Bare Aluminum (with spray)
Overview
Bare aluminum (uncoated, non-anodized). Standard laser machines cannot mark bare aluminum without assistance. Requires marking compound (cermark, molybdenum spray) for CO2 and some diode lasers.
Properties
Difficulty
intermediate
Pros
- Permanent durable marks with spray
- Professional metal marking
- Wide variety of aluminum grades
- Corrosion resistant
- Lightweight
Cons
- Cannot engrave bare aluminum directly
- Requires marking compound
- Multiple passes may be needed
- Spray adds cost and steps
- Surface prep required
Best For
- Tool marking
- part identification
- custom aluminum product marking with spray
Avoid For
- Bare marking without spray (will not work)
- cutting aluminum in these wattages
Laser Compatibility
Bare aluminum reflects most CO2 and diode laser energy. Apply CerMark spray or Dry Moly Lube as contrast agent, then engrave at CO2 200mm/s 40W or diode 300mm/s 100%. The spray bonds permanently when lased. Clean off excess spray after.
Brands
CerMarkDry Moly Lube (LPS)TherMark