Laser Marking Machines

This kind of marking machine uses the laser beam to make permanent marks on the surface of various kinds of materials. The effect of marking is to expose the deep material through the evaporation of the surface material. Thereby, the machine can engrave exquisite design graphics, trademarks, and letters. The laser marker has excellent laser marking system and advanced laser marking technologies, and mainly consists of the marking work table, the laser, and the computer control system.

This kind of machine is mainly used in some industries that require higher precision. And it is widely applicable for the electronic components, the integrated circuits (IC), mobile communications, hardware products, and tool accessories. Its scope of applications also includes the precision equipment, glasses and watches, auto parts, plastic buttons, and PVC pipes.

Generally speaking, the different types of marking machines are classified according to the different laser beams. Fiber laser marking machine and CO2 laser marking machine. But according to the using method, there also has a portable laser marking machine and UV laser marking machine.

Portable laser marking machine: The portable laser marking machine is a conveniently mobile solution of laser marking. It provides an efficient and flexible method to mark large, heavy objects. And it is suitable for marking at the flat metal surface, and can also create a smooth, high-contrast result.

UV laser marking machine: The UV laser marking machine is an ideal selection for high value-added materials and projects requiring definition and precision marking. The UV laser marking machine creates the short-wavelength 355nm for generating an intense energy beam. The UV laser marking process is untouchable and will create a permanent mark.

Types:

According to the laser sources, this kind of marking equipment is mainly divided into CO2 laser marking machines, fiber laser marking machines, and UV laser marking machines.

1. CO2 laser marking machine:                                                                    

The CO2 laser marker is the marking equipment using carbon dioxide laser technology for marking non-metallic materials mostly.

The CO2 laser marking machine can mark a variety of non-metallic materials and some metal products. The most common materials include bamboo, wood, paper, ABS, PVC, epoxy resin, acrylic, leather, glass, ceramics, and rubber, etc.

The machine can be widely used in pharmaceutical packaging, food packaging, beverage packaging, plastics, textiles, leather, wood, and handicraft industries. And the applicable industries also include electronic components, watches, glasses, printing, and other industries.

2. Fiber laser marking machine

This kind of machine also known as fiber laser marking machine for metal, uses fiber as the working medium. And it can be mainly used to mark stainless steel, aluminum, carbon steel, and many other metal materials, as well as some non-metallic materials.

The applicable industries are generally the hardware products, tool accessories, precision equipment, glasses, and watch industries. There are also many users in the auto parts, plastic buttons, building materials, medicine, electrical appliances, PVC pipes, and sanitary ware industries.

3. UV laser marking machine

The UV laser marker uses the ultraviolet laser of the clod light source. It is mainly used in the high-end market of ultra-fine processing. The machine can mark the surface of packaging bottles of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and other polymer materials, with very precise effect. And the marks are very clear and firm, superior to ink-jet coding and pollution-free. The materials suitable for UV laser marking also include flexible PCB board, glassware, and silicon wafer, etc.

The above marking machines are the common types of marking machines on the market. In addition, for the processing needs of different users, marking machines can also be divided into small laser marker, handheld laser marker, portable laser marker and so on.

Applications:

The marking machine serves various industries. Manufacturers can create smooth and high-contrast PCB laser marking. With the different materials for laser marking, the applications can be divided as different materials which the marker can deal with.

Laser marking stainless steel: The laser marking stainless steel can be marked with the laser marking machine for metal. As the common metal material, stainless steel can be used in various applications. The laser marking machine for metal will provide an elegant, high-contrast mark on the laser marking stainless steel.

Laser marking plastic: Expect the metal, the marking machine can deal with different types of plastic. Don’t be worried about whether there will have any burn trace, the laser marking plastic is precise and safe for operating. The marking result is clear and contrast.

This kind of marking method uses the high-energy-density laser to irradiate a certain part of the work-piece. It will vaporize or change the color of the surface material, thereby leaving a permanent mark.

The marking equipment can precisely mark a variety of letters, symbols, and graphics. And the size of the letters can range from millimeters to micrometers, which is of special significance for product anti-counterfeiting.

