Fiber laser marker
As the technology of laser marking has advanced, new markets have evolved to take benefit of increasingly faster marking speeds in addition to greater marking precision and imaging capabilities. Continuing developments in laser-cavity design, beam-steering and focusing optics, and computer systems and software are expanding the part of the systems.
Fiber laser marker
Steering the beam
Of the available marking technologies, beam-steered laser marking systems provide users with the greatest quantity of image flexibility in a fast, permanent, noncontact marking process. As manufacturing processes be automated and after-sale tracking more widespread, laser markers are often in order to available to produce individually unique, permanent images at high-speed.
Beam-steered laser marking systems usually incorporate the CO2 or Nd:YAG laser. The CO2 laser emits a continuous-wave output inside the far-infrared (10.6-um wavelength) while the Nd:YAG laser emits within the near-infrared (1.06 um) either in a CW or pulsed mode (1 to 50 kHz). The Nd:YAG laser can be unique in its capability to produce very short, high-peak-power pulses when operated in the pulsed mode. As an example, an average 60-W-average-power Nd:YAG laser can produce peak powers about the order of 90 kW at 1-kHz pulse rate.
The delivery optics include whether simple focusing lens assembly or a combination fixed upcollimator and flat-field lens assembly. In both instance, the laser beam is directed over the work surface by mirrors mounted on two high-speed, computer-controlled galvanometers.
The straightforward focusing assembly provides the advantages of low priced much less optical components and is also routinely used with CO2 lasers. The flat field lens design, though more expensive, maintains the focal point of the marking beam over a flat plane for more consistent image characteristics through the marking field. The flat-field lens also produces higher power density on the work surface compared to simple focusing assembly as a result of shorter effective focal length. The flat-field lens design is definitely preferred for high-accuracy and high-image-quality applications and is also usually incorporated with Nd:YAG lasers.
Both designs give you the user with a selection of lenses that establish both diameter with the marking field and the marking-line width. Longer-focal-length lenses provide larger working areas, however the line width is also enlarged, thus decreasing the power density on the work surface. An individual must compensate by either increasing the laser output power and/or lowering the marking speed which usually consists of two lenses and may go anywhere in the beam path before the focusing lens. A beam expander often is used rather than extending the beam path approximately 10 more feet, in which the beam expands through its inherent tendency to diverge as it exits the resonator cavity. A spatial filter inserted within the beam expander creates the best mode quality in close-coupled systems, by passing the beam by way of a small aperture.
The final optical element that a laser beam encounters will be the focusing lens. With CO2 lasers, this lens is usually produced from one of several materials: Zinc selenide (ZnSe), gallium arsenide (GaAs) or germanium (Ge). ZnSe, a dense, yellow material that is transparent to visible wavelengths, is definitely the most typical of these materials, also it allows a low-power, HeNe laser beam through for alignment purposes. This is a great advantage over GaAs or Ge that are opaque to light from the visible part of the spectrum.
Nd:YAG lasers typically employ beam expansion, usually in the 2x to 5x range, because of their initially small beam diameters. Spatial filters for CO2 lasers should be external, but those for Nd:YAG lasers may be located within the laser cavity itself, and lots of sizes are available for mode selection.
Nd:YAG lasers employ optical glasses for example BK-7 or fused silica for lenses. The 1.06-um wavelength of such lasers is close enough towards the visible spectrum to permit adaptation of standard optical devices using the correct AR coating to direct the laser light. For example, microscope objectives can deliver Nd:YAG laser light to the the surface of VLSI circuitry for micromachining of conductor paths. As discussed earlier, delivering a Nd:YAG lazer with fiber optics offers incredible advantages over fixed-optic delivery. The fiber advantage is different to Nd:YAG lasers and has created an enormous growth in their use for industrial materials processing.
Fiber optic delivery for Nd:YAG
The usage of fiber delivery with YAG lasers is indeed extensive on the market which it should be discussed in greater detail. Approximately Ninety percent of latest Nd:YAG welding installations involve fiber optic delivery. Since the 1.06-um wavelength is transmitted by glass optics, it can be used in standard fiber optics. Conventional beam delivery is incredibly cumbersome, susceptible to misalignment and contamination to the optics, and is extremely expensive as a result of custom layouts. Fiber supplies a real answer to all of these problems. The advantages are:
Fibers deliver laser energy over distances which, used, would be impossible to attain using conventional optics. Distances up to 50 meters are achieved quite routinely.
Stability and accuracy are improved since merely the final focus optics have to be locked in an accurate relationship for the workpiece.
Most applications can be remedied with standard delivery hardware (avoiding custom design advantages).
Fibers are flexible and, within the limitations of minimum bend radius, can follow any desired route to the workpiece.
