Making Sense of Laser Markable Metals Instructor - Andrew Marvin - PDF document

3/28/2012 Making Sense of Laser Markable Metals Instructor - Andrew Marvin Introduction Who we are: Horizons Imaging Systems Group (ISG)- a developer and manufacturer of unique, high-value aluminum based identification products. Including: Non-Biased Approach: objective evaluation 12 leading laser-markable metals. Where to buy materials mentioned today:  USA: Bur-Lane, Inc., Johnson Plastics, Gravograph, LaserBits, Marco Awards Group, PDU Company, ID Plates  Canada: Engraver’s Express, Techno Gestass, Canadian Engraver’s Supply 1

3/28/2012 Course Objectives 1. Why laser markable metals. 2. What laser markable metals are available. 3. How to properly lase the metals. 4. When to use these metals. 5. How to choose the right metal. 2

3/28/2012 Why Laser Markable Metals? Vs. Why Laser Markable Metals? =$  More Profitable  Higher Perceived Value  More Durable  Industrial/Military Specifications  Unique 3

3/28/2012 Why Laser Markable Metals? 4

3/28/2012 Why Laser Markable Metals? PULSE OF THE INDUSTRY (STEVE SPENCE 2012): ANDY: With a number of substrates available on the market today, how important are metals? STEVE: “More important than ever. The new metals and the options they bring to the market place are phenomenal but often overlooked. There are all kinds of options now we didn’t have a couple of years ago. These afford exterior applications, signage and a whole new world to high-end plaques and awards . Metal is metal . There is no substitute for it. If you put (plastic) on a plaque in the place of real brass, the customer’s first comment is always the same, „It‟s plastic!‟” 5

3/28/2012 But First, Factors to Consider  Base Material  Appearance  Durability  Imaging Process  Price Types of Laser Markable “Metals” Metallic Paint Engravable Plastics Etched Area Black Acrylic Engravable Lacquer Paint Etched Area Metals Metal Positive Clear Layer Image Transformation Metals Metal Bleachable Black Organic Layer Bleached Mark Metals Metal Ceramic Bonding Bonded Ceramic Metals Metal 6

3/28/2012 Materials Covered Today Engravable Engravable Plastics Metals IPI LaserMetallic Brush Gloss Black Brass LazerBlak Rowmark Metalgraph Plus Lacquered Aluminum Laser Frost Rowmark FlexiColor Laser Aluminum DuraBlack Laser-It Positive Transformation Bleachable Ceramic Metals Metals Bonding Metals LAMA Black Anodized Aluminum CerMark AlumaMark 7

3/28/2012 Laser Engraving Techniques CO 2 Laser 101 12-75 watt units Laser Engraving Techniques CO 2 Laser 101 - Operation Variables Power How much power is the laser producing, percent of total power. Speed How fast is the laser traveling, percent of total speed. DPI How close each pass is to the previous in the “Y” direction. Tuning Typically an advanced setting on Universal Lasers, controls how current sweep of the laser lines up with the previous sweep. 8

3/28/2012 Laser Engraving Techniques Composition of each substrate • How to mark • Results • 9

3/28/2012 Engravable Plastic IPI LaserMetallic Brush - Detail View - - Clear Acrylic - Etched Mark - Painted Finish Engravable Plastic IPI LaserMetallic Brush - Results 10

3/28/2012 Engravable Plastic Rowmark Metalgraph Plus - Detail View - - Metallic Paint - Etched Area - Black Acrylic Engravable Plastic Rowmark Metalgraph Plus - Results 11

3/28/2012 Engravable Plastic Rowmark FlexiColor - Detail View - - Metallic Paint - Etched Area - Black Acrylic Engravable Plastic Rowmark FlexiColor - Results 12

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal Gloss Black Brass - Detail View - - Lacquer Paint - Etched Area - Brass Engravable Metal Gloss Black Brass - Results 13

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal Lacquered Aluminum - Detail View - - Lacquer Paint - Etched Area - Aluminum Engravable Metal Lacquered Aluminum - Results 14

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal Laser Aluminum - Detail View - - Paint - Etched Area - Aluminum Engravable Metal Laser Aluminum - Results 15

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal Laser-It - Detail View - - Paint - Etched Area - Steel Engravable Metal Laser-It - Results 16

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal LazerBlak - Detail View - - Metallic Paint - Etched Area - Black Paint - Aluminum Engravable Metal LazerBlak - Results 17

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal Laser Frost - Detail View - - Metallic Paint - Etched Area - Steel Engravable Metal Laser Frost - Results 18

3/28/2012 Engravable Metal DuraBlack - Detail View - - DuraBlack Coating - Etched Area - Aluminum Engravable Metal DuraBlack - Results 19

3/28/2012 Positive Transformation Metal LAMA - Detail View - - Clear Layer - Thermal Mark - Aluminum Positive Transformation Metal LAMA - Results 20

