Metal laser marking with special coating?

#1

I have a question regarding the laser engraver module:

Is it possible to use the standard 200mW 405nm InGaN laser for metal laser marking? Using a special laser marking coating like Ferro CerMark LMM6000 or TherMark LMM14 applied onto the surface of various metals (aluminum, brass, stainless steel…) in order to engrave -durable print actually- logos and texts?

If this is possible, what would be the thinnest detail that could be achieved through such a process (what minimum, still readable font size)?

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#2

From their website it says “We recommend a minimum of 30W of power for CO2 lasers, and 10W of power for solid state lasers” so I’m going to guess that the 200mW flux laser is not going to be sufficient. You might be better off sending a message to the manufacturer of the marking coating and asking them if you can use a 200mW InGaN laser with it.
If you do contact the manufacturer of the coating, please reply here and let us know what they said.
Maz

#3

I’ve been following comments in various forums about these coatings. Even with high power lasers as described, the results are not particularly satisfying, per the comment posting party on the other forums. One of the posts described a series of tests using different materials, different coatings and varying power. Other than those performed at the highest power available, much of the images were poor to miserable. 200mW doesn’t have a chance. 200MW and you would not need the coating!

#4

@flux_capacitor

As @Maz and @fred_dot_u said, we don’t think our laser head is capable to do that.

Hunter