Ferro and DataLase Sign Agreement

Ferro and DataLase Sign Agreement To Market
Special Laser Marking Aerosol For Metals

Laser markings on a metal surface using the DataLase process.

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Ferro Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio and DataLase of Widnes, UK have signed a distribution agreement and will develop and market a special laser-markable aerosol containing the DataLase® pigment for applying variable information onto metal or painted metal parts. This agreement covers the US, Canada and Mexico. The new technology will be launched to the market in December 2006.

The new spray containing the DataLase® pigment will be applied onto metal parts using an aerosol and after it has been exposed to a portable low-power CO2 DataLase-approved laser, it will undergo a chemical reaction in the pigment turning it from white to black.

The new solution will be targeted at a broad range of industries, including automotive, aerospace and appliances, for tracking, tracing and bar-coding high-value parts. This is a totally new application for the DataLase process, which to date has been used on primary and secondary packaging.

Phil Maitland, Ferro Glass Systems Global Marketing & Business Development Manager said, “We are very excited to be collaborating with DataLase in the development of this innovative new machine-identification solution. This important investment compliments our existing line of laser-marking materials, and confirms our commitment in offering high quality technologies to customers, to help them significantly reduce costs and increase productivity.”

Steve Kelly, CEO of DataLase, said, “We foresee great interest in the potential use of this new technology for a variety of applications. By entering into this agreement with Ferro Corporation, we can be confident that this groundbreaking technology will be made available to a much broader market.”

Ferro Corporation produces materials that enhance the performance of products in a broad range of industries, including consumer electronics, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, building and renovation, appliances, automotive, household furnishings and industrial products. More information about Ferro is available at http://www.ferro.com/. For more details about the new product contact Dave Smith, Laser Marking Sales Manager at smithde@ferro.com or 1-724-250-5503.

DataLase, the originator of the award-winning DataLase® process, is a fast growing technology company whose patented process is used in a diverse range of applications including product identification and anti-counterfeiting. The firm’s product range includes specialty solutions for primary and secondary packaging as well as alternatives to print-and-apply labels. More information is available at http://www.datalase.com/ or by email usainfo@datalase.com for US and info@datalase for all other inquiries.

Ferro, TherMark, CerLase Reach Accord

Ferro, TherMark, CerLase Reach Accord
On Laser Marking Technology
















From left: Phil Maitland, Ferro Glass Systems Global marketing & Business Development Manager, Arnaud Hory, Managing Director of CerLase and Paul Harrison, Chairman of TherMark LLC signed cooperative agreement in Limoges, France.

Ferro Corporation of Cleveland, USA, TherMark LLC of Los Angeles, USA and CerLase of Limoges, France have settled a long-standing dispute over the use of patented laser marking technology for ceramics, glass and metals.

In addition to settling their legal claims, the firms completed a cross-licensing agreement that allows all three parties to practice and promote laser marking technology under the applicable patents.

TherMark and Ferro had previously reached an accord with a license agreement in 2004 and this agreement includes CerLase who also hold intellectual property (IP) in laser marking technology. Several years ago all three companies developed materials and processes which enhance or enable lasers to make high-contrast permanent marks on a variety of surfaces.

The new agreement gives Ferro, TherMark and CerLase the ability to market each others products, processes and equipment, without triggering issues concerning patent infringement. Ferro will be the sole and exclusive supplier of TherMark and CerLase materials to worldwide markets, except for certain limited pre-existing licensing agreements. TherMark continues as an authorized distributor of Ferro laser marking materials.

At the signing ceremony in Limoges, Phil Maitland, Ferro Glass Systems Global Marketing & Business Development Manager said, “We believe this is great news for the laser marking industry and will enable us to help develop the market more rapidly to reach its full potential.

“With the intellectual property issues finally resolved, we can all concentrate our resources on delivering the integrated solutions that a vast range of customers are demanding for marking and decorating their products.”

Paul Harrison, Chairman of TherMark and Arnaud Hory, Managing Director of Cerlase added, “We are delighted with this cross-licensing agreement relating to our respective technologies and to have strengthened our relationship with Ferro. The industrial laser marking market has enormous untapped potential and this agreement removes any remaining uncertainties or concerns that the market may have had about dealing with any of us for risk of litigation over patent infringement.”

