readability.

A number of stainless steel grades have been tested, including 410, 304, and 316 - all with equally good success.