DuraBlack is a CO2 laser markable aluminum that meets the requirements of MIL-STD-810G for resistance to abrasion, temperature, weather, salt-spray and fluid exposure. The new product was engineered to survive harsh military, industrial and outdoor operating environments without a protective topcoat.
DuraBlack produces a durable, high-resolution white-metallic image on a matte black background when marked with any CO2 laser. The product is composed of a two-part thermoset coating bonded to either 0.005” or 0.020” thick aluminum, enabling attachment to curved or flat surfaces with adhesive, rivets or screws.
DuraBlack can be imaged with any marking CO2 laser, giving the user control over where and when items are created.
“DuraBlack was developed to address the need for a laser markable material that is also outdoor durable,” says Sam Wainer, product manager, Horizon Incorporated. “That combination of features has never been available in a laser markable aluminum product before.”
In side-by-side testing, DuraBlack outperforms laser markable acrylic and black anodized aluminum label materials in select applications. The tests, which were conducted by Horizons Incorporated, found DuraBlack to pass MIL-STD-130 bar code verification in five simulated operating environments (abrasion, high-temperature, weather, salt-spray and fluid exposure).
Recommended applications include UID barcodes, energy/utility asset tags, transportation labels, industrial/work-in-progress tags, architectural/wayfinding signage and others that require on-site, on-demand marking by a CO2 laser.
Pre-printed labels or pre-fabricated blanks can be purchased from several independent converters. Contact Horizons ISG for a list of recommended converters.
