Have any of you used Ceremark metal marking paint with any success? Im trying to dial in the perfect speed and power settings. I had good success at 100% for a short run but don’t want to do that very often. Im thinking 80% power and 15mm sec. I did try it on aluminum had it looked good until i scratched it off. Did a test pattern at 80% and another at 100%. I guess the key here is to get it to heat up quickly.
60W, Ruida and LB
100 “speed” ? Is that in parsecs per fortnight, or inches per hour? 
(yes, I am a smartass, but since not everyone uses mm it’s important to state these things)
I typically use universal units of proton diameter per nanosecond.
Which in SI units is equivalent to millimeters per second if you are referring to the historical definition of speed, if instead you are actually looking for the instantaneous speed, or average speed or tangential speed the units of course will be different.
The optimum speed/power settings will almost never be the same for different users - even with equivalent machines.
For example, what is 100% power? Unless you have a really good reason you should never run at max power, instead you want to run at a reduced power and call that 100%. The tube manufacturer should tell you what current to put through the tube to maximize its life. If you do not have an ammeter then you won’t know what power input setting corresponds to that value. Does your 100% power setting correspond to the real max power that the tube is capable of, or is it equivalent to the max recommended power?
You can adjust most power supplies so that a 100% power setting corresponds to the max recommended current for long tube life if there is an ammeter present. Few manufacturers (if any) of the cheap Chinese machines will take the time to set this up correctly - part of the reason they are as cheap as they are. If you don’t have an ammeter, get one.
Then there is the variability of optics, alignment, and focal length. Even with the power supply properly adjusted a power/speed setting will not work the same as on another identical machine using a different focal length lens.
For Cermark on stainless the power is not that critical. It just needs to be as high as you are comfortable with the speed should be around 100 mm per sec for machines around 50 or 60 watts.
Don’t over think the simple stuff. It’s not like your laser is going to cut into the metal.
My comments on power are mostly directed at knowing how much power you are really sending through the laser. In order to be comfortable with the power level, you need to know what it really is - not just the number you are keying into the software.
Thank you all for the tips.
I like the art work. What is your 90% power of? And your speed is 100? Is that mm or inches?
Thanks
Thanks. I have a 65 watt tube and I use 90% power at 100 mm/sec for Cermark on stainless
Allen, which version number of Cermark are you using?
I use the Cermark LMM-6000 spray. So far it has worked great on non-magnetic stainless and aluminum. It always leaves a very dark permanent black mark.
The only time I was less than happy was when I tried to engrave some really cheap stainless steel whistles. I later discovered the whistles were low nickel magnetic steel. It did mark them but the color was not nearly as dark. So I learned that not all stainless is the same. But for high quality / high nickel content steel it works great.
Thanks for the info, Allen.
Ok I’m very happy with my results today. I first tried running the job at 100mm/sec at 50% power and the stuff just peeled off the metal. BTW Im using magnetic stainless steel bottle openers to mark. Then I switched it up dramatically to 40mm/sec at 80% power and that worked perfectly.
Great topic, thanks for all the input
For LaserBond 100 and 60 watt I use 200 mm/sec at 40% power and line interval 0.050 mm. CerMark requires higher power and I don’t like using my 60 watt maxed out and I cant run laser #2 which is 100 watt so I use RDWorks for CerMark LMM-6000 and my 100 watt I use 267 mm/sec at 80% power and interval 0.025 mm.
Hi. Have your tried to use a black Sharpie felt pen? I tried some and this one let me have good results on stainless steel. Of course it is not as good as Cermark, but the costs are a very small fraction of it. I mean something like this: https://www.staples.ca/en/Sharpie-Magnum-Permanent-Marker-Chisel-Tip-Black/product_11603_1-CA_1_20001
Can you post a picture of the results you get with a sharpie?
Thanks, what’s the difference in the three samples?
Fill the stainless steel with the sharpie, láser it, and then clean it with alcohol 
