Finland-based Cajo Technologies has figured out how to use a laser to burn colors into different materials. “Our patented technology creates extremely precise, permanent and practically everlasting marking or colour patterning on almost any material without additives or pigments,” the company writes.
Like you, I’m wondering how the heck this works–and the company ain’t saying. All they’ll reveal is that
[Our] color patterning and marking method is based on a unique innovative application of the traditional laser beam. [It] alters the surface structure of the material, and no additives or pigments are needed. The method allows for extremely precise, permanent and practically everlasting colour patterning on almost all materials.
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Looks like this is a process similar to tempering steel. The colors in the sample match very similar to the colors that appear when an oxide layer is built up at specific temperatures of metals like steel and titanium (anodizing).
It’s temperature control. Steel blues nicely and repeatably to a certain color based on temperature. Google for “steel bluing temperature chart” for a number of interesting discussions.
The really important and impressive bit is that they achieved this kind of localized temperature control. They need to heat without cutting. I suspect that different colors take different amount of time.
Could it be a game changer in Automotive painting?
Looks like this is a process similar to tempering steel. The colors in the sample match very similar to the colors that appear when an oxide layer is built up at specific temperatures of metals like steel and titanium (anodizing).
It’s temperature control. Steel blues nicely and repeatably to a certain color based on temperature. Google for “steel bluing temperature chart” for a number of interesting discussions.
The really important and impressive bit is that they achieved this kind of localized temperature control. They need to heat without cutting. I suspect that different colors take different amount of time.