Raymond Laser Marking Machine

1.What is laser marking?

As a cutting edge marking technology, laser marking takes the form of a labeling process applied to a wide range of materials. In this process, the laser beam serves to alter the surface of the marking material in a way to imprint a contrast varying in depth that indicates a specific marking content such as texts, bar codes, logos, pictures etc. The laser marking machines configuration and operation can be automated via computer, and by usage of control software users can make a variety of patterns and modify marking configuration according to the specified requirements of the marking application.

So, what characterizes laser marking and makes it outstanding?

Nowadays, laser marking is commonly used in many industries like automation, electronics, medicine and aerospace and so on. It has become the most sought-after marking technology due to the competitive advantages that can be gained from its process.

2.Understand the mechanism of laser marking machines

Lasers used for in laser marking machines belong to the ultraviolet and infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum ranging from 355 nm for UV lasers to 1,070 nm and 10,600 nm for fiber and CO2 lasers respectively.

The electromagnetic spectrum- Photo Credits:NASA's Imagine the Universe

Distribution of laser marking Wavelengths in the light spectrum - Photo Credits: Keyence

To understand perfectly the mechanism of laser marking machines, it would be necessary to know what components a laser system encompasses and how laser beam occurs.

How is a laser marking system constructed?

A laser marking system consists basically of three core components:

Energy source;also called pump source, this component provides the proper energy to process the excitation mechanism. Depending on the lasing medium, energy source used in a laser system can be an electrical discharge, flash lamp, diode laser light etc.

Lasing medium; It is very imperative for deciding the wavelength of the laser beam. It can be whether of a solid state like optical fiber, crystal or a sealed tube filled up with gas like CO2, helium for example. When the energy emitted from pump source it passes through the lasing medium, then atoms excitation takes places which enables the amplification and storage of energy.

Optical resonator; It consists of paralleled mirrors enclosing the lasing medium. One mirror is highly reflective (high reflector), and the other is partially reflective (output coupler) in a way to enable a continuous reflection of the photons between the two ends of the laser medium while releasing the excess of stored energy (photons) from the output coupler in the form of a laser beam.

Basic components of laser-  Credits: researchgate article “Laser effect in the optical luminescence of oxides containing Cr”

You may also watch this instructive and awesome video explaining how laser originates.

How does laser marking work?

It all begins with the release of a higher energy level (laser beam) by the excitation of atoms inside the lasing medium using a powerful energy source;

Laser generation – Photo Credits: Linx Printing Technologies

the released laser beam is directed through a partial reflector to reach the scanner head;

later on, the laser will be reflected by X and Y axis turning mirrors on the marking area crossing the F-Theta focusing lens;

marking finally occurs when the laser beam comes into contact with the surface of the workpiece (marking material), leaving durable marks that convey certain information.

Mechanism of laser marking- Photo Credits: “A Review on Laser Marking Process for Different Materials”

3.Familiarize with the types of laser marking machines

There are three major types of laser marking machines with a substantial particularity in terms of energy source, lasing medium, optical resonators and the materials to be marked with. We are going to discuss each type thoroughly in order to help you become more familiar with their specifications and usage.

CO2 laser marking machine

Laser beam emitted by CO2 laser marking machines tend to perform very well on organic materials such as wood, card board, paper, leather and some materials like acrylic, glass and rubber, because with a wavelength of 10,600 nanometers, laser beam can be absorbed perfectly by these non-metallic materials as it delivers low marking contrast.

How CO2 laser marking machine generates laser beam?

Generation of laser beam in CO2 laser glass tube- Photo Credits: Physics and radio electronics

These laser marking machines are equipped with a CO2 gas mixture filled-tube as a laser medium, an electric power source and two reflective mirrors. When the electric current passes through the gas filled-tube it triggers an excitement of gas mixture causing the emission of exited photons, which move forth and back inside the sealed tube until the emitted light gets shining enough to pass through a reflective mirror and creating a focused laser beam.

You can watch this video about marking a wooden sample with a CO2 laser marking machine:

 

Fiber laser marking machine

Fiber laser marking machines are known as the most advanced laser marking systems due to their outstanding quality and reliability. Unlike CO2 based laser system, fiber laser marking technology delivers a high power laser beam with 1070 nanometers wavelength, which is good enough to leave high contrast marks on very hard materials like metals and some other sorts of materials including plastics and ceramics.

How does fiber laser marking machine produce laser beam?

Emission of laser beam from fiber lasing medium - Photo Credit: lasergods.com

Well, fiber laser marking machines contain an optical fiber that serves as a lasing medium, the fiber components consist mainly of some rare-earth substances like Ytterbium or quartz.