The workpiece could be held stationary even though the fiber and output optics move during processing which makes them the ideal delivery system to use with robotic manipulation.
Fibers make the kind of time and effort sharing beam distribution systems an operating possibility. The usage of such systems significantly raises the flexibility and flexibility of human lasers by getting these phones address multiple workstations or produce multiple simultaneous outputs.
Access to the laser head for routine maintenance has been enhanced because the positioning from the head is not dictated by the beam delivery system.
The low-cost fiber can be brought to areas that are dangerous because of explosives or radiation even though the laser head is situated in a non-hazardous area.
Spot size at focus will not alter with changes of average power.
The optics of fiber delivery are quite obvious and. Fiber optics used for laser delivery are typically step-index fibers. This type of fiber contains an optically uniform core between 200 and 1500 um across, surrounded by a skinny cladding that has slightly different optical properties.
There are numerous alternatives to fiber optic beam delivery. The very first is single-fiber delivery from one laser. This sort of delivery is generally employed for a dedicated production process or in development labs where moving the beam delivery along with other workstations is infrequent. The choice of a single-fiber delivery is readily justified by its convenience, ease of integration to workstations, as well as the capability for upgrading the device along with other options down the road. Other reasons for single-fiber delivery are for robotic delivery of the laser beam along with other multiaxis systems where conventional delivery will be a nightmare. With fibers, the output housing is installed on the final-motion component so integration is incredibly economical as well as simple.
Another fiber delivery option is time sharing, whereby all of the laser output could be directed into any one of the several fibers on demand. A single laser with this particular system can offer laser energy to many different workstations switching one of them at approximately 40 Hz. Scalping strategies are usually useful for laser welding at a variety of workstations, or provide the laser beam to split up regions of one large assembly station.
The past choice is termed energy sharing. Scalping strategies divide the laser output and send the vitality into several fibers simultaneously. Mirrors skim parts of the beam from your laser and divert them in to the input housings for each of the fibers.
The relative extent that every skimming mirror is moved to the beam path determines the sharing ratio. Typical energy-share systems can split the beam into up to four fibers. Scalping strategies are employed to weld many parts simultaneously, to be able to increase throughput, or get rid of the part distortions that usually result from sequential welding of merely one assembly.
The device computer creates marking images by sending beam-motion signals towards the galvanometer drivers while simultaneously blanking the laserlight between marking strokes. The motion with the galvanometer-mounted mirrors directs the marking beam over the target surface just like a pencil in some recoverable format to draw in alphanumeric and graphic images.
Laser selection
Laser marking uses the top power density with the focused laserlight to generate heat about the work surface and induce a thermal reaction. A readable, contrasting lines are produced by increasing the target surface to annealing temperatures, the melting point or to vaporization temperatures. Annealing and melting are widely-used to induce a contrasting color change over a wide array of metallic's as well as plastics, ceramics as well as other nonmetallic's. The easiest marking speeds are obtained by enhancing the temperature to the vaporization point out engrave metallic's and several nonmetallic's.
The near-infrared wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser is well suited to the majority of metallic's and several plastics. The Nd:YAG can anneal or melt both in the CW and pulsed mode and will supply the necessary peak pulsed capacity to engrave. With many materials, the Nd:YAG can simultaneously engrave the outer lining and induce a contrasting color alteration of the engraved trough.
The far-infrared wavelength of the CO2 laser works with plastics, ceramics and organic materials. However, minus the high-peak-power capability required to achieve vaporization temperatures, the CO2 laser is limited to annealing or melting the surface.
Advantages
Beam-steered laser marking offers several advantages over other marking methods. Biggest may be the unique combination of speed, permanence as well as the flexibility of computer control. Although other technologies can offer a couple of of such attributes, few other method offers the three for the same degree.
Many users also benefit from the noncontact nature of laser marking. The only real force applied to the part during the marking cycle may be the very localized thermal effect with the lazer. No additional physical force is used, apart from any appropriate part-handling motion designed in to the system. Silicon wafers, silicon disk drive read/write heads and many medical devices are examples of components that are too fragile for just about any form of mechanical marking. Additionally, laser marking provides the permanence essential to satisfy image-lifetime requirements, while printed marking will not.
Laser-marking systems also master creating intricate graphic images. Nd:YAG lasers can produce marking-line widths about the order of 0.001 inch or less, which, when combined with marking resolution of 0.0002 inch/step, can establish images with much more detail than mechanical contact or stencil systems.
Whatever the specific process justifications for incorporating laser marking, the effective use of the technology may result in significant financial savings. With operating costs for your Nd:YAG system, users have reported financial savings of greater than Ninety percent and associated reductions in qc and inventory expenses.
