← Back to Laser Experiments

AISI 304 BA · xTool F2 IR

SS304 Speed / Focus / Power Colour Model

Explore how scan speed, focus offset, power, and line density may change sustained heat, accumulated oxide thickness, and the resulting stainless colour family. The reference profiles are tuned around the attached 15-59% power proofs at 500, 600, 700, and 50 mm/s.

Controls

Machine Setup

xTool F2 IR
Nominal max power5.0 W
Effective max power
Dwell time ?
Beam width ?
Peak density ?
Dwell energy ?
Perfect line density ?
Hatch pitch ?
Over/under ?
Focus cross-section ?
Scan heat density ?
Oxide thickness ?

Read Me

What This Model Is Doing

The grid estimates scan heat density, converts that into an approximate oxide-film thickness, then maps the thickness into an interference colour family. It intentionally exaggerates the difference between precise focus and +7 defocus because that is the most important visual difference in the reference proof.

Treat this as a palette intuition builder. Real colour depends on cleaning, alloy batch, polish, humidity, scan path, actual optical power, and camera white balance.

Live Test Pattern

Hover any swatch for the modeled heat, oxide thickness, and colour state.

Power sweep
Center Power
Scan Heat
Oxide Estimate
Colour Family

Reference From The Photo

Four Proof Profiles

The mini grids below are simulated from the current model. Hover the camera icon to compare against the actual cropped proof area from the photo.

Intuition

How Speed And Focus Move Colour

Sustained Heat ?

Slow speed and dense 1000 LPCM hatching keep reheating the same neighbourhood. That lets oxide grow after the first bright flash has passed.

Defocus ?

At precise focus the same nominal power can be too sharp: high local peak, less stable colour. A +7 offset can broaden the useful colour window.

Oxide Refraction ?

Thin films start straw/gold, move through bronze and violet, then blue/teal/green. Too much heat dulls the film toward grey or ablation.

Reference

SS304 Oxide Colour Scale

Approximate thin-film oxide colours used by this simulator, with a parallel surface-finish guide from shiny to matte to slag risk. Real stainless colour shifts with polish, cleaning, alloy batch, viewing angle, and camera white balance.