Overview of Laser Marking Machines

I. What is a Laser Marking Machine?

Laser marking is a novel processing technology that emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s following the development of technologies such as laser welding, laser heat treatment, laser cutting, and laser drilling. In recent years, with the advancement of laser technology, computer technology, and improvements in optical devices, laser marking technology has seen significant growth.

Laser marking involves focusing a high-energy density laser beam on the material's surface, causing physical and chemical changes on the surface to form pits, resulting in visible patterns. When the laser beam moves systematically across the material's surface while controlling the laser's on and off states, a specified pattern forms on the material surface.

 

1. Vaporization Effect

When the laser beam irradiates the material's surface, part of the light is reflected while the absorbed laser energy rapidly converts into heat. This causes a sharp rise in the surface temperature. When it reaches the material's vaporization temperature, the surface undergoes instantaneous vaporization and evaporation, creating marking traces. This type of marking shows significant evaporation products.

 

2. Etching Effect

When the laser beam irradiates the material's surface, the material absorbs the light energy and conducts it inward, resulting in a thermal melting effect. This effect is particularly evident when marking brittle materials like transparent glass and acrylic, with no noticeable evaporation products.

 

3. Photochemical Effect

For some organic compound materials, absorbing laser energy causes changes in the material's chemical properties. When the laser irradiates the surface of colored polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the depolymerization chemical effect weakens its color, creating a color contrast with the unirradiated areas and achieving a marking effect.

 

II. Applications of Laser Marking Machines

1. Mechanical Equipment Manufacturing

Laser processing is a non-contact method, producing no mechanical pressure. The laser's focused beam is extremely fine and safe, suitable for marking text, numbers, letters, graphics, etc., on mechanical equipment nameplates.

 

2. Printing and Card Manufacturing Industry

In the card manufacturing industry, laser marking is used to create various information marks on the card surface, such as serial numbers, passwords, and barcodes. The advantages include no consumables, finer and clearer printing, higher resolution, low failure rate, and permanent, non-erasable characters.

 

3. Semiconductor and Integrated Circuit Industry

Primarily used for line marking operations on integrated circuit boards and semiconductor components, including text or graphic marks (1D codes, 2D codes). The non-contact method produces no mechanical pressure, and the fine laser beam can process small components (integrated circuits, crystal oscillators, capacitors) precisely.

 

4. Food and Beverage Industry

Completely replacing inkjet printers, laser marking has no consumables, no pollution, requires no maintenance, and has low operating costs. It can perform high-quality, non-contact, non-stop online flying laser marking in various production lines. It is used for marking serial numbers, production dates, and shelf lives on products in the wine, food, and beverage industries.

 

5. Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industry

Replacing inkjet printers, laser marking works with pharmaceutical production lines to perform high-quality, non-stop online flying marking. It can precisely mark medical devices, is environmentally friendly, and complies with GMP standards in the pharmaceutical industry. Marks batch numbers, production dates, and shelf lives on drug packaging, and serial numbers, graphics, or production dates on metal medical devices.

 

6. Precision Instrument and Meter Industry

Specifically for marking precision instruments (such as medical devices) and meters, providing authoritative solutions for precision processing.

 

7. Home Appliance Industry

Used for marking household appliances, small appliances, and audio equipment. Marks product nameplates, stainless steel panels, engineering plastic automotive parts, and labels, enhancing product value.

 

8. Building Materials and Ceramic Industry

Widely used in the fine processing and production of building materials, aluminum profiles, PVC pipes, home furnishings, sanitary ware, and building ceramics, comprehensively improving product quality.

 

9. Plastic and Rubber Industry

Mainly used for marking plastic products (such as plastic buttons) and various plastic products like PVC, PE, PP, PT, ABS.

 

10. Jewelry and Crafts Industry

Used for processing clocks, pens, combs, craft bamboo slips, and other craft gifts and toys, achieving fine processing requirements for jewelry.

 

III. Advantages of Laser Marking

- High Processing Precision: Clear, durable, and aesthetically pleasing marking traces with strong anti-counterfeiting features.

- Small Line Width: Achieves a minimum line width of 0.015mm, suitable for precision processing.

- Fast Development and High Efficiency: Compared to traditional marking's lengthy processing design, laser marking only requires computer software operation for design. The laser beam moves at high speed and forms in one go, making the processing highly efficient.

- Non-contact Processing:Wide application range with no mechanical stress, minimal thermal stress, no damage to processed materials, and no deformation. Can process most materials.

- Long Lifespan, Low Energy Consumption, Low Maintenance and Production Costs: No pollution, avoiding chemical pollution issues found in traditional marking processes.