Whether it’s in aerospace, medical industry, orany relm of manufacturing, the laser marking technology is becoming quite significant. Federal regulations and manufacturers’ demand for tracking and tracing products throughout their lifecycle are some of the reasons why the technology has gained traction in the recent past.
You may be asking, which is the right marking technology for my application? But the truth is, the engraving and laser marking technology is not a one-size-fits-all thing.
To choose the best solution, then you need to pay attention to the following factors.
Table of Contents
The Materials
What type of material will you be marking? Materials can be broken down into two categories; organic and non-organic. Paper, plastic, glass, and wood are organic materials, while metals, cast aluminum, steel, and anything that sparks when put in a microwave are considered non-organic.
The Mark Type
You’ve already identified the material you want to mark. The next question should be; how do you want the mark to look like? Are you looking for shallow or deep marks? How about the contrast in the patterns? You can create a frosted or dark mark, depending on the type of marking technology you’re using. For instance, a frosted background and darks marks would work correctly when doing barcodes. That will make it easy for the system to read the code.
The particular situation and how you want your final product to look should be the primary consideration here.
Safety
Think of the engraving machine placement. Do you have an enclosed space for it or placed at the door near the operators? Are you replacing another machine like an inkjet, or it’s the first machine? You need a Class 1 safety system of installation if your laser market is in an open shop floor. That entails warning lights, laser safe-enclosure, curtains for safe entries, among other safety precautions.
CO₂ Lasers
Are you looking for a non-contrast mark to mark product information on an organic material? Then CO₂ laser mark technology is what you’re looking for. With a wavelength of 10.6 microns, it’s safe to use in an open floor with Plexiglas shielding. CO₂ laser is a perfect solution when replacing other marking technologies like dot peen, inkjet, or any other. It’s a cost-effective marking solution that gives a high mark quality, especially when doing serial numbers, date codes, and any product identification on glass, wood, plastics, rubber, and organic materials.
Fiber Lasers
Non-organic materials like metals and you want contrast; fiber laser marking Los Angelesis the most appropriate for you. At 1 Micron wavelength, the fiber laser must be in an enclosure or separate room with doors. And to ensure safety for anyone working around it, follow the CDRH regulations.
Fiber mark lasers can produce high-quality marks for barcodes, serial numbers, and 2D data matrix on a wide variety of materials. They offer a wide range of capabilities.
Choosing laser marking technology depends on many factors. Check the type of material you want to be marked and the best type of marks for easy machines’ detection. Most importantly, the service provider you choose should have the best laser machines that will ensure efficiency.