The ultra-fine laser beam is like a tool after being focused. And it can remove the surface material of the work-piece point by point. Furthermore, the marking process is non-contact processing, which does not produce mechanical extrusion or mechanical stress. Therefore, it will not damage the processed article.

As the size of the laser focusing point is small, the heat-affected area is small, and the processing is highly precise. Therefore, the laser machine is able to complete some processes that conventional technology cannot achieve.

The "tool" used in laser processing is the light spot after focusing. There is no additional device and materials needed. As long as the laser can work normally, the laser marking equipment can process materials continuously for a long time.

The laser processing speed is fast and the cost is low. Laser processing with computer numerical technology realizes the automatic control, and no human intervention is required during the operation. It adapts to the high efficiency of modern production and meets the demand for rapid processing speed.

The operators need to strictly follow the operation instruction of the marking equipment of the suppliers. They must accept the training for laser marking technologies and operation and pass the test accordingly. And they are also familiar with the structure and performance of the machine.

1. Procedures of starting up 

The steps of starting up the laser marking machine are as follows:

• Check the power line of the marking machine, and make its connection accurate and reliable.
• Turn the switch to the position “On”, to switch on the main power. And the power indicator turns on.
• Confirm that the emergency stop button is pressed down.
• Turn on the power switch of the computer host and the computer monitor.
• Screw the emergency stop button in the direction of the arrow, to make it pop up. And the lead head is power on, after about 1 minute, the starting up of the laser head is completed.
• Take off the lens cap; and at the moment, the laser marking machine is started up. And it can receive the instruction of the operators to begin the marking operation.

2. Marking operation

• Double click the icon of the marking program to open the program.
• Choose the file for marking, make changes if necessary, and click “OK” to complete the modification.

3. Marking test and position

• Place a test piece with the same height as the one for marking on the working table. And confirm to place the test piece steadily.
• Operate the control software to start the marking. In order to achieve a better marking effect, the operators can make adjustment according to the following steps:

1. Adjust the focal length by adjusting the lifting device of the laser head.
2. Change the power, marking speed, and other parameters in the marking software.
3. And click to open the software, and move the mouse to change the marking position to the appropriate place.
4. Carry out the marking test after completing the above steps.
5. After the test is OK, restart the marking on the work-piece.

4. Turning off

After completing the production, the operators can turn off the laser marking machine according to the following procedures.

• Firstly save the marking file and close the software normally. And adjust the current to 0A.
• Press down the stop button, and turn off the power supply of the laser head.
• Turn the switch to the position “Off”, to switch off the main power of the laser marking machine; and the power indicator turns off.
• Turn off the computer and the general power switch.
• Cover the lens cap.

In the normal working state, the users must maintain the marking equipment regularly. And they shall also appoint the staff to specially responsible for the supervision and implementation.

· Regular maintenance:

1. Before starting up the machine, the operators shall check the cooling system of the equipment. It needs to confirm the water level is above the minimum scale on the water tank. And the water pipes are not winded up or folded together.
2. After the operation, there should be no abnormal sound, and the marking equipment works normally.
3. After work, the operators shall clean the machine’s appearance and surrounding working environment. They cannot move the laser machine, and make sure there is no messy things or dust on the machine.
4. The devices and working tools shall be placed in order. And there are no objects unrelated to work in the working area.
5. The users shall clean the dust in the cooling system and the main control box, and lubricate the working table regularly.
6. Check if the temperature of the water pump rises up and if there is any noise during the operation process. The normal working temperature is from 22℃-28℃.
7. The operators shall regularly clean the lens by using the special lens wiping paper to dip with absolute ethanol.
8. When the machine has any fault, the operators shall timely inform the management staff to find out the reasons. And they need to inform the suppliers to dispatch technicians for repairing if necessary.

