Laser Marking Machines for Rubber: A Complete Guide to Parameter Settings

This guide provides all the information needed to configure a laser marking machine to mark rubber, covering core parameters such as power, speed, and frequency. It also features a chart of common materials to help users quickly match the best parameter settings for different types of rubber, increasing marking speed and clarity.

Why is it important to calibrate the parameters of the rubber stamp?

When using a laser to mark rubber, if the parameters are not correctly adjusted, it is easy to end up with burnt, blurry markings or even material deformation.Different types of rubber (such as silicone and nitrile rubber) absorb laser light at very different rates, so if you blindly use the same set of parameters, the results could be drastically different.

The core parameters of laser marking machines.

Power: The key to depth.

Too high a power setting can burn through the surface of the rubber, while too low a setting may produce an unclear marking.For example, when dealing with black rubber, 30-50 % of the power is sufficient, but for light-colored rubber, a higher power (60-80 %) may be necessary.

The balance between speed and frequency.

If the laser moves too fast, the lines will be discontinuous; if too slow, the material may be burnt away.The frequency is usually set between 20 and 50 kHz, with higher frequencies suitable for fine patterns and lower frequencies for thicker lines.

Don't forget to fill the gaps.

The smaller the spacing, the more detailed the design, but the longer it takes.A distance of 0.05 mm is recommended for ordinary characters, while large areas can be filled with a distance of 0.1 mm.

Table of parameters for different types of rubber.

Here are some parameters for common materials (for a 50W fiber laser).

Type of material | Power range | Speed (mm / s) | Frequency (kHz) |

The table below shows the results of this survey.

Silicone rubber 25 %-40 % 800-1200 30-50

| Styrene-butadiene rubber | 35 % ~ 50 % | 600 ~ 900 | 20 ~ 30 |

Fluororubber 40-55 % 500-800 25-35

* The data in the table should be adjusted according to the actual equipment.

That's how we solved the problem.

What about yellowed labels?

Most often, the problem is that the power is too high or the speed is too low. First try lowering the power by 5 % to 10 % and raising the speed by 200 mm / s.

How can you adjust the focus if the edges are not clear?

Check to see if the focus is accurate, then raise the frequency appropriately (by 5-10 kHz). If necessary, repeat the scan one or two times.

There is residue on the surface.

It may be that the carbonization is caused by the density of the filler being too high. If so, we can increase the spacing by 0.02 millimeters, or use compressed air to help blow away the filler.

Finally, when changing rubber, it is a good idea to first test the new material on a few scraps of paper to get a feel for its properties. This will save you a lot of time in the long run.