Laser Marking on Metals and Plastics

The speed at which metals and plastics can be marked by lasers is very different, and the settings used to mark them are also different. By sharing tips on how to optimize laser marking speeds for both metals and plastics, users can improve their efficiency while still maintaining marking quality, and solve common problems encountered in actual production.

Why is it that the speed of marking metal and plastic is different?

The speed and effect of laser marking is actually directly related to the "temperament" of the material.Metal has a high surface hardness, so the laser absorption rate is low. To "etch" a clear mark, it requires higher power and a slower moving speed.Plastics are soft, but their melting points vary greatly. For example, ABS and acrylic plastics have different melting points. If the temperature is not controlled properly, the plastic will burn or the markings will be unclear.So, if you want to speed things up while still maintaining quality, you have to get a thorough understanding of the material.

How can the marking speed for metals be adjusted?

The golden combination of power and frequency.

For common metals like stainless steel, the best results are obtained by setting the power level to 80-90 %.The recommended frequency range is 20-50kHz, which allows the laser head to maintain stable output without wasting energy.Remember to first try out the carving on a sample, to find the point where it is "fast but not blurry.

Don't neglect the cooling system.

The laser head tends to overheat when used for a long time at high speed.The temperature of the water in the cooling system and the flow rate are monitored regularly to ensure that the system is able to keep up with the heat generated by the machine. If this is not the case, the machine will not be able to operate at full capacity, and will have to be shut down from time to time to allow it to cool down, which would delay the project.

Plastic marking: cooling down and speeding up

Low power can be effective.

Plastics are particularly sensitive to lasers, and it is safer to set the power to 30-50 percent.For instance, with PVC material, using a 40-watt power output and a 2000mm / s scanning speed produces no burnt edges and maintains the lines in fine detail.

Breathing assistance is essential.

The air nozzle is attached to the side of the laser head to blow away the molten debris as it is carved.This small change can reduce the number of times the material is exposed to heat, and increase the speed of the process by about 15 %, especially when working with materials such as PET that are prone to sticking together.

A guide to avoiding pitfalls in the real world.

If you encounter a surface with strong reflectivity, such as aluminum alloy, try applying a matte-finish tape to reduce the amount of energy lost due to reflection.

When processing black plastic, if the marks on the surface of the product turn white, adjust the spacing of the filler by 0.02mm. The depth of color will be more even.

Before turning on the machine in the morning, first heat the laser for five minutes. This alone raises parameter stability by at least 20 %, and this detail is something many old hands use.