The process is very simple and effective. The light emitted from a diode laser source is channeled through the optical fiber whose core ions get excited resulting in the amplification of the light, which gets focused into a lens until it turns into a condensed laser beam.

You may watch this video about marking a piece of metal with a fiber laser marking machine:

UV laser marking machine

As its name suggests, UV laser marking system adopts an ultraviolet output of 355 nm wavelength, which is perfectly absorbed by a broad range of materials including metals such as iron, nickel, gold, copper and some plastics like ABS and PA besides glass.
With the short wavelength and small focus spot, UV lasers can operate at a very high repetition rate and process on a micro scale, which make them a preference for applications that require fine marking especially in medical, technology and agriculture industries.
Unlike other lasers that use thermal processing, UV laser marking machine applies a cold treatment on the material without causing unsuitable damage of the substrate.

How is UV laser beam generated?

Simply, the emission of UV laser beam needs a special crystal (solid-state lasing medium) to transform the infrared wavelength emitted from a standard diode pump (energy source) into a UV wavelength.

4.What can laser marking machines be used for?

Now that you’ve grasped the working principle of laser marking and have became more familiar with the main laser marking machines, it’s time to discover the multiple methods and applications of laser marking.

Laser marking technology remains a key tool for realizing many industrial purposes

Laser marking technology combines flexibility, versatility and high performance, this set of properties explain why this advanced marking technology has become gradually integrated in manufacturing processes of many industries. Having these properties allow companies to achieve different industrial purposes like branding, tracking, personalization and security.

Branding

Laser labeling company name, website and logo on the products serve in promoting the trademark.

Tracking

When the piece of material is laser marked it can be easily tracked down in real-time through its processing steps (product identification).

Personalization

Companies may boost their business by increasing product’s value with laser marking. In this respect, many products can be customized with customers’ logos and unique motifs.

Security

Laser marking is perfect for securing identification cards, once pieces of information are laser marked the marks can’t be in any way scratched or modified. In addition, attempts to counterfeiting brands can also be ideally prevented.

According to the material composition, laser marks are imprinted by the following methods

Annealing

It is a particular laser marking method for producing black marks on metals. In this process, laser beam stimulates a chemical reaction on the material surface resulting in a noticeable color change without causing a removal of the substrate.

Materials: metals

Photo Credit: datalogic

Carbonizing

By applying a high temperature, laser beam heats up the material surface forming a high contrast due to the carbon concentration on the altered area.

Materials: organics (wood, paper), thermoplastics

Photo Credit: datalogic

Coating ablation

During this marking process, short pulses of laser with high power remove the coating layer until the substrate of material surface can be seen as a contrasting mark.

Materials: coated materials, laminates

Photo Credit: datalogi

Unlike coating ablation, etching method targets the substrate itself by evaporating it until it melts and partially get removed, resulting in a slight deep mark (0.01 mm) with a noticeable contrast.

Materials: metals, polymers, glass

Photo Credit: datalogic

Foaming

This laser marking method is applied to imprint light marks on dark plastics. When laser melts the material, some gas bubbles are formed and pasted to the surface, which let the processed parts look much lighter than the unmarked rest of the material.

Material: Thermoplastics

Photo Credit: datalogic

What kind of applications can laser marking machines imprint?

Countless applications can be obtained with laser marking and each application is distinguished by industry, material, laser marking machine, laser marking method and data type (alphanumeric, barcodes, 2D matrix codes, Logos, graphics, Serial numbers, date code, OCR codes …).

These are some of the most common laser marking applications in different industries

5.What are the advantages of laser marking machines?

Given the utmost features of laser and the numerous delicate functions, it can be accurately performing, laser marking machines brings out several operational advantages that would certainly value and improve your core activity:

Automation and easy control

Laser marking machines are engineered to be controlled and automated by computers or touch panels. By simply modifying the laser marking settings on software, users can either run continuous laser marking on moving parts or laser marking each item apart.

Adaptability to any kind of material

The variety of laser wavelengths makes it possible that almost all materials reach the optimum absorption of laser beam so that the laser marking takes place.

High-speed marking

Fast laser marking contributes in lifting productivity levels especially if it were implemented at high-speed assembly line.

Durable traceability

Whether it is etching, annealing or other form of laser marking methods, marks will be always permanent and resistant to harsh conditions like heat and acids.

Good readability

Laser marking machines are capable of turning the most intricate graphics and the tiniest measurements into legible marks.

Maintenance-free equipment

Usually the life span of laser marking machines can last for up to 100.000 hours, which is offering stable operation and eventually low downtime occurrence.

