Aluminum Clip Board...cermark

[Linda Kroeker]

Good Morning Everyone,

I need to laser names on a few aluminum clipboards...search through the forum for info on cermarking them...
Most info says that it does not laser well, but some said no problem...anyways here are my results...not very good.
If I got a consistant mark throught the whole font it wouldn't be bad.
Could anyone tell me what I've done wrong...used RGB black (read somewhere to use that) 45watt Epilog...600dpi 10s 100p.
If you look close it has lines that you can see half way done the letters...what would cause this?
May have to use a JDS laser blak plate instead of cermark.

Thanks for your advice,
Linda

[Gary Hair]

That looks like anodized aluminum, is it? If so, I would laser through the anodized layer, apply cermark and laser again. You may not have to laser that slow to get it to work.

Also, how are you applying the Cermark? Are those brush streaks in the letters?

Gary

[Dan Hintz]

Looks a lot like too much power (i.e., too slow), though I've never tried to do it over anodizing before.

[Linda Kroeker]

Hi Gary,
I didn't think that these were anodized...but you know what, after I read your post thought I would try lasering it without anything and your right
it is anodized...it lasered white! So if I was to laser first, then spray cermark and laser again, I would get a black mark???
I would have to be sure and get the board right back in the same spot, they don't lay flat on the table because of the clip on the other side...
sounds like I should give it a try...Thanks for the help!
The center circle is lasered with no cermark...
Linda

[James Rambo]

I did not have success with only one run of cermark on aluminum. Since I started giving it a second burn without moving or reappling cermark, at the same power and speed setting as the first burn it has worked each time.

[Dave Johnson29]

I didn't think that these were anodized...but you know what, after I read your post thought I would try lasering it without anything and your right
it is anodized...it lasered white!

Linda we just had a thread on exactly this topic. I think it had "air brush" in the Subject.

Here ya go...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showpost.php?p=1346270&postcount=14

[Viktor Voroncov]

Cermark always advice that their product are not reccomended for anodized aluminium. But my experience in past show that results like you have very often happened with items made in China. I have used Cermark for engraving on anodized Al items made in Germany - work much better (but still I can't say perfect). May be reason is different technological processes :)

[Randy Digby]

Linda, I have other combinations that are working on anodized but the one that gives me a for sure mark every time is:
Coat with LMM6000
Laser at 30w and 44in/sec and 1000dpi
Re-coat with LMM6000
Laser again at 30w and 44 in/sec and 1000dpi.

I know the LMM6000 is not advertized for anodized and am working on the settings for doing one pass to burn the anodized and the second with Cermark but the process I listed works every time for me..of, course that is with my material also. You do have to be able to register your part the same for both runs.

Good luck.

[Gary Hair]

Hi Gary,
I didn't think that these were anodized...but you know what, after I read your post thought I would try lasering it without anything and your right
it is anodized...it lasered white! So if I was to laser first, then spray cermark and laser again, I would get a black mark???
I would have to be sure and get the board right back in the same spot, they don't lay flat on the table because of the clip on the other side...
sounds like I should give it a try...Thanks for the help!
The center circle is lasered with no cermark...
Linda

Linda,
Make a fixture of some sort to hold them in place otherwise you'll never get them back in the same spot. If all else fails, you can put one in place, laser it and without moving or removing it, coat with Cermark and laser again. If you use an airbrush you should be able to do this without any movement at all.

If I were to make a fixture for clipboards, it would be a 2" x 2" piece of wood with a rabbet in the edge for the clipboard to sit on and hold it above the bed of the laser. If it moves at all you could use double sided tape to hold the fixture in place and a bit of clay to hold the board.

Gary

[Gary Hair]

Coat with LMM6000
Laser at 30w and 44in/sec and 1000dpi
Re-coat with LMM6000
Laser again at 30w and 44 in/sec and 1000dpi.

I don't understand the first coating - it's just going to burn off without leaving a mark. I would laser without coating first and then apply the Cermark. Otherwise you are just wasting the first coat - both time and materials.

Gary

[Randy Digby]

The first coating leaves about a 50% gray mark for me.

[Gary Hair]

The first coating leaves about a 50% gray mark for me.

How does it look if you don't put the first coat on? Any lighter? My guess is that the first coat isn't really sticking and that's why its gray. I would try lasering then coating if you haven't already.

Gary

[Randy Digby]

Gary, that's one of the projects I'm working on that was discussed in another thread the other day. I was having to use spray can for application and FedEx delivered my airbrush today. I have run some trials with the laser-coat-laser method but am not 100% pleased with the results. I'm actually going to put a part on as soon as I leave the Creek and laser the first pass without coating while I play with the airbrus. Hopefully, I'll be able to apply the Cermark with the new airbrush and them laser again. I'm going to laser it a little hotter tonight than I did in previous tests and see if that dosen't leave a mark as good as the two coat method. Each pass takes about an hour. I'm off to design the part and learn (play with) airbrush basics.