Guide cards

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Series Colour on Stainless Steel — A Three-Part Guide Read in order · 6 min each
Part 1 of 3
Why Stainless Steel Takes Colour from a MOPA Laser
The oxide layer science, steel grades, and surface finish — before you touch a parameter.
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Part 2 of 3
The Four Parameters: Frequency, Pulse Width, Speed & Power
What each parameter does and an interactive wattage scaler for your machine.
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Part 3 of 3
Setting Up Your Colour Layers in LightBurn
Step-by-step layer setup, test card workflow, and troubleshooting common results.
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More guides
My MOPA Colours Look Washed Out — 5 Things to Check First
Pale, grey, or inconsistent colour on stainless steel? Here are the 5 most common causes, in the order to check them, plus a free interactive diagnostic tool. Read guide
Monport GM & GA 30W MOPA: LightBurn Setup & First Colour Job
Full LightBurn setup walkthrough for both the GM split-style and GA integrated 30W MOPA. Covers the EzCad2 driver, device configuration, focus, layer setup, and starting colour parameters for stainless steel. Read guide
OMTech MOPA 60W Split: LightBurn Setup & First Colour Job
Device profile, focus setup, layer import, and starting colour parameters for stainless steel — with SVG diagrams and a colour swatch reference for the 60W JPT M7 source. Read guide
Getting Started with the ComMarker B6 60W MOPA
LightBurn setup from scratch for the ComMarker B6 and B4 60W. Covers focus, layer import, power scaling for 60W, and starting parameters for the full colour spectrum on stainless steel. Read guide
How to assign a LaserSecrets colour to a cut layer in LightBurn
Three simple steps to assign a colour recipe from your LaserSecrets library to a cut layer in LightBurn — with screenshots. Read guide
What Is a MOPA Fiber Laser?
A plain-English explainer of what MOPA means, how it produces colour on metal, and when the extra cost is worth it. Read guide
Q-Switched vs MOPA Fiber Lasers: Which Should You Buy?
Both are fiber lasers. Both engrave metal. But only one can produce colour on stainless steel. Here's the plain-English breakdown. Read guide