FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Aerosol spray seems like a convenient way to apply cover coat. What is wrong with it?
If I want to experiment with aerosol spraying of the cover coat do you sell it?
Have you them tested to insure that?
How long have you been using digital ceramic technology?
Can I use ceramic toners in the LASER printer that I already own?
I understand that ceramic toners are very expensive. How much do they cost?
If it’s so good, why isn’t everybody doing it?
Can you provide me with some references?
Does your system require the use of liquid ceramic materials like all the other ceramic decorating processes such as screen printing?
Ceramic decorating processes, except ours, are messy. If you want to screen print or spray the ceramic cover coat that is an option. But our system was designed to be hazard free to the environment and hazard free for the user. It is the cleanest and safest ceramic decorating system in the world. It is all dry using no liquid solvents or sprays. Of course, all process can be safe if done correctly so we do offer liquid cover coats to those who have the ability to use them safely.
Aerosol spray seems like a convenient way to apply cover coat. What is wrong with it?
Spraying aerosol cover coat is inefficient as much of the material ends up in the air and not on your decal. So, the first problem is that it is wasteful. Second is that it is hazardous. Aerosol spray cans are highly efficient at putting the material into the air and then into your lungs unless you wear a respirator. The solvents in the cover coat are also highly flammable. Finally, applying a uniform thickness of cover coat is important to achieve a high quality finished result. This is difficult to achieve with an aerosol spray. But, if you are determined to use an aerosol because of it’s ease, you can purchase them from us.
If I want to experiment with aerosol spraying of the cover coat do you sell it?
My advice is to buy the pure liquid ceramic cover coat, which is very inexpensive, and have your local paint store put it in a spray can when you want some. Our local Sherwin Williams store does it for around $9 per can. I can do this for you but of course it will cost more, and you can easily do it yourself.
We have food safe toners that will meet the food safety standards of the FDA and also of California Proposition 65.
Have you them tested to insure that?
Yes. We can provide a certificate of analysis documenting the extractable levels of the toners and demonstrating that they meet all the required safety standards.
Red is the most difficult of all ceramic colors to achieve. It took a number of years but our red toner sets deliver a brilliant red that is also lead fee and food safe.
How long have you been using digital ceramic technology?
We have been manufacturing products with digital ceramic printing systems for 16 years and we have been selling and supporting ceramic printing systems for 14 years. No supplier in North America has as much experience.
My portrait supplier tells me that Enduring Images makes it seem easier than it really is to make my own portraits. Is it really possible for me to make my own?
It should not surprise you that all of the commercial memorial portrait suppliers will try to scare you away from making your own. After all, their profits and livelihoods depend on you paying them for portraits. Kodak Corporation did their very best to scare people away from buying digital cameras when they first came out as well. It is a pretty standard tactic when you find your own production technology becoming obsolete.
But back to your question. The real answer is, do you know Photoshop? If you do, then it really is easy. And, by the way, it isn’t necessary to believe what we tell you about this any more than you should believe the scare tactics of your current supplier. Learn from your peers. We are happy to give you customer references who will share their own experience in detail with you. They are monument builders who decided to produce their own portraits. Decide based on their experience. Yes you really can do it yourself.
However, if you decide you don’t want to make your own portraits, here are some questions for you.
Does your current supplier offer one week lead time, low cost, no rush fees, no graphics charges, free proofs and the highest resolution reproduction of any ceramic printing system in the world? If so, then they are a good choice. If not, then you might want to give us a try. We offer all of those things and are improving our process continuously.
Can I use ceramic toners in the LASER printer that I already own?
Only if it happens to be a 2 component LASER printer (which it probably is not) and only if it is one of the few two component LASER printers which can be converted to print ceramic toners. Let us know what you have and we’ll tell you if it can print ceramic toners.
I understand that ceramic toners are very expensive. How much do they cost?
The new toner formulations are not much more expensive than the standard toner that comes with a LASER printer. But the real bottom line and the most important cost metric is how much does the decal cost that will be used for the decoration. The finished decal will cost around 6 cents per square inch. So the decal for a 3 x 5 inch decoration will cost around $1. This cost includes the toner, decal paper and cover coat – the three components of a finished ceramic decal. Pretty cheap actually.
If it’s so good, why isn’t everybody doing it?
A lot of people are but North America is a very large market. The opportunity is still very attractive for anyone interested in an inexpensive business that creates unique personalized ceramic products. Adoption of new technology can be a very long process. We’re all still waiting for self driving cars. It’s likely that digital cameras had been around for a number of years before you bought one. Why did it take you so long? Part of the answer is simply “emotional inertia”, the tendency for people to keep doing what they’ve always done for as long as they can.
What is the cost of a system and what kind of training is needed?
The cost of your digital ceramic printing system will depend greatly on how you intend to use it. A dinnerware manufacturer that wants to manufacture custom platters is quite different than a monument builder that is doing small parts. Each system is configured to the needs of the buyer. For specific pricing, please call us and let us quote a system for you.
As for training, we provide individualized training, one customer at a time. Half to one full day is all that is needed. We recommend that you come to our facility in Golden, Colorado so you see how we manage the entire process. This is the best way to have the most robust training experience. We have trained customers at their own shops and we also provide on-line training but hands-on training with our team in Golden is ideal. In the end, it’s 80% Photoshop. The rest anyone one can do.
Can you provide me with some references?
We are happy to give you references. Just give us a call!
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