Full-Color Laser Engraving

[Bruce Boone]

I would assume there's some kind of either film or spray-on stuff that is used for each of the 4 primary printing colors. The part would need to either hold still or be repositioned after cleaning off the excess material between firings if that were the case. I suppose that's not too hard with the right fixturing though.

I just saw a patent application where there is a color printed sheet that gets transferred onto a surface using a laser, but it needed cooking in an oven for it to cure. I would assume that it's a different process than the one described here.

I have to assume that the people applying for the patent know that applications are viewable by the public.

[Jim Good]

Mike,

Wasn't Trotec involved initially with Atomic Art? Do you know what happened? Sounds like they are going to play along but maybe not at the level originally thought.

Jim

[Greg Sloan]

Hi all,

Just went to the Thermark web site. Interesting photo gallery of pictures provided by atomic-art. Sounds like to me some people figured out the right amount of colors to mix together, or maybe applied one layer at a time and then lasered at different power and speed settings.

I to thought Trotex had a large involvement in the begining. I also thought there was going to be some sort of attachment or something that was laser specific, but from what I read today, nothing else to buy other than colored ink. What do you think? Not a scam, but pretty costly to people who are barely making the rent. Each color costs about $55.00 for 50grams, which is not that bad. However, the cost of the class is pretty high. I need more information about exclusive territory? If I purchase thermark and mix it myself and the guy down the street from me does the same, who cares. Maybe I am missing something here.

[Rodne Gold]

For the same money you can buy a machine like a Busjet that prints on ANYTHING up to 10cm thick and a3 size in full colour , some items need a ink receptive coating , some dont.
The Gallery seems to show pretty "gross" pictures , ie not photrealistic unless its just the way these were uploaded.
Personally I don't think printing full colour on solid substrates has huge applications , we have access to UV flatbeds and hardly get any real decent orders for this. We alos DID buy a busjet (a problematic machine) and the demand for its applications is limited.
I have a really good digital print and cut machine and producing overlaminated decals shaped and cut to size to be applied to substrates is very cheap and effective.
To be honest , I'm really sceptical of this process , especially since no one seems to be telling you what you get for the money and listing the patents involved. Caveat emptor.

[Kim Vellore]

Also they do not seem to understand the patent process. If you developed the technology and already applied for the patent there is nothing more to blow the lid off or something like that, in fact you should make it known in the open so if your technology is that good that people copy them you can sue them. Here the patent is who invented it first. At this point I am skeptical with so little information. Maybe the process is great but it takes 3 days of lasering to make one color image? Also why would anyone pay big $$ for a class without any more info. I think either it is bad marketing or off to a bad start.

Kim

[George M. Perzel]

Hi All;
I'm with Rodne on this one-sounds like one of those things that may be neat but is begging for a practical, economical application. Too many unanswered questions and severe lack of technical detail. The secrecy/patent shroud is often used to cover up the truth.
What is material cost/time required to produce a photographic portrait on a 12 x12 tile? Get me the answer to that and I'll tell you whether this will be successful. From what I've read, I am willing to bet that the overall cost of producing a viable product will drive it out of the buying range of the consumer market.
Intersting that the US Army is testing it- what are they doing, making permanent wanted posters of Bin Laden?

Best regards;
George
LaserArts

[Mike Null]

Jim:

I'm not aware of any laser company involvement but agree that Trotec was one of the machines they used early on.

I think we'll have answers in a couple of weeks as this process should debut at the ARA show in Las Vegas.

I, for one, would have no interest in buying a license at those prices that only gives me the right to buy the media but limits my prerogative to sell on the internet which is where most of my business comes from.

Not sure that's what the deal is but it's for somebody with deeper pockets than me.

[Dave Fifield]

Ed,

I'm sorry you didn't take the time to accurately read what I wrote before becoming resentful. To reiterate, I didn't say it was scammy, I said it "...looks and sounds a bit scammy to me". This was, and still is, my considered opinion. As such, it belongs to me and is not yours to resent.

