Need some help with Romark Metalgraph Plus

[Scott Shepherd]

I have a job I'm just starting to run, customer logo on it. Material is Romark Metalgraph Plus Stainless/Black.

There are some semi-fine details on the logo along with some text that's white with a black background, so when engraved, the letters are stainless looking and the background it silver. That area is small and the font is about 1/8" tall.

It looks great when I finish until I wipe it with a paper towel and any sort of cleaner, at which point, that seems to wipe off the stainless top layer. You can take a knife and lightly touch it and it comes off of the very detailed work.

I'm using light power and fast speed on it. Using 95% speed 30 speed so it's just cutting through the top layer.

Any ideas? I've run 3 sheets now and all 3 are the same. Called Rowmark tech support and got voicemail.

Any ideas?

[Mike Null]

I would try lowering speed, power and resolution. Resolution need not be higher than 500 or even 400 if you have that option.

The cleaner I use is denatured alcohol.

[Scott Shepherd]

First batch I cleaned with Denatured Alcohol and they seemed fine. Took samples to customer and I kept a couple. They look great. Used a citrus based cleaned on the other ones, and they messed up.

Just went back to the denatured alcohol and also beefed up all the very fine details in the logo a little (made anything that would be a fine detail a little thicker), and redid the text and made it just a shade bolder than original and ran one, cleaned it with DA and it looks good.

I think I have the right combination now. I'm quiting on that note and will have a go on the rest of it tomorrow.

Not sure why I changed to the citrus cleaner in the first place. I used to like the stuff, but I'm beginning to think it causes me more problems than it solves.

[Joe Pelonio]

I use a citrus based cleaner for the edges only when it has transfer tape on the front. If you leave it long enough or rub too hard it will remove the top layer. A quick wipe is Ok if you then clean it off with windex or D.A. but then it's easier to just use D.A. in the first place.

[Bill Cunningham]

I usually use DA to clean Romark, and Encore plastic, but got a surprize the other day.. I had some 'Hunter Orange' coloured stuff from IPI and the DA took the colour right off the surface.. Good ole IPI! a surprize a minute!

[David Lavaneri]

Some citrus cleaners, i.e. Citrisolve are very aggressive solvents and can't be left on plastics very long. In fact, it's safer not to use them at all on thermoplastics.

There's an aerosol Stainless Steel cleaner I use, made by Dymon, which has enough citrus cleaner content to be effective, without ruining fragile plastics.

I suspect it's the same as, or very similar to "Plaque Brite" an aerosol cleaner for metal award plates, which cleans, polishes and resists re-soiling (aka fingerprints).

It's sold through janitorial supply houses.

David "The Stunt Engraver" Lavaneri