Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for preparing a grinding pattern for a metallurgical sample (1), wherein, after preparing the sample (1), a thermal contrasting of the surface is carried out by laser equipment, wherein, using a USP laser (2), at least the following processing steps are carried out: cleaning (R) the surface of the sample (1) with an ablation depth of between 1 to 50 ?m to reveal joining gap structures (300); contrasting (K) the cleaned surface of the sample (1) with an ablation depth between 0.5 to 20 ?m to make joining structures (400) visible; laser etching (A) the contrasted surface of the sample (1) via the ablation-free creation of a thermal annealing color structure (500) and/or surface oxidation.