Why use a laser marking machine? Can other marking machines be used? Of course, other marking machines can be used, but laser marking machines are widely used and have considerable advantages in many industries.
In recent years, laser marking technology has been increasingly applied in the printing field, and it can be applied to various materials including plastics and rubber, metals, and silicon wafers.
Compared with traditional methods such as mechanical engraving, chemical etching, screen printing, and ink printing, laser marking has the advantages of low cost, high flexibility, and can be controlled by computer systems.
The permanence of the marks generated by the laser acting on the surface of the workpiece is its outstanding feature.
At present, in the marking and printing industry, laser marking machines occupy more than 90% of the market. The reason why laser marking machines occupy such a large share is because they have the following eight advantages:
1. Permanence:
The marking will not fade due to environmental factors (touch, acidic and reducing gases, high temperature, low temperature, etc.).
2. Anti-counterfeiting:
The markings engraved by laser marking technology are not easy to imitate and change, and they have a strong degree of anti-counterfeiting.
3. Non-contact:
Laser marking is processed with a non-mechanical “light knife”, which can print markings on any regular or irregular surface, and the workpiece will not produce internal stress after marking, ensuring the original accuracy of the workpiece.
It does not corrode the work surface, there is no “tool” wear, no toxicity, and no pollution.
4. Wide applicability:
Using lasers as the processing method, a variety of metals and non-metal materials (aluminum, copper, iron, wood products, etc.) can be processed.
5. High engraving precision:
The patterns and text engraved by the laser marking machine are fine, with the smallest line width up to 0.04mm. The marking is clear, lasting, and beautiful. Laser marking can meet the need to print a large amount of data on extremely small plastic parts.
For example, it can print more precise and clearer two-dimensional barcodes, which has stronger market competitiveness compared to imprinting or jet marking methods.
6. Low operating cost:
The marking speed is fast and the marking is formed in one time, with low energy consumption, so the operating cost is low.
Although the equipment investment of the laser marking machine is larger than that of the traditional marking equipment, in terms of operating costs, the use of a laser marking machine is much lower. For example:
① Plastic-sealed triode marking:
The working speed of the marking machine is 10 per second, if the equipment depreciation is calculated for 5 years, the marking cost is 0.00048 yuan each.
If you use a pad printing machine, the comprehensive operating cost is about 0.002 yuan each, or even higher.
② Bearing surface marking:
If the bearing is divided into three sections for typing, a total of 18 number 4 characters, using a galvanometer marking machine, with the service life of the krypton lamp tube calculated as 700 hours, then the comprehensive marking cost of each bearing is 0.00915 yuan.
The cost of electric etching is about 0.015 yuan each. Calculated based on an annual output of 4 million sets of bearings, just for marking, the cost can be reduced by at least 65,000 yuan a year.
7. High processing efficiency
The laser beam controlled by the computer can move at high speed (up to 5~7 meters/second), and the marking process can be completed in a few seconds.
8. Fast development speed
Due to the combination of laser technology and computer technology, users only need to program on the computer to realize laser printing output, and the printing design can be changed at any time.
