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Thursday 24th October 2019
The demand for traceability of products and parts is on the rise especially critical components which require cradle-to-grave identification and these marks are equally important to the original manufacturer as well as the end-user. This identification may take the form of a simple sequential serial number or a matrix containing a host of additional data including Date of Manufacture, Country of origin, Manufacturer's details, Storage requirements, Servicing intervals, order number, batch numbers to name but a few.
There are numerous software packages on the market that can create, capture and store this product data but one of the biggest challenges is how to permanently mark these details at the source. A product may have many components which can vary in size and material type and the challenge is to find that one piece of equipment that will do all.
Recent years have seen the industry move away from traditional methods of identifying like punching, printing, scribing etc. and embrace laser technology to achieve this. The advantages of laser marking are that it’s quick, clean, low cost, and permanent with the flexibility to produce highly detailed marking like linear barcodes, QR codes and 2D matrices.
There is currently a plethora of laser sources on the market that can achieve this and some of these can be quite specialised depending on the specific material and application. However, for the purposes of this article, we are going to look at two of the main laser sources used in the marking process, namely CO2 gas and Fibre. So, let’s discuss each in a little more detail.
CARBON DIOXIDE GAS (CO2) LASER
This is a CO2 gas-filled device (tube) which is stimulated by passing an electrical charge through it which in turn produces a beam of invisible light that travels to the point of contact (material) via a series of mirrors and a focal lens creating a spot of intense energy. These laser tubes can be configured to output in a range of power options typically between 30 - 120 watts and operating at a wavelength of 10.6 nm
TIP: THE SPOT SIZE OF YOUR LASER IS DICTATED BY THE FOCAL LENS SIZE
FIBRE LASER
A Fibre laser has a solid-state tube which consists of a fibre optic cable that has been doped with Ytterbium, a rare earth element. This again is delivered to the point of contact via a series of mirrors and a final output f-theta lens to produce a spot of focused energy. Typical tube power options for a fibre marking laser tend to be 20, 30 and 50 watts and operate at a wavelength of around 1µ (10 times shorter than CO2 tube)
WHICH LASER SOURCE DO I NEED?
The correct laser source for your application will be determined by several factors including the material to be marked, the type of mark, the size of the mark and the repeatability or speed required and of course budget.
TIP: A GOOD QUALITY LASER EQUALS A GOOD QUALITY MARK, AND THIS INCLUDES NOT JUST THE SOURCE BUT THE OPTICS ALSO.
CO2 is considered a good ‘all-round’ laser source that will mark/engrave a wide range of substrates as well as cut various ‘softer’ materials like card, foam, fabrics, plastic and wood. (See Fig 1) Whilst they are very adept at removing the surface from painted and coated metals including anodised aluminium they struggle with bare metals. A black mark can be achieved but this requires the application of a liquid compound such as Cermark prior to lasering and then cleaned afterwards.
Fig 1
A Fibre laser source is best suited as a marking device for metals and industrial plastics (see Fig 2). The much shorter wavelength than that of a CO2 means that metals can be marked directly without the need for any pre or post-treatment. In addition, several different types of mark can be achieved by small adjustments in speed, focus and frequency (pulsing of the laser). The three main types of mark are; Ablation – removal of the surface to give an etched mark, annealing – using high temperature to create a permanent oxide dark mark, Colour changing – enough energy to get a contrast giving a polished mark.
Fig 2
LASER MACHINE TYPES
Regardless of the laser source it will require the optical hardware to harness the beam, guide it to the point of contact and move it around a predetermined path; this is your laser machine.
FLYING OPTIC MACHINES
These machines normally consist of a static bed or one that moves on the Z-axis (vertical). The laser beam is guided by mirrors to the laser head on a moving gantry which houses the focal lens and moves parallel to the bed in the X & Y plains, mapping out the image as it travels. The lens and beam travel together and are, therefore, always directly over the point of contact. This means that the laser can work over a large area resulting in machines with large bed sizes.
Find out more about flying optic lasers here
GALVO MACHINES
In a galvo machine, the laser and lens remain static and the beam is guided to the point of contact, mapping the bed using a series of oscillating mirrors. This results in a smaller overall working area but an extremely fast marking process. Lenses for these systems are normally interchangeable and will govern the working area.
Tips:
DUAL-SOURCE LASER SYSTEMS
Most of the main suppliers now offer flying optic machines that house both CO2 and Fibre laser sources in one system. This will not only mark the materials already mentioned but also provides the ability to cut jigs and foam packing etc.
HOW MUCH DOES THE TECHNOLOGY COST?
The price of lasers systems can vary dramatically and will be determined by the tube wattage, the working area required and the source type Co2, Fibre or Dual-source. As a rough guide, a good mid-range flying optic fibre system can be double the price of a Co2 and a Dual Source double again. The cost of a Galvo system varies greatly depending on build quality, CE certification and the safety features required.
