Types of Marking Machines

Marking machines are widely used for industrial purposes. These are used to engrave products with logos, numbers, expiry dates, and a lot more. There are different kinds of marking machines used by companies. The usage of a marking machine solely depends on the quality and efficiency of it. That is why the most widely used marking machines are the ones with laser technology. They are fast and provide super high-quality engravement. They can be referred to as metal marking machines since they are mostly used to engrave metals.

Besides that, they are also used on non-metals such as plastic, rubber, ceramic, and paper. Since they have so many varieties, it is crucial to know the right usage of them and the features that one should look for while buying a marking machine for the industry they operate in. Here we will guide you through the process of using different types of marking machines.

There are mainly three types of marking machines-laser marking machine, dot peen marking machine, and electrolyte marking machine. Out of these three, the most popular one is the laser marking machine. It also has multiple varieties in it. The prominent ones are the fiber laser marking machine and the CO2 laser marking machine. Without further ado, let’s dive into this and get to know more about their usage and functions.

As can be understood from the name itself, in this marking machine laser beams are used through fiber. But which fiber are they talking about? If you think it is the optical fiber, then you guessed it right. These fiber laser-marking machines are also known as “solid-state fibers”. The reason being, it comes in a sealed laser source that is protected from dust or any other agent that can contaminate the laser beams. Due to this, it can give the most accurate engravement on different surfaces.

It operates just the same way as any optical fiber does. A large number of laser diodes are passed through the optical fiber. It is then concentrated and falls on a lens. It does not require any mirror for this purpose, unlike other forms of laser marking machines. It does not require any additional cooling agent as well. It can cool with the help of air only. All these features make it more practical for industrial use. It is 200% more efficient compared to the CO2 laser marking machine. Which is why it is pricier and is a piece of industry-standard equipment most widely used.

Even though laser marking can be used on multiple surfaces, it is most widely used on metal surfaces. Because engraving metals is very difficult, and no other kind of marking machine can do it as accurately as the laser markers. Its flawless finish and efficient performance make it worth the price. It can work perfectly on soft metals like aluminum and hard metal surfaces such as brass.

• Stainless steel engraving machine: The stainless-steel engraving machineutilizes the laser technology to create corrosion-resistant engravings on the surface. It is long-lasting and does not wear out easily. The stainless-steel engraving machine creates deep marks with no deformation.
• Brass engraving machine: Brass engraving machines are used to create wear and corrosion resistant perfect marks on the brass metal.
• Aluminum engraving machine: The laser has also been widely used for aluminum surfaces. It vaporizes the top layer of the metal to create the mark. Natural aluminum oxide is formed on the metal surface which later helps in engraving the letters.

This laser marking machine uses a mixture of different gases to operate. These gases include carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It cannot function without a mirror reflector like a fiber marking machine. It consists of a tube filled with the gas mixture and the reflector.

Even though it sounds very complicated, the function is very easy to understand. Basically, an electric current is passed through the nitrogen molecules. It absorbs the electric energy and gets excited. It remains in this excited state for quite some time and then passes this energy to other gas molecules as well. As a result, the tube has an accumulation of highly energetic gas molecules. When the energized nitrogen molecules come close to the helium molecules, they start to emit light. And this light is directed to the reflector and internal reflection occurs in the chamber. This amplifies the intensity of the light and transforms into a laser beam.

As already mentioned, fiber lasers are predominantly used on various metal surfaces. On the other hand, this CO2 laser marker is used for mostly non-metal surfaces.

• Glass engraving machine: It is used for coffee mugs, pint glass, or shot glass. CO2 laser engraving creates a beautiful effect on the glass surfaces.
• Wood engraving machine: CO2 laser is used to engrave the wood surface as well. Since it is impractical to engrave wood manually on an industrial scale, this laser technology is highly efficient in this case.
• Plastic engraving machine: You get high quality, super-fast, and accurate markings on plastic surfaces. It is quicker because the laser reacts with the chemical components of the plastic and creates the mark.

The importance of laser marking machines in the industries cannot be denied. It is multipurpose and is a crucial part of the manufacturing process. The marking machine engraves various important information such as barcodes, logo, lot number, and so on. Since it is used in almost all industries, it can be used for various purposes. So far, we have talked about the fiber and CO2 laser marker machine in various metal and non-metal surfaces. To be precise, it is used as a metal marking machine for stainless-steel engraving, brass engraving, and aluminum engraving. On the other hand, the usage on non-metal surfaces such as glass, wood, and plastic are also very popular. We hope that this will help you understand the functionalities of the marking machines and make the right choice.