The main task of a marker is to write and draw, therefore, in stationery catalogs, they are divided into writing and drawing. Depending on the surface on which you plan to apply inscriptions or drawings, markers are divided into categories:

Office – for highlighting important lines of text, drawing on white magnetic whiteboards and flipcharts.
Artistic – for creating illustrations and design works, festive interior decoration, etc.
Decorative – for decorating glass, ceramic, textile surfaces, as well as for calligraphy.
Industrial – for marking any industrial products in construction, warehousing, laboratories, etc.
Tire markers are highly resistant to moisture

Marker design and specifications
The marker is nothing more than an alcohol, benzene or water-based felt-tip pen. Since the time of the invention, it has significantly evolved, it has become much better and stronger, and its working functions have improved significantly. The design of this writing device is simple and consists of a tube with a plug at the end, a porous rod impregnated with a coloring pigment, and a writing unit, the average length of which does not exceed 4 mm.

The marker must be strong enough to ensure the integrity of the ink container, so choose models with a polypropylene or metal body. The plug can be soldered to the body or removed if the marker is not disposable.

Track length and brightness are fundamental factors in marker quality. According to the standards, the marker must leave a continuous, clear mark for at least 500 m. The dye of a quality marker does not change its color, is not toxic, is resistant to light and moisture, without a pronounced odor.

The fountain pen ink supply applies the principle of capillary, and markers – the principle of the wick. The paint flows down smoothly and evenly along the microchannels of the rod and soaks the tip. This method is very economical, as it involves the use of ink to the last drop.

By the shape of the tip, there are round (bullet-shaped), and flat, beveled, (wedge-shaped). The ferrule material is rigid enough not to delaminate and maintain its excellent shape until the end of its useful life. Only in this case the quality of the line left by the marker will be flawless. Typically, felt, nylon, felt or polypropylene are used in the manufacture of tips.

When buying a marker, pay attention to the expiration date, which depends on the composition of the ink, the density and strength of the body, the tightness of the cap, and on average lasts from one to three years. However, information about it cannot always be found on the product itself: very often manufacturers put the expiration date on the transport packaging, and not on the body of the felt-tip pen. The more alcohol in the rod, the shorter the shelf life.

Office Markers
In offices, they use markers to highlight text in documents, write in notebooks for flipcharts or on white magnetic whiteboards. When buying a product, make sure that the highlighter ink does not flow to the other side of the sheet, its tip is beveled, the mark from whiteboard markers can be easily erased with a dry sponge.

Highlighted sections of text allow you to capture the essence of the document, barely reading it diagonally
Highlighted sections of text allow you to capture the essence of the document, barely reading it diagonally

The color palette of office markers is very rich. There are fluorescent and neon shades, bright and rich colors. To save money, buy markers in sets of several colorful units, magnets and erasing sponges.

Permanent markers
Permanent markers are universal, as they write on any surface without spreading, their line ranges from 1 to 16 mm, very expressive and uniform. The inscriptions made on leather, rubber, concrete, metal, wood or plastic are heat-resistant, they do not fade and are not afraid of moisture, they can be easily applied even on a dusty and dirty surface.

If you need to mark X-rays, transparencies, photographic films or CDs, then purchase a set of special permanent markers for these purposes, which will not damage the delicate surface and the information stored on it.

A drawing or inscription made with a permanent marker is of high quality and durable. Therefore, in order to remove them, you will have to use some kind of solvent and make some effort.

Special markers
Functional markers significantly facilitate everything related to product labeling. Every day, new specific types of markers appear, which are maximally adapted to an aggressive environment, microclimate, surface features and other factors.

There are special markers for fabrics , tires, parquet and laminate, windows and tiles, industrial graphics and aerospace.

UV markers are used to mark banknotes when catching criminals, silicone markers have clear ink ideal for creating special effects, markers with liquid chalk inside are an excellent tool for artistic creation.