ID-Mark

The choice between ID-MARK Polyester and Aluminum primarily depends on the geometry of the surface to be marked and the desired aesthetic result.
Here is a simple comparison to help you choose the right material for your project:

Choose ID-MARK Aluminum for :
Aluminum is the ultimate rigid support, to be favored for durability and an institutional appearance.

• Prestige items: Recognition items, trophies, corporate awards, and commemorative plaques.
• Fixed and flat signage: Directional signs, door plates, and building signage.
• Industrial identification: Manufacturer plates, machine nameplates, and identification labels for heavy equipment on flat surfaces.

Choose ID-MARK Polyester for :
Polyester is a flexible and technical material, ideal for complex surfaces and vibrant visuals.

• Curved, cylindrical, or angular surfaces: Thanks to its great flexibility, it perfectly conforms to rounded shapes. It is the ideal choice for identifying pipes, tubing, posts, or curved appliance surfaces.
• Color-rich visuals: Polyester offers a very vibrant white background that ensures excellent color reproduction and maximum contrast for complex logos or color safety codes.
• Flexible labels: Ideal for creating technical stickers or thin markings that should not add rigid thickness.

The essential element is to use a sufficiently dense film: the black areas must be perfectly opaque to prevent any light transmission during exposure.

Several solutions can be used:

• a flashed film (produced using an imagesetter);
• a film printed with an inkjet printer.

These products are available in our catalog.

Laser printers as well as inkjet printers are suitable.r
Regardless of the process used, the important thing is to obtain a perfectly dense and opaque black image.

To reproduce photographs with professional quality on an ID-Mark plate, the secret lies in the preparation of the film and the quality of contact during exposure.

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Here are the three essential steps and equipment to achieve this:

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Using a “half-tone” negativer
A classic photo consists of continuous gradients. For the ID-Mark process (which works on an all-or-nothing basis: exposed or not exposed) to reproduce these nuances, the photo must be converted into a multitude of small dots.r

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• You must use a photographic quality film called a half-tone negative (or screened film).

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• To achieve perfect fineness and optimal contrast, it is strongly recommended to use a professional photoengraver for the creation of your films.

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Ensuring perfect contact (The vacuum frame)r
The reproduction of details as fine as a photo screen tolerates no empty space between the film and the material. If the film is loose, UV light infiltrates the sides and the image becomes blurry.

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• It is recommended to use a specific exposure frame like the UVMark GF.

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• This device is equipped with a vacuum system. By drawing out the air, it presses the film completely evenly and firmly against the ID-Mark sheet, ensuring absolute sharpness across the entire photo.

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UV Exposurer
Once the film is perfectly secured under vacuum, UV light exposure will faithfully transfer each micro-dot of the photo onto the sensitive layer of the ID-Mark plate, ready for the water development stage.

L’utilisation d’une chambre noire n’est pas nécessaire pour le traitement de l’ID-Mark.
Une brève exposition à la lumière du jour n’affecte pas une feuille ID-Mark non traitée.

For ID-MARK, you need an ultraviolet (UV) exposure unit.
The principle is simple: ID-MARK sheets have a photosensitive layer that reacts exclusively when exposed to this specific wavelength.

Here are the types of devices commonly used for this process:

• Screen printing or electronics exposure units
  These are standard market equipment. They incorporate UV tubes or LEDs and a clamping system that perfectly presses the transparent film against the ID-MARK sheet.

• Models with vacuum pump (Vacuum exposure units)
  Highly recommended, these devices extract air to ensure absolute and ultra-flat contact between the film and the plate. This prevents light leaks and guarantees perfectly sharp marking, with no blur on details or small texts.

Developing underwater does not alter the adhesive power of the ID-Mark sheet. Here’s why:

• Moisture-resistant adhesive : the adhesive used is formulated to resist water. It does not dissolve and retains its adhesive properties throughout the development phase.
• Protection by the liner : during development and rinsing, the adhesive side remains protected by its protective film (liner). Water therefore never comes into direct contact with the adhesive.

In practice: after development, simply dry the sheet. The adhesive retains its full effectiveness and the plate is immediately ready for application once the protective film is removed.

It is entirely possible to create multi-color signage with ID-Mark technology.r
To achieve a color rendition, the principle relies on the superposition of several layers of transparent ID-Mark polyester.

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Here’s how the process works:

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• One film per color: You must generate and process a distinct film for each color present in your visual.

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• Assembly: Once the different layers are ready, they are precisely superimposed one on top of the other.

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• The result: It is the combination and transparency of these superimposed layers that allow for the faithful reconstruction of the complete image or logo in color.

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This multi-layer system thus allows you to go beyond the limits of classic single-color marking while preserving the substrate’s resistance properties.

Cutting ID-Mark sheets adapts to your workflow and can be done, according to your preference, before or after the marking step. The choice of tool simply depends on the material used:

• Polyester Range (Flexible): Cutting is very easily done with a simple workshop shear or sharp scissors.
• Aluminium Range (Rigid): To obtain perfectly clean and straight edges, you must use a metal shear.

Additional Tip: For a professional and safe finish, use an additional tool to round the corners of your aluminum plates to eliminate sharp edges. A complete range of shears and finishing tools is available as an option.

ID-Mark images are designed to offer excellent long-term durability. Under normal conditions of use, they retain their visual quality for many years, without special treatment or particular maintenance.

The longevity of the marking primarily depends on its exposure environment:

• Standard conditions (indoor or protected outdoor): images remain sharp, contrasted, and stable over time, with excellent resistance to natural aging.
• Demanding environments (abrasion, rubbing, scratches): in industrial applications or areas subject to significant mechanical stresses, their lifespan can be further extended through additional protection.

For this purpose, ID-Mark offers protective solutions such as a transparent film or a protective varnish, which create a barrier against external aggressions and sustainably preserve the marking.

Result: Durable, protected signage designed to maintain its performance over time.