As manufacturing industries always automate their manufacturing processes, incorporate aftershipment traceability, reduce manufacturing cycle times, apply newer graphics and develop products requiring new marking techniques, the laser-marking manufacturers continue to enhance the power, speed, image-generation capabilities and user-friendliness of these products.
Fiber laser marker
Steering the beam
Of the available marking technologies, beam-steered laser marking systems provide users with the greatest quantity of image flexibility in a fast, permanent, noncontact marking process. As manufacturing processes be automated and after-sale tracking more widespread, laser markers are often in order to available to produce individually unique, permanent images at high-speed.
Beam-steered laser marking systems usually incorporate the CO2 or Nd:YAG laser. The CO2 laser emits a continuous-wave output inside the far-infrared (10.6-um wavelength) while the Nd:YAG laser emits within the near-infrared (1.06 um) either in a CW or pulsed mode (1 to 50 kHz). The Nd:YAG laser can be unique in its capability to produce very short, high-peak-power pulses when operated in the pulsed mode. As an example, an average 60-W-average-power Nd:YAG laser can produce peak powers about the order of 90 kW at 1-kHz pulse rate.
The delivery optics include whether simple focusing lens assembly or a combination fixed upcollimator and flat-field lens assembly. In both instance, the laser beam is directed over the work surface by mirrors mounted on two high-speed, computer-controlled galvanometers.
The straightforward focusing assembly provides the advantages of low priced much less optical components and is also routinely used with CO2 lasers. The flat field lens design, though more expensive, maintains the focal point of the marking beam over a flat plane for more consistent image characteristics through the marking field. The flat-field lens also produces higher power density on the work surface compared to simple focusing assembly as a result of shorter effective focal length. The flat-field lens design is definitely preferred for high-accuracy and high-image-quality applications and is also usually incorporated with Nd:YAG lasers.
Both designs give you the user with a selection of lenses that establish both diameter with the marking field and the marking-line width. Longer-focal-length lenses provide larger working areas, however the line width is also enlarged, thus decreasing the power density on the work surface. An individual must compensate by either increasing the laser output power and/or lowering the marking speed which usually consists of two lenses and may go anywhere in the beam path before the focusing lens. A beam expander often is used rather than extending the beam path approximately 10 more feet, in which the beam expands through its inherent tendency to diverge as it exits the resonator cavity. A spatial filter inserted within the beam expander creates the best mode quality in close-coupled systems, by passing the beam by way of a small aperture.
The final optical element that a laser beam encounters will be the focusing lens. With CO2 lasers, this lens is usually produced from one of several materials: Zinc selenide (ZnSe), gallium arsenide (GaAs) or germanium (Ge). ZnSe, a dense, yellow material that is transparent to visible wavelengths, is definitely the most typical of these materials, also it allows a low-power, HeNe laser beam through for alignment purposes. This is a great advantage over GaAs or Ge that are opaque to light from the visible part of the spectrum.
Nd:YAG lasers typically employ beam expansion, usually in the 2x to 5x range, because of their initially small beam diameters. Spatial filters for CO2 lasers should be external, but those for Nd:YAG lasers may be located within the laser cavity itself, and lots of sizes are available for mode selection.
Nd:YAG lasers employ optical glasses for example BK-7 or fused silica for lenses. The 1.06-um wavelength of such lasers is close enough towards the visible spectrum to permit adaptation of standard optical devices using the correct AR coating to direct the laser light. For example, microscope objectives can deliver Nd:YAG laser light to the the surface of VLSI circuitry for micromachining of conductor paths. As discussed earlier, delivering a Nd:YAG lazer with fiber optics offers incredible advantages over fixed-optic delivery. The fiber advantage is different to Nd:YAG lasers and has created an enormous growth in their use for industrial materials processing.
Fiber optic delivery for Nd:YAG
The usage of fiber delivery with YAG lasers is indeed extensive on the market which it should be discussed in greater detail. Approximately Ninety percent of latest Nd:YAG welding installations involve fiber optic delivery. Since the 1.06-um wavelength is transmitted by glass optics, it can be used in standard fiber optics. Conventional beam delivery is incredibly cumbersome, susceptible to misalignment and contamination to the optics, and is extremely expensive as a result of custom layouts. Fiber supplies a real answer to all of these problems. The advantages are:
Fibers deliver laser energy over distances which, used, would be impossible to attain using conventional optics. Distances up to 50 meters are achieved quite routinely.
Stability and accuracy are improved since merely the final focus optics have to be locked in an accurate relationship for the workpiece.
Most applications can be remedied with standard delivery hardware (avoiding custom design advantages).
Fibers are flexible and, within the limitations of minimum bend radius, can follow any desired route to the workpiece.
The workpiece could be held stationary even though the fiber and output optics move during processing which makes them the ideal delivery system to use with robotic manipulation.
