Method and apparatus for on-demand marking or etching of metal
OwnerMatthew Adams, Thomas Rogers +1inventors
InventorsMatthew Adams, Thomas Rogers, Ray Hatfield
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Abstract
An on-demand stencil for marking or etching metal. The stencil comprises a porous medium having a thread count between 150 to 600 threads per inch and a maximum pore size of 0.003 inches. A non-conductive coating material forms a negative image on the porous medium. Etching solution passes through the porous material to an object. Electricity is applied and a positive image is formed on the object. The stencil is formed by obtaining a porous material with a liner on one side and printing on the other side with non-conductive ink to form a negative image.
Claims25
An on-demand stencil for metal marking comprising:
- a non-conductive medium having first side and a second side;
- and
- a non-conductive coating material;
- and
- an adhesive;
- the coating material printed on the medium forming a negative image on the first side medium;
- an unprinted area of porous material corresponds to a desired image
- wherein said unprinted area corresponding to the desired image is free of adhesive.
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The stencil of claim 16, wherein:
- the medium has a maximum pore diameter of 0.003 inch.
A system for on-demand metal marking, comprising:
- means for on-demand printing of a negative image on a porous medium leaving an unprinted are of porous medium corresponding to a desired image;
- and
- means for electro chemical marking the metal through the unprinted area of the porous medium.
A method for on-demand metal marking, comprising the steps of:
- printing a negative of an image onto a porous medium, leaving an unprinted area of porous medium corresponding to the image;
- placing the medium on the metal;
- wetting the metal through the unprinted area of porous medium with a marking solution;
- applying an electrode to the medium;
- and
- conducting electricity between the electrode and metal through the unprinted area and the marking solution.
A method for making an on-demand stencil comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a porous medium having a liner on a first side:
- defining a print area on the medium:
- depositing a non-conductive coating material onto a porous medium in the print area to form a negative image whereby an area defining the desired image is uncoated removing the liner from the medium:
- and
- removing any adhesive from the print area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.