General Description

The 4461 ink series is a phenolic based heat curing liquid ink for application by MARKEM 530 & 534 printers and similar pad printing systems. 4461 is recommended primarily for marking nickel and gold because of its resistance to solder flux, but it can also be used to mark glass, epoxy, phenolic, and ceramic when quick air drying and a short heat curing schedule are desired. 4461 has also been used successfully as an air dry ink in applications requiring limited solvent resistance.

Cure Property: heat cure

Thinner: ZR

Cleaner: 320

Remover: 500

Accessory Chemicals:
The addition of thinner may be required to maintain a viscosity appropriate for the application method. The viscosity range for printing this ink is dependent upon the ink's solvents, machine speed, plate etch depth, plate etch line widths, temperature, humidity, substrate, and transfer pad. The cleaner is recommended for removing ink from the printing equipment. Cured marks can be removed by immersion into the heated print remover (70 to 80°C). Rinse with hot water. The soaking time is substrate dependent, with porous materials requiring longer soaking times and/or brushing to strip prints.

Drying / Curing: This ink is fast drying and can be used as an air drying ink (with minimal solvent resistance). The actual drying time depends upon the substrate material being printed, the ink film thickness, and the ambient conditions. For chemical resistance, heat cure at 121°C for 30 minutes, or 150°C for 5 minutes, or 175°C for 1 minute. The curing time begins once the substrate has reached the curing temperature. Substrate material, ink thickness, and oven temperature will affect the curing time. An industrial oven with forced vented air is recommended.

Technical Data: • With any MARKEM ink the surface to be printed must be properly cleaned prior to marking.
• Recommendations for machine set-up are application specific and include: Ultra 1, Quicklase gravure plates; 30 to 60 cycles/minute; 50 or 70 durometer pads. 70 durometer is usually best for marking metals, while 50 durometer is used for printing ceramics. Best results are obtained with a .008 inch doctor blade.
• Heat cured phenolic prints have good solvent and abrasion resistance on many non-porous substrates.
• White appears off-white, and light colors darken with heat.

• Cured prints of inks in this series have shown good resistance to the following conditions after application in accordance with MARKEM's recommended procedures:
> solvents, including those specified in MIL-STD-883 Method 2015 and MIL-STD-202 Method 215 (Revision current at the time of testing). Surface preparation of the substrate is very important, and procedures using MARKEM 535 cleaner have proven successful at removing contamination.

Shelf Life: The shelf life for this ink series is six months from the date of shipment or twelve months from the date of manufacture, whichever is less.

Optimum storage condition is at 5-10°C in the original unopened container. Allow ink to warm gradually to room temperature before use.

Important Notes

• The materials used in formulating this product may present health or safety hazards as defined by the OSHA Hazard Communications Standard. Always consult the Material Safety Data Sheet for specific hazard information before using this product.
• No warranty for suitability of chemical products for specific applications is expressed or implied. The performance (transfer, adhesion and permanance) of any ink is directly related to the cleanliness of the surface being printed. The specifications for these chemical products are subject to change without notification or obligation.
• Contact Sales Support, or your local MARKEM representative, for assistance with colors, related inks for other application methods, or any other application questions.

Technical information is subject to change without notice.

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