· Safe operation regulations:

1. The operators must wear protective glasses and then operate the marking machine for marking processing.
2. During the process of operation, the operators shall not use anything to contact the laser beam, especially their body.
3. The operators shall wear dust-proof masks correctly. This is to avoid breathing in the suspended fine particle or smog generated during the marking process.
4. It is not allowed to start the marking machine when the water level of the cooling machine is too low. Before the operation, the operators can observe the water level at first. And the system can give an alarm when the level becomes very low.
5. The operators shall not use hand or other things to contact the lens. And they shall not use the wet cloth to clean the machine, in order to avoid electric shock. And they shall also avoid using the mobile phone during the process of marking.

The value of a brand often refers to a company's comprehensive strength and service. Brand affects product quality, and product quality directly affects product prices. The same is true for laser markers. Therefore, the price of well-known brands is higher than that of ordinary brands.

Nowadays, most of the laser marker manufacturers are trying to provide low cost laser marking machines with high quality for their customers. And the laser marking machine cost is composed of the cost of laser marking materials like stainless steel. If your equipment has precision laser marking technologies, the laser marking machine supplier will provide a high price of course.

The configuration of the laser marking equipment is mainly embodied in the laser, laser galvanometer, and the marking software. The marking machine with a high configuration not only has good marking effect and long service life but also the price is relatively high.

The configuration which your marking machine possessing is related with your marker price. As the crucial parts of marking machine, laser marking system is very relate with the laser marking machine price. If your marking machines have advanced laser marking system, you will pay more money for it. But, the advanced marking machine configurations means advanced laser marking technologies.

The laser power is different, and the laser marking equipment price is also very different. Under the same brand, the higher the power, the more expensive the laser marker price.

The different laser marking parameters may create different prices. Take the fiber laser marking machine price as an example. The equipment which has an advanced fiber laser marking system has a higher price than the one that has not. And the 50w fiber laser marking machine has a different price than the 30w fiber laser marking machine.

The price of the marking machine is certainly important. But we remind users that when buying a laser marker, we can’t just look at the laser marker price to decide whether to buy the machine. In addition to the configuration of the marking machine, other factors such as manufacturer brand and after-sales service are also very important.

In order to buy a good marking equipment, the buyers may consider the following aspects. They can compare marking machines from different suppliers and make the best choice.

· Materials for laser marking processing

Laser can mark many types of materials including laser marking stainless steel, laser marking metal, laser marking plastic and so on. Therefore, the users determine what kind of materials for marking and make clear their production scope and quantity firstly. And then they can confirm machine types, machine sizes, and how many sets they need.

· Core parts of the laser marking machine

1. Quality of the laser

The laser is the most important part of the whole laser marker. Its quality decides the precision and quality of the laser marking effect. Generally, it is better to choose the laser with the good-quality laser beam and a high electrical-optical conversion rate. Absolutely, if the budget is not very sufficient, choosing a laser with common quality can also meet general marking requirements.

2. Quality of the laser lens

Choosing a good laser marker also needs to consider the quality of the laser lens. Generally, the better the laser lens, the much more laser it reflects, and the smaller the laser loss. This is beneficial to increase the electrical-optical conversion rate of the laser marking machine.

3. Quality of the cooling system

A good cooling system is also very important to the processing efficiency of the laser marker. The users can figure out the flow rate of the cooling water. The faster the cooling water flows, the much more heat it can carry away. And it also needs to check if any leakage on the water pipe of the cooling system. The efficiency of the laser will be affected if any leakage.

If you have difficulty to find laser marking near me, creating cooperation with reliable laser marking machine manufacturers is a good choice. Because of the reliable laser marking machine manufacturers will provide a reasonable laser marking machine price for their customers. The laser marking machine costs including the machine and maintenance, the excellent laser marking machine manufacturers provide high-quality and low cost laser marking machine. This kind of machine is durable and will have a long using time with the reasonable operation.

The users need to verify whether the software of the laser marker is the legal copy. The pirated software frequently has the problems of the light leak, large power consumption, unstable performance, and short service life.

Good after-sales service plays a significant role for the users after purchasing the machine. The users need not worrying about finding someone to solve the problem when the laser machine has a problem. Common after-sales services include distribution, training, installation, testing, and technical support after the operation of the machine.