Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 14-11-2023 Origin: Site
A laser marking machine (also known as a fiber laser engraver, laser marking machine, laser marker, laser marker system, etc.) creates permanent markings onto a workpiece. This laser technology can be automated so that marking occurs within minutes (if not seconds) and works with many materials such as wood, paper, glass, plastic, stainless steel, etc.
Laser marking machines program a fiber laser beam to emit onto a workpiece in a specific path, allowing for all kinds of desired markings. It is difficult to generalize the setup of every fiber laser marking machine, but Figure 3 below should provide a basic example of how the 2D fiber laser marking machine operates:
The X and Y galvanometers in Figure 1 accept precise electromechanical movements from a programmable microcontroller. The lens focuses the incident laser beam onto the workpiece, while the galvanometers move the laser in X-Y coordinates based on the user’s design. This setup allows the user to create a design, load it into the microcontroller of the marking machine, and execute the command autonomously and at high speeds.
As an emerging technology, the fiber laser marking machine is incredibly popular across many industries- but it is not without its limitations. This section will detail the main advantage of the fiber laser marker over other laser systems, as well as its disadvantages.
Below is a short list of some of the benefits of fiber laser systems:
Fiber laser technology provides high contrast marks that can survive sterilization, chemically corrosive, and/or other extreme environments
Fiber laser marking is a no-contact solution, and requires little to no maintenance over long periods of time
Fiber laser markers provide high speed marking, are compact, can be easily deployable, require no recalibration, and offer low error
Production is cheap, reaches faster speeds, waste-free, energy-efficient, and requires no additional resources apart from the workpiece
Below is a brief summary of some of the considerations and limitations of fiber laser systems:
Laser marking only works in 2D applications
Fiber laser marking machines have a high initial investment cost
Materials with high hardness, low ignition points, and other unsuitable characteristics cannot be used, limiting election
Fiber laser marking machines come in a variety of sizes and arrangements, with some suited towards use with an exclusive process