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DuraBlack: A durable material for CO2 laser engraving
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What is DuraBlack?
Designed for CO2 laser engraving, DuraBlack is an anodised aluminium that is ideal for creating durable, on-demand markings for harsh operating environments. DuraBlack is composed of a unique multi-level coating which makes the material suitable for applications in harsh environments, such as salt water, chemicals and hot temperatures, whilst also being resistant to sunlight (UV_radiation), abrasions and more.
In side-by-side tests, DuraBlack outperforms black anodised aluminium and laser markable acrylic tape in select applications. Thanks to its ability to perform across a range of challenging environments, DuraBlack meets several government, industrial and military specifications including MIL-STD 130N, A-A-50271 (≈MIL-P-514D) and MIL-STD-15024F, Type L. Composed of a multi-level coating available upon 0.005” or 0.020” thick aluminium, DuraBlack can be attached to either curved or flat surfaces with adhesive, rivets or screws. Any CO2 laser marking system can produce a durable, high-resolution barcode or human-readable image.
Read on to find out more benefits of the material.
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Product benefits
Durable Performance
- DuraBlack meets Item Unique Identification (UID) military bar code performance standards for many applications
- Resistant to weather/UV, abrasion, high-temperatures, salt-spray and fluid exposure
- Produces durable, high-resolution barcodes or human-readable images
- Integrated abrasion resistant coating reduces the need to apply a protective topcoat
- Matte finish reduces reflection for combat situations
Easy Processing
- Easy to laser engrave and mark to produce “A” verification grade labels with any CO₂ laser engraver or marker
- Aluminium backing eliminates potential damage from over-marking
Flexible Attachment Options
- Adhesive option: Tesa 3M
- Available in 0.5mm thickness for flat surfaces
| Application/Environment | DuraBlack Performance | |
| Durability characteristics | Outdoor exposure | 5,000 hrs of accelerated UV/weather with Q-Sun XE-3/HS (Estimated 8-10 years) |
| Abrasive environments | 4,000 cycles on a Taber Abraser, CS17 with 1kg wheel load | |
| High-temperature environments | 371°C for one hour | |
| Marine environments | 30 days of salt fog exposure as per ASTM B117 | |
| Corrosive/Chemical environments | 96 hours in MIL-STD810G chemicals and several others | |
| Attachment options | Flexible attachment options | Adhesive options: Tesa or 3M |
| Flexible 0.005" thickness | Adheres to curved surfaces | |
| Easy processing | Forgivable laser settings | Easy to process and produce "A" verification grade labels |
| Anodised Aluminium backing | Reduces damage from over-marking | |
| Matte finish | Reduces reflection for combat situations |