Fibers make the kind of time and effort sharing beam distribution systems an operating possibility. The usage of such systems significantly raises the flexibility and flexibility of human lasers by getting these phones address multiple workstations or produce multiple simultaneous outputs.
Access to the laser head for routine maintenance has been enhanced because the positioning from the head is not dictated by the beam delivery system.
The low-cost fiber can be brought to areas that are dangerous because of explosives or radiation even though the laser head is situated in a non-hazardous area.
Spot size at focus will not alter with changes of average power.
The optics of fiber delivery are quite obvious and. Fiber optics used for laser delivery are typically step-index fibers. This type of fiber contains an optically uniform core between 200 and 1500 um across, surrounded by a skinny cladding that has slightly different optical properties.
There are numerous alternatives to fiber optic beam delivery. The very first is single-fiber delivery from one laser. This sort of delivery is generally employed for a dedicated production process or in development labs where moving the beam delivery along with other workstations is infrequent. The choice of a single-fiber delivery is readily justified by its convenience, ease of integration to workstations, as well as the capability for upgrading the device along with other options down the road. Other reasons for single-fiber delivery are for robotic delivery of the laser beam along with other multiaxis systems where conventional delivery will be a nightmare. With fibers, the output housing is installed on the final-motion component so integration is incredibly economical as well as simple.
Another fiber delivery option is time sharing, whereby all of the laser output could be directed into any one of the several fibers on demand. A single laser with this particular system can offer laser energy to many different workstations switching one of them at approximately 40 Hz. Scalping strategies are usually useful for laser welding at a variety of workstations, or provide the laser beam to split up regions of one large assembly station.
The past choice is termed energy sharing. Scalping strategies divide the laser output and send the vitality into several fibers simultaneously. Mirrors skim parts of the beam from your laser and divert them in to the input housings for each of the fibers.
The relative extent that every skimming mirror is moved to the beam path determines the sharing ratio. Typical energy-share systems can split the beam into up to four fibers. Scalping strategies are employed to weld many parts simultaneously, to be able to increase throughput, or get rid of the part distortions that usually result from sequential welding of merely one assembly.
The device computer creates marking images by sending beam-motion signals towards the galvanometer drivers while simultaneously blanking the laserlight between marking strokes. The motion with the galvanometer-mounted mirrors directs the marking beam over the target surface just like a pencil in some recoverable format to draw in alphanumeric and graphic images.
Laser selection
Laser marking uses the top power density with the focused laserlight to generate heat about the work surface and induce a thermal reaction. A readable, contrasting lines are produced by increasing the target surface to annealing temperatures, the melting point or to vaporization temperatures. Annealing and melting are widely-used to induce a contrasting color change over a wide array of metallic's as well as plastics, ceramics as well as other nonmetallic's. The easiest marking speeds are obtained by enhancing the temperature to the vaporization point out engrave metallic's and several nonmetallic's.
The near-infrared wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser is well suited to the majority of metallic's and several plastics. The Nd:YAG can anneal or melt both in the CW and pulsed mode and will supply the necessary peak pulsed capacity to engrave. With many materials, the Nd:YAG can simultaneously engrave the outer lining and induce a contrasting color alteration of the engraved trough.
The far-infrared wavelength of the CO2 laser works with plastics, ceramics and organic materials. However, minus the high-peak-power capability required to achieve vaporization temperatures, the CO2 laser is limited to annealing or melting the surface.
Advantages
Beam-steered laser marking offers several advantages over other marking methods. Biggest may be the unique combination of speed, permanence as well as the flexibility of computer control. Although other technologies can offer a couple of of such attributes, few other method offers the three for the same degree.
Many users also benefit from the noncontact nature of laser marking. The only real force applied to the part during the marking cycle may be the very localized thermal effect with the lazer. No additional physical force is used, apart from any appropriate part-handling motion designed in to the system. Silicon wafers, silicon disk drive read/write heads and many medical devices are examples of components that are too fragile for just about any form of mechanical marking. Additionally, laser marking provides the permanence essential to satisfy image-lifetime requirements, while printed marking will not.
Laser-marking systems also master creating intricate graphic images. Nd:YAG lasers can produce marking-line widths about the order of 0.001 inch or less, which, when combined with marking resolution of 0.0002 inch/step, can establish images with much more detail than mechanical contact or stencil systems.
Whatever the specific process justifications for incorporating laser marking, the effective use of the technology may result in significant financial savings. With operating costs for your Nd:YAG system, users have reported financial savings of greater than Ninety percent and associated reductions in qc and inventory expenses.
As manufacturing industries always automate their manufacturing processes, incorporate aftershipment traceability, reduce manufacturing cycle times, apply newer graphics and develop products requiring new marking techniques, the laser-marking manufacturers continue to enhance the power, speed, image-generation capabilities and user-friendliness of these products.