Low operational cost

Unlike ink coding, laser marking technology doesn’t require consumables except for electricity that is necessary for generating the laser beam. For the long run, laser marking machines reduce operation costs and increase production efficiency.

Non-contact marking process

Laser marking is a damage-free process simply because focused laser beam alters precisely the targeted area without physically interacting with the marking surface.

6.How to find reliable laser marking machine suppliers?

Regardless of being an end-user or a trader, sourcing laser marking machine suppliers and approaching them would seem a critical task because there are as many potential suppliers as you might be so confused to point out who does stand out from the crowd. Nevertheless, you will still be able to get this mission accomplished.

What do you need to prepare before getting started?

Where to begin your search for laser marking machines suppliers?

All you need to do is to follow a process that requires no rush, consistent search, and getting to know suppliers thoroughly.

Here are some workable tips for reaching out to the right laser marking machine supplier:

Identification of potential suppliers

Consider carefully what you are driven by to determine the profile of your potential supplier.

Do you need small or large orders of laser marking machine?

Do you favor high quality over low price laser marking machine?

Do you prefer to deal with a manufacturer or a distributor?

Are you planning to deal with a domestic or overseas supplier?

Be certain that selecting a supplier is nothing but choosing your future business partner who would largely impact your business, so you got to know more and more about your potential supplier. Try to verify information like:

• Years of experience: expert laser marking machine suppliers are those who exercised the profession over a long period of time.
• Quality certifications: only suppliers with high standards do have such certifications.
• Customer’s reviews: referring to what previous customers telling about their satisfaction on such laser marking machine will decide what type of supplier you will be dealing with.
• Professionalism: you can visit the website of laser marking machine suppliers and contact their engineering team to evaluate them.
• Products catalogue: accessible information and a detailed description of laser marking machines is a good sign for the reliability of the supplier.

Search for laser marking machine suppliers on internet

Over the last years, the internet has been always the most effective tool for sourcing information. Many laser marking machine suppliers do have their own websites where most of their offerings and news are regularly updated there. However, merely a few suppliers do know how to demonstrate professionalism and reliability by using the power of internet.
The best suppliers are those who do maintain a well-established website that will figure on the first few pages of a search engine like Google.

So, how to find laser marking machine suppliers on Google?

You may use in the first random search keywords like:

Let’s suppose you wanted to find suppliers who can provide CO2 laser marking machine but this time you state the location (for example in China):

As you may notice when keywords are more consistent and specific the search engine will do a screening and show more reliable results.

Try as many keywords as you can until you settle on the consistent ones, until you gradually improve your searches quality.

You may list all the potential suppliers on a checklist and remember to record every glowing piece of information about them. After screening, you need to shortlist suppliers who match ideally a typical supplier.

Attend laser marking machines trade fairs

Trade fairs attract many exhibitors and visitors across the globe, which makes it a reliable way to sourcing suppliers.

Visiting a trade fare is a prime opportunity to interact face-to-face with the companies in the laser marking machine manufacturing niche and get to know them very closely. You must ask all what you need to know about their offerings and see what can be a good fit for your demand.

Remember that only authentic and reputable companies take part in such events where they try to stand out from the crowd and show the best they have for you.

Where to find laser marking machines trade fairs publications?

Most of the trade fairs and expos publish their program details online on dedicated websites. Try out this website it is simple and practical. Get information about upcoming laser marking machines  trade fairs by selecting the industry, location, and date right on the search toolbar.

Laser technology trade fairs -Photo credit: tradefairdates

Top 10 questions you need to ask laser marking machine suppliers

It is mandatory to prepare a few open questions prior to inquire any suppliers in the market. As we know what really matters for reaching your demand, we suggest you to ask these open questions while inquiring:

1. Are you a certified laser marking machine supplier?
2. Do you have any customer testimonials for my reference?
3. Do you make sample marking for quality proofing?
4. What brand of laser source are you offering?
5. What is the proper laser marking configuration for my applications?
6. Do you offer onsite/online software training support package?
7. What is the lifespan of your laser marking machines?
8. How do you provide support during machine’s downtime?
9. What necessary safety measures to be implemented when operating laser marking machine?
10. What kind of warranty is offered and what does it cover?

7.Core elements to consider when buying a laser marking machine

Many laser marking machine suppliers are out there, all of them acclaim their equipment as the best choice and capable of satisfying ideally customers’ aspirations. The stakes are high because you will be inquiring about dozens if not hundreds laser marking machines, and some machines have probably few drawbacks.

To pick out the ideal laser marking machine it is essential to weigh the pros and cons of each one. You need also to make sure about the quality of all technical components and decide on the right parameters for your applications.

