What to Consider When Choosing a Laser Marking Machine

When choosing a laser marking machine, the parameters selected directly affect processing results and costs.The system starts with five core parameters-power, wavelength, accuracy, etc.-and then combines different materials and application scenarios to help you quickly clarify your purchasing thoughts and avoid inefficiencies or equipment waste due to improper parameter configuration.With these tips in mind, you can make the right choice!

Determine the type of materials to be used for the labels.

First of all, you have to be clear about what kind of material you want to cut.The different materials, including metal, plastic, and ceramics, all require different types of lasers.For example, metals generally require fiber lasers, while non-metals such as leather and wood are more suitable for CO2 lasers.

metal material.

Generally, 20-50W fiber lasers are used for metal engraving. If the power is too low, the engraving will not take color, while too high a power will burn through thin plates.If deep engraving on stainless steel is frequently required, then a power rating of 30W or more is recommended.

Non-metallic materials.

Materials like acrylic and wood are best cut with a 30-60 watt CO2 laser.Too high a power setting can cause carbonization, especially with fine detail. A lower power setting, on the other hand, can preserve more detail.

Laser wavelength.

Wavelengths directly influence the compatibility between the material and the laser.The 1064nm fiber laser is commonly used for metals, while the 10.6μm CO2 laser is better at cutting non-metal materials.Choosing the wrong wavelength is like trying to drink soup with chopsticks--it can be done, but it's a lot less efficient.

Precision determines the core configuration.

To get a pattern as fine as a strand of hair, the diameter of the laser's beam must be less than 0.01 millimeter.For general industrial use, 0.02-0.05 millimeters are enough.Don't let the advertising hype about super-high precision fool you. The higher the precision, the more delicate the equipment, and the higher the cost of maintenance.

Repeatability of positioning accuracy.

This parameter is especially important when processing in bulk, and an error of more than ± 0.005 mm can result in misalignment.We recommend a machine with a grating scale, which is much more reliable than a stepper motor.

Speed or efficiency?

Don't just look at the max speed, pay attention to the stable working speed.Some machines are labeled at 7,000 mm / s, but in fact they can't even cut a straight line at that speed.For general processing, 3000-5000mm / s is enough. For every 1000mm / s increase in speed, the price may double.

Sex is ignored.

No matter how good the machine is, if you can't use it, it's useless.For beginners, it is recommended to select a machine with an intelligent parameter library, in which selecting the material type automatically matches the parameters.As for interfaces, the USB + Ethernet combination is currently the most popular. This allows for easy connection to older computers or new devices.

Finally, before buying, it's best to get the manufacturer to run a test sample.Seeing the actual results is better than reading 100 pages of specifications.