Laser Marking Materials Survive In Space

Ferro’s Laser Marking Materials Survive
Four Years In Space, Pass NASA’s Criteria

Part of Ferro Corporation’s Glass Systems business, CerMark Laser Marking materials have successfully survived nearly four years of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) exposure on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS). CerMark supplied bar code test marks on aluminum and glass, which passed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) criteria for its Material International Space Station Experiment (MISSE).

“This is a significant achievement for CerMark’s laser marking business and Ferro Corporation as well,” said David Smith, Sales Manager, Laser Marking. “Our products have consistently produced high-quality, durable marks for years – and few products can claim space as a test market. We welcomed the opportunity and are extremely pleased with the results.”

Positioned on the lower portion of the ISS’s airlock chamber, Ferro’s marks were exposed to the experiment’s harshest conditions – receiving the maximum amount of ultraviolet (UV) radiation and atomic oxidation. Created by radiation from the sun, atomic oxygen is found in the upper atmosphere and is extremely corrosive. The oxygen on earth is a gas formed when two oxygen atoms make up a molecule.

Siemens Symbology Research Center (SRC), NASA’s lead contractor for the MISSE marking experiments, applied various test markings to the samples, including data matrix symbols, human readable characters and line patterns. SRC applied data matrix symbols to the aluminum and glass samples using Ferro’s LMM-6000, the company’s primary laser marking material, and Ferro’s RD-6005, respectively.

NASA used four criteria, including percentage of contrast, axial uniformity, print growth and error correction, for its post-flight evaluation of each mark.

MISSE is a multi-stage experiment designed to establish part identification methods and techniques that might survive the rigors of space. With the advent of reusable space transportation vehicles and satellites, NASA needed to rethink how part identification markings are applied – because marks applied to reusable spacecraft need to survive the extreme environments encountered in space.

However laboratories can simulate just one or two space environmental factors at a time. The only way to test how different materials will perform in space is to test them in that environment.

The research from MISSE will provide the insight needed to develop materials for future spacecraft and will also help researchers make materials and coatings that will last longer on earth.

MISSE 1 and 2, which included CerMark’s marks, intended to orbit for one year while MISSE 3 and 4 would orbit for three. However the recovery effort was delayed due to the tragedy with space shuttle Columbia in 2003.

MISSE 1 and 2 were launched with space shuttle Discovery (STS-105) on August 10, 2001, and astronaut Patrick Forrester positioned them on the outside of the ISS on August 16. Astronaut Stephen Robinson retrieved both on July 30, 2005 after 1,443 days of LEO exposure. MISSE 1 and 2 returned to earth when Discovery (STS-114) landed at Edwards Air Force Base on August 10, 2005.

During this mission, the new MISSE 5 was attached to the ISS for its stay in space as well.

CerMark Laser Marking business markets high-performance laser marking materials for permanent bonded marks on myriad aircraft, automotive and industrial parts and products. When compared to other identification procedures, laser marking provides several advantages including increased durability and speed, personalized or custom marks that can also be used for part identification and serialization, precise marks and localized heating.

CerMark’s laser marking materials can be brushed, sprayed or screen-printed onto a substrate using an airbrush or high-volume low-pressure spray gun. They can also be applied with laser marking tape, which utilizes the same materials. Regardless of application, the material and substrate bond only where the laser touches to create marks in a range of colors including red, black, blue, bronze and green. The excess laser marking material is removed to reveal the mark.
Ferro Glass Systems manufactures and markets an extensive variety of glass coating products for the automotive, architectural and container glass industries. It is the worldwide leader and supplier of ceramic and lead-free enamels and conductive paste for the automotive industry and lead-free enamels for architectural spandrels. It was the first firm to introduce lead-free enamels for spandrels and encouraged US glass manufacturers to switch to these environmentally preferred enamels. Glass Systems is leading the way for the adoption of organic, heavy-metal-free inks and coatings in the glass container industry. For more information, visit the company Web site at www.ferro.com.