3/28/2012 Positive Transformation Metal AlumaMark - Detail View - - Clear Layer - Thermal Mark - Aluminum Positive Transformation Metal AlumaMark - Results 21

3/28/2012 Bleachable Metal Black Anodized Aluminum - Detail View - - Organic Black Layer - Bleached Mark - Aluminum Bleachable Metal Black Anodized Aluminum - Results 22

3/28/2012 Ceramic Bond Metal CerMark - Detail View - - Bonded Ceramic - Any Base Material Ceramic Bond Metal CerMark - Results 23

3/28/2012 Summary of Laser Settings Product Power Speed DPI IPI LaserMetallic Brush 20 80 600 Rowmark Metalgraph Plus 20 80 600 Rowmark Flexibrass 20 80 600 Gloss Black Brass 20 80 600 Lacquered Aluminum 20 80 600 Laser Aluminum 20 80 600 Laser-It 20 80 600 LazerBlak 2 80 600 Laser Frost 20 80 600 DuraBlack 70 80 600 LAMA 30 80 600 AlumaMark 25 (1/8” out of focus) 80 600 Black Anodized Aluminum 70 80 600 CerMark 70 80 600 Imaged on 35W Universal Versa Laser Summary of Materials Material Cost Per Category Product Durability Appearance 12”x24” IPI LaserMetallic Brush plastic $19.88 white on metal indoor Engravable Plastics Rowmark Metalgraph Plus plastic $16.13 black on metal outdoor Rowmark FlexiColor plastic $15.45 black on metal indoor Gloss Black Brass brass $22.30 metal on black indoor Lacquered Aluminum aluminum $5.65 metal on black indoor Laser Aluminum aluminum $11.20 metal on black indoor Engravable Metals Laser-It steel $6.20 black on metal indoor LazerBlak aluminum $6.95 black on metal indoor Laser Frost steel $14.80 black on metal indoor DuraBlack aluminum $14.00* white on metal outdoor LAMA aluminum $10.30 white on metal Positive Transformation indoor Metals AlumaMark aluminum $13.00* black on metal outdoor with overlam Bleachable Metal Black Anodized Aluminum aluminum $10.90 white on metal limited duration outdoor Ceramic Bond Metal CerMark steel $16.81 black on metal outdoor * Only available in 12x20” sheets 24

3/28/2012 Markets & Applications Market considerations & decision factors: 1. Low Cost/Low Margin Items 2. High Value, High Quality Appearance Items 3. High Value Durable Items 25

3/28/2012 Markets & Applications Market considerations & decision factors: 1. Low Cost/Low Margin Items Trophy plates – cost Child team/club sport awards – cost Name Badges/pet tags – cost and appearance Markets & Applications Market considerations & decision factors: 2. High Value, Corporate Appearance Items Awards/corporate awards – appearance Newspaper & diploma reproductions – appearance Donor Plaques - appearance 26

3/28/2012 Markets & Applications Market considerations & decision factors: 3. High Value Durable Items Interior/wayfinding signage – appearance Property Tags – durability and appearance Engineering Diagrams - durability Barcode & UID tags – durability 27

3/28/2012 Products By Imaging Process IPI LaserMetallic Brush Rowmark Metalgraph Plus Rowmark FlexiColor Metallic Paint Engravable Plastics Etched Area Black Acrylic Gloss Black Brass Lacquered Aluminum Engravable Lacquer Paint Laser Aluminum Etched Area Laser-It Metals Metal LazerBlak Laser Frost DuraBlack Positive Clear Layer Image Transformation Metals Metal LAMA AlumaMark Bleachable Black Organic Layer Bleached Mark Metals Metal Black Anodized Aluminum Ceramic Bonding Bonded Ceramic Metals Metal CerMark Products By Material Aluminum Plastic Steel Brass DuraBlack IPI LaserMetallic CerMark Brush LAMA AlumaMark Black Anodized Rowmark Laser-It Gloss Black Brass Aluminum Metalgraph Plus LazerBlak Lacquered Aluminum Rowmark Laser Frost FlexiColor Laser Aluminum 28

3/28/2012 Products By Cost (per 12”x24” sheet) $25 High $22.30 $20 $19.88 Medium $16.81 $15 $16.13 $15.45 $14.80 $14.00 Low $13.00 $10 $11.20 $10.90 $10.30 $6.95 $6.20 $5.65 $5 $0 * Only available in 12x20” sheets Products By Durability Indoor Outdoor • AlumaMark • DuraBlack • IPI LaserMetallic Brush • CerMark • Rowmark FlexiColor • Metalgraph Plus • Gloss Black Brass • Anodized Aluminum • Lacquered Aluminum (limited) • Laser Aluminum • Laser-It • LazerBlak • LAMA • Laser Frost 29