How the Cermark or TherMark Process Works

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The Cermark or TherMark process uses very precise lasers with marking materials scientifically formulated to permanently fuse to metals, ceramics, glass, and other hard surfaces thus creating high-contrast, high-resolution marks.

Their marking materials consist of traditional ceramic glazing material (a mixture of glass frit and pigments for coloring), with the addition of a thermal absorber. While traditional use of such glazing material requires it to be applied to the surface of a ceramic object and then baked in a very hot kiln for more than an hour. The patented Cermark/TherMark method uses a laser as the heat source to fuse the ceramic glaze instead of a kiln. All this happens in microseconds as opposed to hours, consuming far less “energy” and, consequently, without compromising or damaging the material being marked. It is the thermal absorber within the marking materials that enhances and speeds the heat absorption from the laser beam thus improving the transfer to the glaze.

But the thermal absorber does more. It is also instrumental in allowing the substrate to be marked using multiple laser types. For example, a CO2 laser cannot mark most metals because the beam cannot be absorbed by the substrate. Because of the absorbers, Cermark/TherMark’s process facilitates marking metals with a CO2 laser, increasing the range of applications the laser system is capable of.

The inclusion of pigments in the Cermark or TherMark marking materials not only enables the creation of high-contrast, high-resolution marks but also provides the ability to tailor the color to the application. The pigments used are chemically similar and in many cases identical to the ones used to decorate fine china, ceramics, and tile. Some of these pigments undergo no chemical change during the laser firing process and either dissolve into or are simply encapsulated by the melting glass frit. Still, others react with the molten glass frit and with each other to “develop” the desired color under the laser’s heat. A good example is the use of a proprietary cobalt compound as a pigment which develops a deep blue color by reacting with the silicates in the glass frit to form Co-silicate.

In all cases, Jorlink and Cermark/TherMark promise a resulting high-contrast, colored mark composed of inherently stable pigments which are further protected in capsules of inert glass.

Equally important to using chemically stable pigments in the formation of permanent marks within this process is the thermal bonding process. As the glass frit melts, it chemically bonds to the substrate’s surface. For Instance, in the case of a glazed ceramic or glass substrate, silica atoms in the frit bond to the silica atoms in the ceramic glaze or the glass surface through an oxygen atom. In the case of unglazed ceramic or metal, silica atoms in the frit bond to metal atoms in the ceramic or metal surface, again through an oxygen atom. These chemical bonds are as strong as the bonds holding the glass together and thus result in a mark that can stand up to severe abrasion and corrosion.

If your company is looking for marking materials that can vary in order to address a wide variety of target substrates, the different components of the Cermark or TherMark  process is perfect for you.