Laser Settings

CerMark laser marking materials can be used with CO2 and Fiber/Diode laser wavelengths but is not recommended for Green or UV lasers.  CO2 lasers must be 30 watts or more in power.  Fiber lasers must have a frequency range that goes up to at least 200 kHz.  Lower frequency fibers laser settings will blow the CerMark off the surface instead of bonding it.

The most common cause for CerMark to not bond properly to an item is when incorrect laser settings are used.  This is normally due to laser power being too low and or speed settings being too fast.  Low power can also result from the laser not being in focus or the laser optics may require cleaning or replacement.

No two CO2 laser tubes put out the exact same amount of energy so we can not create specific settings charts.  You will have to do testing to determine specific power and speed settings for each of your own systems.

Every material type requires different power and speed settings.  Hard metals like stainless steel can be marked at much faster speeds then softer metals like aluminum and copper which suck the laser heat away quickly.

Many times brass and copper items will have a clear coating on them to prevent tarnish.  These coatings prevent CerMark from bonding to the base metal.  Aside from anodized aluminum CerMark is only meant to be used on a bare material with no coatings or paints.

Thicker application of CerMark does not make a darker mark or make it stick better.  For best mark results spray application of CerMark with just enough coating to hide the base material.  In the case of glass marking you want to be sure you can not see through the CerMark coating.

Once you get good looking marks you should always do a scrub test with a green scrubby sponge or Brillo pad to make sure settings are correct.  Proper marks will survive hard scrub testing like this.