We have listed below what to consider, what to ask for and what to choose:

1.What is your marking material?

Choosing your laser marking machine depends tremendously on the type of material you’re going to be marking because each machine is designed to operate optimally with a specific type of material.

Laser marking machine	Materials
Fiber laser	Stainless steel, aluminum, copper, silver, gold, titanium, nickel, brass, chrome, rubber, plastics, some ceramics
CO2 laser	paper, glass, plastics, rubber, leather, food, acrylic, wood and bamboo, jade, ceramics
UV laser	Paper board, garments, crystal, Glass, ceramics, leather, semiconductors, food

2. How is the capacity of marking precision?

Make sure that the inquired machine has the capacity to produce accurate, legible and durable marks on your marking material.

Try preferably to request your supplier to get your sample marked so you can evaluate the marking resolution. Remember to ask for the laser configuration used to mark your sample for your reference.

3.Which laser power do you need?

Two criteria decide on the optimal laser power, the marking application and the level of productivity.

For better choice ask yourself these few questions:

• • • What kind of material will be marked?
    • Do you need deep or shallow marks?
    • Do you want to get high or low marking contrast?
    • Are you willing to reach high marking speed?
    • Remember that organic materials need low wattage of laser than inorganic materials.
    • The higher are the levels of depth and contrast the bigger should be the laser power.
    • High laser power allows maintaining high efficiency and faster throughputs, which enables optimum productivity.

Laser power wattages used in each laser marking machine:

Laser marking system	Fiber laser	CO2 laser	UV laser
Wavelength	1060 nm	10.6 um	355 nm
Laser power	20 Watt – 30 Watt 50 Watt – 100 Watt	30 Watt – 55 Watt 100 Watt	3 Watt- 5 Watt

Glance over these standard laser marking parameters for some applications:

Application	Wattage	Power%	Marking speed (mm/s)
Etching (Anodized aluminum)	50 W	100%	2000
Etching (Stainless steel)	30 W	100%	1500
Foaming(Brass)	30 W	100%	2000
Annealing (Stainless steel)	30 W	85%	200
Coating ablation (tumbler)	30 W	32%	1000
Carbonizing Leather	60 W	100%	300
Carbonizing (ABS Plastic)	20 W	30%	500
Etching (Acrylic)	30 W	40%	600
Coating ablation (Powder coating)	20 W	100%	800

4. How to choose the right marking area?

Usually, the dimensions of your material but also the size of the marking application would guide you to choose properly the relevant size of your marking area.

Sometimes, customers will probably need to process marking on many items having different dimensions, shapes and specific application requirements. In this case, investing in a large marking area would be advantageous (one-size-fits-all), but it will cost you more money.

So why is large marking area costly?

The size of marking area depends tremendously on the quality of the focusing lens, the focal distance and the wattage of laser power. The focusing lens is like a magnifying glass when the focal distance is short laser beam covers small marking area and mark perfectly with less power, but when the focusing lens gets farther from the target, laser beam covers a large marking area which needs high laser power to perform noticeable marks.

F-theta lens and marking area, Photo credit: datalogic

NB: The price of the focusing lens gets higher with the increase of the marking area.

Here are the different focusing lenses with the corresponding marking area:

Focusing lens	F-Theta 100 mm	F-Theta 160 mm	F-Theta 163 mm	F-Theta 165 mm	F-Theta 254 mm	F-Theta 330 mm	F-Theta 420 mm
Marking area	60 x 60 mm	125 x 125 mm	100 x 100 mm	105 x 105 mm	150 x 150 mm	200 x 200 mm	254 x 254 mm

Source : rmilaser

Compatibility of focusing lenses with laser wavelengths-Photo credit: youtube.com

5.How to choose the proper model of your machine?

Laser marker machines are designed in certain forms with special dimensions and features so that to adapt the usage of the equipment to the working space and to the operation requirements and standards. As long as you decide your own marking requirements, it will be easy for you to select the proper model of your laser marking machine.

Take a glance over the different models:

Why the desktop laser marking machine?

This model is highly recommended for end users who need an all-in-one versatile unit which can be moved easily for convenient operation to many locations and mark materials ranging in size from small workpiece to considerably large equipment.

Let’s have an insight on the components of this unit

Fiber desktop laser marking machine

Work bench

Laser scanner

Manual Lift

Automatic control unit

Computer

Keyboard shelf

Laser source inside Cabinet

CO2 desktop laser marking machine

Why the portable laser marking machine?

Also called mini laser marking machine, this lightweight model would allow you to perform marking at any place you wanted thanks to its portable feature. This model is very adequate for marking small work pieces with high precision.

Why the handheld laser marking machine?

