Published 8/12/2010

Entry-Level Laser Marking

The TF410 fiber laser marking solution from Technifor is an entry-level version for medium- and large-run applications for automotive, medical, electrical and mechanical components applications.

Edited by: MMS Editorial Team

The TF410 fiber laser marking solution from Technifor is an entry-level version for medium- and large-run applications for automotive, medical, electrical and mechanical components applications. According to the company, the laser marker features a 10-W laser and retains the compactness, quality and speed performance of the previous 20-W model, the TF420.

The laser marker can execute most shallow-depth marking applications for medium and large runs, the company says. It is also designed for ease of integration. Its 1.06-micron laser light source is housed in a separate control unit. Its new-generation electronics and small number of optical components result in a marking head that occupies a half the volume of the previous diode-pumped laser model. The light beam is conducted to the marking head by an optical fiber. The separate control unit can be mounted in a 19" rack, and it incorporates built-in buffer memory.

The laser marker source is said to have a longer life than a diode-pumped YAG laser. Also, the marking head and its control unit have been designed with the smallest possible number of mechanical and optical components (everything is in fiber, sealed and in one piece) to reduce maintenance and to avoid drift in optical component settings. The machine is designed with alarms against any type of improper use, even the marking of reflecting items.

The marking solution includes the T700W marking program. Its interface can be used to program the simplest markings in less than five clicks. It manages traceability data (serial number, variables, data matrix codes, bar codes and more), and it can establish links with production databases (ODBC, Excel, ASCII). Logo marking is also possible (PLT, JPEG, BMP, DXF). Materials libraries with pre-programmed settings are provided, along with the generation of log files.

The fiber laser marking system can apply high-contrast markings to a range of materials, including plastics, metals and ceramics, and to difficult surfaces, such as steels and titanium. It offers a number of marking variants thanks to its spatial and temporal optical quality.

The company offers an optional integration and customization aid as well as other integration module options including an automatic plate feed and a turntable. Marking of samples or first production items is also possible.