Question- The laser marking materials look great after laser marking them, but when I go to rinse them off they wipe clean. What am I doing wrong?

Answer- Usually this means you are not allowing the laser enough time to bond the materials to the substrate. You can adjust by lowering the marking speed (expressed in %, in/sec, or cm/sec). We recommend this be done in 5% increments. A power grid on a sample piece may help to visualize the settings better.

Question- I get inconsistent marks after marking. Different parts of the graphics have different contrast and quality.

Answer- This may happen when the coating of CerMark materials is not homogeneous along the surface being marked. This usually occurs when airbrushing or foam brushing our liquid products. Care must be taken to master a technique which works for you so you can evenly apply the ink along the whole target surface every time. 

Question- While laser marking my substrate I notice the laser marking materials are peeling back like a sticker. What is going wrong?

Answer- If the materials are peeling back, one of two things is occurring:

There may be a coating of some sort preventing the CerMark laser marking materials from bonding to the substrate. We usually see this with lacquer coated metals (these coatings are common on aluminum, brass, and pewter). If you are not sure whether or not your substrate has a lacquer coating, you can test by direct laser marking (to remove the coating), applying CerMark materials, and then re-laser marking on the same spot. If the materials bond, then you know a coating was causing your problem.

If you know your piece is not lacquer coated, the problem may be stemming from residue left behind by a cleaning agent such as an over the counter glass cleaner. Simply wash the substrate with warm water to remove any cleaning agent residue. Note: When marking with the TherMark LMC products on ceramic substrates, you should never use cleaning agents to wash or clean debris and oils off the substrate. Matte finished ceramics will hold the agents in the porous surfaces and will give you great difficulty when marking.

Speed. Peeling may occur when the correct amount of laser energy has been applied to the substrate but with too high a speed setting. The materials are bonding to themselves but have not had enough time to bond to the substrate. To fix this problem, slow down the laser marking speed until you achieve the Correct Settings.

Question- The mark is not as dark as I would like, can I get a darker mark by using a thicker application of the TherMark material?

Answer- Different alloys may give slightly different shades of color with the same CerMark laser marking material. Different laser types (CO2 and fiber) will also produce varying results. A thicker coating of CerMark material will result in more power being needed to create the bond with your substrate; it may not necessarily make the marks darker. In general, more is less: you will get the best marks using the smallest necessary amount of laser marking material. Make sure to consult your individual product’s product page for recommended coating thicknesses.

Question- Is the Cermark Ultra a product that can be used to mark plastics?

Answer- The New ultra no works with plastics because the functionality is to bonding to the substrate at high temperatures. “ if too much heat is applied it will melt. If the customer wants to do more testing, very low power is recommended if just want to fuse the CerMark onto the plastic. We have had some customers use the LMC-6044P Aerosol on some plastics with success. Just an idea if you want to test.”