This handheld compact model allows users to enjoy full portability feature. This model can be easily moved to warehouses and held manually to laser mark on horizantal or vertical surfaces of relatively large engines that can’t fit other models.

Why the flying laser marking machine?

This model is designed exclusively for performing continuous marking on production lines. It is embedded with high-speed laser technology that synchronizes perfectly the speed of the workpiece to perform accurate marking.

Why the enclosed laser marking machine

This compact model has a cover-sealed structure in a way that protects users from getting exposed to laser emissions. In addition to its protective feature, this equipment ensures easy operation and high marking precision.

Why after-sales services so important?

Laser marking machines are engineered with complex systems, without specialized training offered by the supplier novice users might spend long time learning how to operate it. After long runs, some spare parts like laser source and focusing lenses may eventually damage, in this case only a good warranty that would ensure getting replacement from your supplier.

It is very important, when you invest in a laser marking machine, to wonder if the enquired supplier capable to provide you with reliable services after concluding the purchase. After-sales services have the potential to value your investment by optimizing the usage, maintaining the lifespan of the laser marking machine and lifting your throughputs.

What price of the laser marking machine?

Normally, the price of laser marking machines depends mainly on the configuration requested by customers, so there is no standard price though. Remember that the higher the configuration of your machine, the higher the buying budget to put aside. These machines remain relatively expensive but cost effective given its awesome benefits.

We highly recommend you to avoid as best as you can invest in comparatively cheap equipment, despite being affordable in terms of price it won’t be good for long runs as you may face unlikely downtimes right after few operations and it will be very delicate to replace or maintain spare parts especially if your supplier wasn’t a trademark company.

8.laser marking machine FAQs

Which brand of laser source to purchase?

You will find many brands of fiber laser source in the market which can be confusing to pick out to best one.  There are four top brands known as the best for fiber lasers that you can invest in one of them: JPT, RAYCUS, IPG and MAX.

IPG is a German brand popular for high quality, high stability and well maintained warranty. It delivers perfect performance on a wide range of materials, but it is very expensive.

RAYCUS is the first fiber laser source brand in all over China. It’s cost-effective due to the quality it offers, which is as good as IPG for some applications and relatively cheaper. 

JPT is a reputed Singaporean brand, which can be also considered as an excellent choice for you because it can provide nearly some competitive advantages like consistence and high-speed at a reasonable price.

MAX is another Chinese brand which can offer comprehensive performance at a cheap price, but it can be used just for short range of materials. 

Is it possible that three-dimensional shapes be laser marked?

Yes that would be possible only with laser marking machine that can manipulate X and Y axes along with Z axis, known as 3-axis control laser.

3d laser marking applications

Besides light and dark marks can laser markers imprint color marks?

Right! However, not all laser markers can do so, just MOPA fiber laser marking machine that have the color marking option and it can only mark over stainless steel and titanium surfaces.

Colors marked with MOPA fiber laser- Photo credit: spilasers

What after-sales services can I get from my supplier?

As a beginner, you can request your supplier to attach your purchase order with the following after-sales services:

• On-site installation guidance
• Online software training package
• Technical support during downtime
• Warranty to replace damaged spare parts

What to consider during the installation of a laser marking machine?

First off, decide the best location for installation, if your machine were of a big size you’d better to set it in a workshop but if it were of compact size then reasonable place such an enclosed office would better suit it.

Place your machine as best as you can in a corner and make sure to keep some space between the edge of the machine and the wall just for easing the ventilation of the machine.

How to safeguard the working environment from eventual laser harm?

Despite the fact that laser is highly deemed as environment friendly technology it may be harmful if any part of the human body gets exposed directly to it.

As the safety of laser markers users concerns us, we’d like to suggest you with some instructions that may help you to ensure safety during operation time:

• prepare an enclosed workshop for installing your equipment
• Always wear special protective glasses when operating or maintaining your equipment to prevent your eyes from getting exposed to laser emissions and reflections.
• You may also buy an enclosed laser marking machine to avoid any exposure.
• Try to ask your supplier for any further cautions.

Protective glasses for laser

Conclusion

Dear guest reader, we’d like to thank you so much for stopping by our website and reading this dedicated guide, and we wish that every mentioned piece of information was informative and helpful to you.

We would be glad if this guide saved you a lot of time and replied many of your questions.

It’s your turn now to express your concerns

Are you ready now for enquiring a laser marking machine supplier?

Do you still encounter any difficulties for choosing the right laser marking machine?

In case you do have more queries don’t hesitate to contact us for free consultation.

Raymond laser team will be so glad to assist you anytime.

Stay tuned on our website for upcoming articles and glance over our store.