From Selection to Maintenance: Tips on Choosing a Laser Marking System for PCBs

This article will provide a detailed examination of the key points to consider when selecting, installing, and maintaining laser marking equipment for industrial PCBs.The test covers core factors such as the precision of the equipment, its compatibility with materials, and its stability. It helps users select equipment that offers high performance at a reasonable price. It also provides practical maintenance advice to extend the equipment's life and improve production efficiency.

The key to the selection stage is to have a clear idea of the requirements.

Buying equipment is like choosing tools-you have to first know what kind of job you want to do.There are many different types of industrial PCB marking equipment, and the parameters of each are quite different. If you don't think carefully about your needs at the beginning, you may end up wasting money.

How do you balance accuracy with speed?

High precision and high speed are often a case of having to choose between two equally attractive options.For example, when marking precision circuit boards, the hard and fast rule is that the accuracy must be 20μm or less, but the speed may drop to several hundred per hour.If you're producing standard labels in large numbers, you're better off with a machine that prioritizes speed.We suggest testing the equipment on-site to see how it performs in the real world.

The material is gender neutral.

The PCB materials range from FR4 to aluminum, and different types of lasers (fiber, CO2, ultraviolet) are used for different materials.Ultraviolet lasers are gentler with brittle materials, and fiber lasers are more suitable for marking metal surfaces.Preparing a list of commonly used materials beforehand is the most reliable way to get the results you want.

Installation and debugging: It's the details that make the difference.

Bringing in the equipment is just the first step. If the installation stage is not handled properly, problems are likely to crop up later.

Site and environmental requirements.

Laser equipment is sensitive to dust and vibration, so if the factory has large press machines, it is best to install the laser equipment in a separate area.Ventilation systems must also keep up, especially when marking certain plastic boards. If smoke cannot escape, it will reduce the life of the laser head.

Adjusting the parameters requires patience.

You can't expect to just turn it on and use it. The focus, power, and frequency all have to be finely adjusted.One of our customers once set the power 5 % too high, causing the PCBs to carbonize, and they lost several thousand dollars.We recommend that in the initial stage, you spend two days doing the full parameter combination test, and keep a good template for the best configuration.

Long-term maintenance: Save money and worry.

The key to good use of equipment is maintenance.I've seen too many factories that only care about using their machines, and end up paying more to maintain them than they would have paid for new ones.

These are the three things he does every day.

Before leaving work, he spends five minutes cleaning the lens and the rails, checking the cooling fans, and recording the day's work time.These small actions can prevent 80 % of sudden breakdowns.One old customer, who has had no major problems for three years, has the secret of success in having operators write these steps into the shift change log.

Don't delay in replacing consumables.

Three months before the laser's life is up, the marking effect gradually becomes fainter.It's better to replace than to repeatedly try to fix.Don't keep the spare lens that the manufacturer sends you unused; the coating will oxidize if the lens is left in a damp environment.

The upgrade is a delicate matter.

The new system may not be compatible with old equipment. Last year, an update to the software caused one type of machine to report errors frequently.A safe way to do this is to first test the upgrade on one piece of equipment, and after confirming that it is stable, upgrade all the equipment in the company.Keeping a backup of the old system can save your life in a critical moment.