In almost every realm of manufacturing, laser marking technology is becoming essential. From aerospace to medical industries, automotive, and more all of these industries are using laser marking to label and keep track of parts. Depending on the industry more regulations are coming in and making manufactures to trace parts they make. However, not every laser technology is appropriate for you, and thus before you invest your thousands of dollars on that marking equipment, few things will make you choose the most appropriate for you.
Type of materials
The first thing that you need to consider is the type of material to be marked. There are two types of materials here; organic and inorganic. Organic materials are paper products, plastic, wood, and glass. The non-organic materials are the ones that will spark when putting in a microwave like metal, steel, and aluminum. Different industrial laser marking machines come with different types of lasers meaning they only work on certain types of materials.
Desired mark
After you have determined the material you want to work with, the next thing is to choose the type of mark. Depending on the machine you will have lots of different options to choose from. You can choose both deep or shallow marks, and uniform or contrast marks. The type of technology you choose will determine whether you get a frosted or dark mark. If you are using barcode technology you could struggle with your vision systems seeing the barcode, you would want to use the dark marks and the frosted backgrounds. What matters here is your desired product and the quality of work you’re looking forward to.
Maintenance
Find out how frequently the maintenance is for the machine and whether it is possible to do it yourself. Maintenance can be a huge cost for machinery and with how complicated some machines can get it can be overwhelming or just impossible for consumers to do on their own. Not only do you have to pay for maintenance but if you do not fix it outside of normal operating hours you will be losing out on production time as well. Hiring someone to do the maintenance will elevate some of the headache but will cost you money.
Workload
The type and size of the laser you will be using is completely determined by the type of material and the amount of work you want done. If you are planning on running the facility non-stop then getting a brand new laser engraving machine would be the best option. For this kind of work we suggest you do not go with a second hand machine they could break down without warning. Buying new will allow you to get a warranty for the machine so if you run into any issues you can have it repaired or replaced.
Involve an expert
Automated machinery is already complicated but adding in a dangerous laser can be a recipe for disaster. Without the right help during setup you can either injure yourself or damage the machine. It is important to not only involve an expert but to make sure that you hire someone who is competent in working these dangerous machines.
Machines are complicated to deal with and only an expert knows how to best identify the best. When choosing one, make sure you have with you a technician who has experience in working with laser systems. This will ensure that you get the best system that is appropriate for you.
There are different laser systems in the market today. When choosing an Industrial laser marking machine, ensure you have proper guidance from a reliable service. An original one may be more expensive than others but you’d better spend more and get one that will serve you for long.