Color Laser Engraving:
Enhance Your Creativity

Aren’t you bored of getting the same black color after laser engraving? Wouldn’t it be exciting to have some vivid colors?

Color laser engraving is possible, and it allows you to get various colors that make your object more appealing. However, it cannot be done on all materials.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about color laser engraving. We will explain how it is done, which materials can be color laser engraved, and which laser engraving machine is the best for this purpose.

What is Color Laser Engraving?

When you laser engrave wood or other materials, the engraved parts appear to be black or gray. 

Color laser engraving is just the opposite of that. It means that the surface of the material that you engrave offers you vivid colors. It could be blue, green, pink, yellow, or anything else rather than the traditional color of laser engraving. It makes the material or objects more attractive, opening up a massive opportunity for business owners to create more attractive and unique products using a laser engraving machine.

How Does Color Laser Engraving Work?

Color laser engraving works on different methods and principles, depending on the material. But there are two basic principles. Either the color engraving is achieved naturally with the help of oxidation, or you need a coloring agent to get the desired color.

When color engraving on metal or stone, the surface of the material is turned into a molten form. During the melting process, oxidation also occurs. The surface of the metal oxidizes due to the high temperature and reaction with oxygen. The melted material solidifies again soon, but due to oxidation, a special-colored layer is created on the metal, which looks like colored engraving.

But keep in mind that you won’t get colors with all laser engravers. It depends on the power of the laser as well as the type of metal or stone. Different laser power settings result in different levels of oxidation, which produces different colors. Therefore, you see vibrant colors on the engraved surface rather than the normal engraving color. 

RELATED: Guide to Color Laser Engraving Settings

With materials such as glass, and ceramics, you can't naturally color engrave like you can with metal or stone. However, you can still use color agents such as colored laser marking paper for their color engraving. The best part about this is that you can select the desired color agent to get the desired color.

What Materials Can You Add Color to with Laser Engraving?

We have already discussed that you can add color to metals and stones through oxidation during laser engraving. Let’s have a look at what types of laser engraver you need to pick for their color laser engraving.

1. Color Laser Engraving on Metal

You can color laser engrave stainless steel, titanium, and other metals. These can be colored engraved directly without the need for a coloring agent.

Mostly, fiber laser engravers are used for engraving metals because they are specially made for metal marking. But you can also use a diode laser or an infrared laser engraver for color engraving metal.

XTOOL F1

Dual Diode and Infrared Laser Engraver

With its dual laser setup, f1 can do color engraving on metal, slates, ceramics, etc.

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2. Color Laser Engraving on Slate

Slate, a natural stone known for its durability and unique texture, is an excellent material for color laser engraving. Its dark, earthy tones provide a striking backdrop for vibrant, full-color designs. 

You can use a diode, CO2 or fiber laser to engrave slates with color.

3. Color Laser Engraving on Glass and Ceramics

As we already discussed, you need a coloring agent for color laser engraving on materials such as glass and ceramics. 

Color engraving on these materials can be done using a diode or CO2 laser.

Best Color Laser Engraver

All xTool F-series machines have fiber lasers that can color engrave metals. But, we want to specifically highlight the two ends of the range: an affordable, portable option, xTool F1, and the latest MOFA laser, xTool F2 Ultra, powered by AI.

xTool F1

If you’re looking for a portable laser engraver – something that can be carried to local craft fairs or farmer markets – xTool F1 is the ideal choice. Its lightweight, handheld design makes it extremely convenient for engraving on the go.

For color laser engraving, especially on metal, infrared diodes are recommended. It features a 10W diode laser for engraving common materials like wood, leather, and stone, alongside a 2W 1064nm Infrared laser specifically for metal engraving.

The capabilities of the F1 don't stop there. It is the fastest diode laser engraver available, with engraving speeds of up to 4000mm/s. Such speeds are seen in industrial fiber lasers. But we have incorporated this capability into a compact machine through galvo technology.

This technology not only enhances speed but also dramatically improves accuracy. F1 offers Ultra HD prints with a precision of 0.00199mm.

Being compact, the F1 features a mini-bed size of 115*115mm, expandable up to 400mm with a slide extension. This area is sufficient for color engraving on metallic accessories like business cards, jewelry, key chains, and pet tags. Additionally, rotary engraving is supported with a separate RA2 Pro rotary attachment.

Ease of use is a key feature of the F1, thanks to our user-friendly XCS software. You can import various types of files and even create designs with our AI feature. An added bonus is the real-time blue light preview, which shows you how your design will look like before you start engraving.

The machine is built for both indoor and outdoor use with safety in mind. Its enclosed design and laser-filtering lid protect against fumes and laser rays, while a built-in fan efficiently exhausts smoke outdoors.

xTool F2 Ultra: An AI-Powered Color Laser Engraver

xTool F2 Ultra is the latest in F-series, and like all previous xTool machines, it introduces groundbreaking features the world is seeing for the first time. For instance, it’s the first dual-laser machine with a 60W MOPA and 40W diode – a powerful combo that typically requires two separate machines.

The MOPA laser is a more controlled fiber technology with adjustable pulse width, unlocking 100+ colors on metals. It can not only color engrave all types of metals, but also cut through them. F1 Ultra is capable of slicing through 2mm stainless steel or brass in a single pass.

Besides being powerful, the engraving process is fast too, with engraving speeds up to 15,000 mm/s, surpassing the predecessor F1 series and rivaling industrial fiber lasers.

Normally, achieving color on metal requires tedious manual adjustments of power and laser parameters. We have solved this with AI: simply upload a photo or design, and the software automatically picks colors and optimizes settings accordingly. There’s also an AI design tool that generates designs upon text prompts, while smart AI object recognition dynamically adjusts focus for curved surfaces.

For ultra-precise design positioning, a pair of 48MP cameras is added, which boosts the position accuracy to 0.2mm. That’s 60% faster than machines with single cameras.

Despite its compact footprint, the F2 Ultra delivers a generous 220×220mm work area, enough for common metal items (keychains, cards, pendants, etc.). Need more space? The optional conveyor expands your workspace to 220×500mm, enabling both large-format projects and batch processing of multiple items simultaneously with a single command.

The system houses powerful components, so safety precautions have been implemented accordingly. It is fully enclosed and automatically removes exhaust gases. A safety sensor automatically stops the machine if opened during operation. Best of all, the unit comes assembled right out of the box, eliminating setup errors.

XTOOL F2 Ultra

AI-Powered MOPA & Diode Laser Engraver

With its MOPA and Diode laser, it achieves vibrant color marking on all metals.

Learn More

Conclusion

Color laser engraving is indeed an exciting chemical process. You’re literally coloring metal with laser beams; no paint or dyes are involved. It’s a magical process that lets you customize metal accessories in ways you’ve never imagined.

Whether you’re a weekend DIY warrior or running a pro shop, we’ve got you covered with our laser machines. Just starting out? xTool F1 is the perfect first. Running a business? Need more power and versatility? There’s nothing on the market better than xTool F2 Ultra.