Laser marking and laser etching are becoming far more and more important in a growing quantity of industries. The simple motives to laser marking or laser etch your products include:
o The mark is very tough, long lasting and in most cases cannot be eradicated with no destroying the item by itself, this is accurate for laser marking, laser etching, or laser annealing.
o The laser marking approach is exact, a hundred% repeatable, rapidly, with quite crystal clear sharp final results.
o The laser mark or laser etch can speedily and easily be modified without having any machine adjust in excess of, and, without having replacing any equipment. The altering of a laser marking or laser etch is a easy drag and just click personal computer operation.
o The laser calls for no consumables and no added purchases of added elements or materials. Consequently the running and maintenance expenses of possessing and running the laser marking or laser etching method are virtually non existent.
Laser Essentials
The term laser is an acronym for light amplification by simulated emission of radiation. The laser beam is shaped in a sealed tube with an electrode established, laser fuel, and electrical discharge. The beam is emitted into a telescope which expands the laser beam from a size of approximately 2mm as the beam exits the laser tube up to 7mm to 14 mm for most laser marking or laser etching operations. The expanded beam is directed into a laser head containing two mirrors situated on higher pace galvo motors. The laser beam is directed off the mirrors even though a one aspect flat area lens to the item getting laser marked or etched.
Typically the laser marking or laser etching fields developed range in measurement from 65mm x 65mm [2.5" x 2.5"] at the smallest measurement to 356mm x 356mm [14.0" x14.0"] sq. at the greatest. The next consideration is the laser beam spot size. This is the size of the concentrated laser light-weight electricity at the laser marking or laser etching position on the product and can fluctuate from approximately 200 micron [micrometers] or .0078" at the smallest to approximately 540 microns or .021" for Co2 lasers. The laser beam spot size ranges from roughly 20 microns or .0007" at the smallest to around 70 microns or .0027" at the biggest for Nd:YAG lasers. These little spot dimensions and highly focused laser mild vitality create the detailed, very clear, long lasting marking that is typical of the laser marking or laser etching method.
Managing Lasers and Laser Marking Options
Laser markers and laser etchers are managed via application. Many variables require to be controlled:
1.Laser power as measured in watts
2.Frequency, indicating the pulse frequency of the laser beam
3.Inches for every next, that means the velocity that the beam steering mirrors are moving
Figuring out the appropriate placing for the laser is the one most important and important factor in the results or failure of the laser marking process. When the suitable configurations have been decided and demonstrated a one hundred% repeatable laser mark can be accomplished.
Laser controller software program is accessed by way of a PCI interface card. This sends the digital signals of the laptop or computer based marking or etching files to the motors and directs the laser beam to the item becoming laser marked or laser etched.
There are a number of various varieties of laser marking and laser etching and several diverse factors in terms of visual benefits for the laser mark or laser etch.
1.Laser etching creates a obvious etching or despair into the materials. Laser etching replaces standard procedure like mechanical press or pin scribing. Laser etching can be completed with possibly a Co2 or YAG laser on almost any materials surface and to any depth from extremely light etching to extremely deep etching. For case in point, laser etching is utilized to engrave serial figures into steel gun frames. Typically talking with laser etching the material getting laser etched is vaporized at the laser etching level because of to the normally large energy densities of the laser beam at the position of laser etching.
2.Laser marking makes a area mark with extremely small engraving and quite minor disruption of the content area. This is especially useful in specified industries this sort of as discrete electrical factors, semi-conductor, electrical fuse, and ceramics in which laser etching can in fact harm component or modify the conductive qualities of the component. Usually in buy to make the laser mark with no deep engraving a substantial speed for each inch environment for the galvo head is utilised.
three.Laser etching and laser marking typically do not produce any shade adjustments and generate a colorless effect. There are exceptions as specific plastics will often react to and alter coloration under either Co2 or YAG laser light-weight. Also, in some cases, additives can be include into the materials getting laser marked or laser etched in order to generate a coloration modify. Another exception takes place when the wavelength of either the Co2 or YAG laser is transformed from those typically used in laser etching and laser marking. This can create a shade adjust after laser etching on some materials.
4.Laser annealing is yet another well-known form of laser marking. This type of laser marking is normally carried out with a YAG laser on steel surfaces making use of decrease electricity, large frequency and gradual producing speeds to make warmth on the floor of the merchandise. Laser annealing can be used to substitute electro chemical etching and ink marking as the laser annealing method creates a black mark with no etching. Treatment have to be employed, as the heat created can trigger iron in some metals to be pulled to the surface area, and rust can consequence if the elements are subjected to sterilization after laser annealing. This can be an specially hard issue for medical products
five.Laser ablation is also a well-known use for laser marking techniques. In this case the laser is utilized to get rid of a layer of paint, anodized or some other material covering the surface area of the part. For illustration this approach is used to generate bear metallic make contact with points on a painted part, to permit battery connection as in cell phones, or to eliminate paint for identification of elements and company facts.
REFERENCES:
http://www.ezinebase.net/technology/information-about-yag-laser-marking-system-and-fiber-laser-marking/
http://www.fivestararticles.com/Article/Information-About-Yag-Laser-Marking-System-And-Fiber-Laser-Marking/212345
http://www.newarticles.us/article397199.html