Get-Rich-Quick-Schemes

Get-rich-quick-schemes generally have some if not all of the following generic hallmarks:

1. Limited licences/sales territories
2. Sense of urgency to get signed up
3. Special pricing for the first 'n' people to respond
4. High entry price with severly limited details about what you get
5. Promises that the real secret/s will be revealed after you sign up
6. No way to adequately test the company's claims prior to sign up
7. Special conferences or training sessions that must be attended
8. Vague, missing or incomplete technical details
9. Claims that a patent is applied for, but no patent application can be found on the USPTO website
10. Obvious questions not covered in the FAQ

By my count, the Atomic Art deal hits 8 out of 10 of these traits. Did I miss any?

Patents

From my professional work in the electronics industry, I know that nowadays you can apply for, and get, a patent on pretty much anything you care to write up, whether there is any prior art or not. The USPTO long ago gave up scrutinizing patents for "worthiness". They decided to let the courts decide retroactively. Saying you have a patent application for your new process/product/design is virtually meaningless these days.

I spent the time and did a quick patent search myself. I couldn't find any applications for Atomic Art at all. Perhaps you could enlighten us to the patent application reference number?

I did however find one patent application (#20050001419) that seems to completely cover the whole color lasering process (by almost any method!). To my reading of the claims therein, it fairly comprehensively covers the process as described by Atomic Art. There's another one (patent application #20030234292) by Digimark Corp. that also seems to fairly comprehensively cover all types of color transformation/mixing by exposure to laser beam. This patent application also has an extensive refernence list of other prior related patents. I couldn't be bothered to dig any deeper. In my opinion, there seems to be plenty of prior art for all kinds of color lasering processes.

More questions

a) What is your relationship to Atomic Art LLC?
b) What is your relationship to Thom and/or Terry?
c) Why doesn't Thom or Terry come on SMC and answer our questions?

Epilog

Until all my concerns are adequately addressed I will remain very skeptical. I am fully prepared to embrace this technology if it becomes available to all on a fair and equitable basis.

Regards,

[Rob Bosworth]

Ed, you started out your thread by sounding like a forum member that was just really excited by an opportunity. And it sounded like you were just letting everyone know about this opportunity. Reading a couple of your posts defending the opportunity, it sounds like you have some involvement with the company or process. Do you?

I do not read this forum to just run through a whole bunch of ads. And if this is the way we are going to get free advertizing, then I am going to start blowing my horn. I am sure that Mike McKenzie, Roy Brewer and many others that spend a tremendous amount of time offering solutions and assistance free of charge on the this forum and others, will probably just turn those responsibilities over to their marketing departments so this will be just another pop up ad space.

HEY EVERYBODY, YOU SHOULD BUY A USED REFURBISHED LASER ENGRAVER FROM ACCESS BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, INC. BECAUSE THEY ARE REALLY EXCITIED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU11111

[Bruce Boone]

I've already told them Rob. Good to see you here.

[Ed Albrite]

All of the roumers will shortly come to an end. Tom is joining The Creek today. He will answer your questions and dispell any myths. Keep your monitors tuned in and get your questions ready...

[Ed Albrite]

Tom is trying to join our discussion, but he can not log on yet.
If anyone can help expedite the process it would be greatly appreciated.
To answer your questions.
-I met Tom & Terri at a show I Vegas. I visited with them and saw their product but not
the process. This was 1 year ago .
- I am not currently on their payroll . But I do not what the future holds.
- I hope to be one of the first people to be trained.
- When I see hardworking creative people with a good product I like to promote them.

[Kim Vellore]

Well found more info Yahooing....

http://lasermarkingmaterials.blogspo...ow-report.html

http://www.thermark.com/web-content/...-do-4color.htm

Kim

[Keith Outten]

Ed,

If your looking for Tom Cowie his account was just approved.

[Mitchell Andrus]

It won't be long before someone reverse-engineers the process and makes a cheaper version - the Chinese if the profit potential still exists at $500.00. I'd look long and hard before spending $5,500.00 to "get on board" to a process that - so far - looks like it only emulates four color process printing.

If it's truely great, it'll show up in the Journals.