There are numerous software packages on the market that can create, capture and store this product data but one of the biggest challenges is how to permanently mark these details at the source. A product may have many components which can vary in size and material type and the challenge is to find that one piece of equipment that will do all.
Recent years have seen the industry move away from traditional methods of identifying like punching, printing, scribing etc. and embrace laser technology to achieve this. The advantages of laser marking are that it’s quick, clean, low cost, and permanent with the flexibility to produce highly detailed marking like linear barcodes, QR codes and 2D matrices.
There is currently a plethora of laser sources on the market that can achieve this and some of these can be quite specialised depending on the specific material and application. However, for the purposes of this article, we are going to look at two of the main laser sources used in the marking process, namely CO2 gas and Fibre. So, let’s discuss each in a little more detail.
CARBON DIOXIDE GAS (CO2) LASER
This is a CO2 gas-filled device (tube) which is stimulated by passing an electrical charge through it which in turn produces a beam of invisible light that travels to the point of contact (material) via a series of mirrors and a focal lens creating a spot of intense energy. These laser tubes can be configured to output in a range of power options typically between 30 - 120 watts and operating at a wavelength of 10.6 nm
TIP: THE SPOT SIZE OF YOUR LASER IS DICTATED BY THE FOCAL LENS SIZE
FIBRE LASER
A Fibre laser has a solid-state tube which consists of a fibre optic cable that has been doped with Ytterbium, a rare earth element. This again is delivered to the point of contact via a series of mirrors and a final output f-theta lens to produce a spot of focused energy. Typical tube power options for a fibre marking laser tend to be 20, 30 and 50 watts and operate at a wavelength of around 1µ (10 times shorter than CO2 tube)
WHICH LASER SOURCE DO I NEED?
The correct laser source for your application will be determined by several factors including the material to be marked, the type of mark, the size of the mark and the repeatability or speed required and of course budget.
TIP: A GOOD QUALITY LASER EQUALS A GOOD QUALITY MARK, AND THIS INCLUDES NOT JUST THE SOURCE BUT THE OPTICS ALSO.
CO2 is considered a good ‘all-round’ laser source that will mark/engrave a wide range of substrates as well as cut various ‘softer’ materials like card, foam, fabrics, plastic and wood. (See Fig 1) Whilst they are very adept at removing the surface from painted and coated metals including anodised aluminium they struggle with bare metals. A black mark can be achieved but this requires the application of a liquid compound such as Cermark prior to lasering and then cleaned afterwards.
Fig 1
A Fibre laser source is best suited as a marking device for metals and industrial plastics (see Fig 2). The much shorter wavelength than that of a CO2 means that metals can be marked directly without the need for any pre or post-treatment. In addition, several different types of mark can be achieved by small adjustments in speed, focus and frequency (pulsing of the laser). The three main types of mark are; Ablation – removal of the surface to give an etched mark, annealing – using high temperature to create a permanent oxide dark mark, Colour changing – enough energy to get a contrast giving a polished mark.
Fig 2
LASER MACHINE TYPES
Regardless of the laser source it will require the optical hardware to harness the beam, guide it to the point of contact and move it around a predetermined path; this is your laser machine.
FLYING OPTIC MACHINES
These machines normally consist of a static bed or one that moves on the Z-axis (vertical). The laser beam is guided by mirrors to the laser head on a moving gantry which houses the focal lens and moves parallel to the bed in the X & Y plains, mapping out the image as it travels. The lens and beam travel together and are, therefore, always directly over the point of contact. This means that the laser can work over a large area resulting in machines with large bed sizes.
Find out more about flying optic lasers here
GALVO MACHINES
In a galvo machine, the laser and lens remain static and the beam is guided to the point of contact, mapping the bed using a series of oscillating mirrors. This results in a smaller overall working area but an extremely fast marking process. Lenses for these systems are normally interchangeable and will govern the working area.
Tips:
- Marking and cutting soft materials with the odd metal part, choose CO2.
- Marking metals and industrial plastics, choose Fibre
- Need to cover all bases, consider a dual-source system
DUAL-SOURCE LASER SYSTEMS
Most of the main suppliers now offer flying optic machines that house both CO2 and Fibre laser sources in one system. This will not only mark the materials already mentioned but also provides the ability to cut jigs and foam packing etc.
HOW MUCH DOES THE TECHNOLOGY COST?
The price of lasers systems can vary dramatically and will be determined by the tube wattage, the working area required and the source type Co2, Fibre or Dual-source. As a rough guide, a good mid-range flying optic fibre system can be double the price of a Co2 and a Dual Source double again. The cost of a Galvo system varies greatly depending on build quality, CE certification and the safety features required.
