Unprecedented possibilities with lasers
Lasers can be used for coding on almost all materials. Think, for example, of glass, ceramics, rubber, plastic, paper or coated and uncoated metals. This is done with the utmost accuracy and at extremely high speed. Moreover, coding can be done in any direction, so also perpendicular to the transport direction. With the great advantage that no consumables are needed for the print!
What exactly is ‘laser’?
Laser is an abbreviation of Light Ampification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. In Dutch this means: Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. In essence, laser is about light. Light can be thought of as waves or photons. A laser excites them and makes them all go in the same direction. This is called ‘coherent’. With a regular lamp, the light goes in all directions. With a laser, this is strongly bundled in one direction.
The power of lasers
With a coherent beam of light, the laser system places a small dot on the surface to be marked at a great distance. This is similar to a laser pointer. Only a laser can do much more. The power of strongly bundled light is enormous. Think of making fires with a magnifying glass. Laser has therefore long been used to mark products in this way. The bundled light is then guided past two mirrors mounted on a special motor. This ‘Galvomotor’ can make a very small movement very accurately and quickly. The name is derived from ‘galvanometer’, which accurately measures (electrical) current with a mechanical deflection. Today this is the drive of the mirrors in a laser.
Various types of laser systems
In this day and age, coding with laser systems has become an indispensable part of production. Which laser you can best use to laser your products or packaging, has to do with the desired effect that you want to achieve on the surface to be marked.
