Three Steps to Clearing Up Problems with Marking on Metal

Are you having trouble with blurry or broken lines when laser marking on metal? Here are three steps to help you quickly find the problem, including tips on adjusting the laser marking machine, optimizing the parameters, and avoiding common mistakes. This will help you quickly solve the problem of blurry laser marks on metal and improve the quality.

The first step is to check to see if the camera is focusing correctly.

Metal is very sensitive to the distance between the laser and the workpiece, and a difference of just a few millimeters can cause the laser to blur the mark.Don't rush to adjust the parameters. First, let's take a look at the distance between the marking head and the surface of the material.

Manual focusing is also a good way to test the focusing effect.

Take a piece of scrap and test it, moving the marking head up and down slowly by 2-3 millimeters each time, and then compare the clarity of each mark.If you notice that the markings are suddenly much sharper, you know that the previous position was the best one.

Protect and clean the lens.

If the lens is dirty or greasy, it's like looking through dirty glasses, no matter how good the machine, the marks will not be clear.Remember to use a clean, dry cloth, and to gently wipe with alcohol. Never use a paper towel to hard scrub, or you may scratch the lenses.

Step 2: Optimize the marking parameters.

The parameters are like the cooking time in stir-fry. The same ingredients cooked quickly over a high flame or slowly over a low flame produce completely different results.

Lowering speed to improve precision.

The high reflectivity of mirrors means that marking speed should be reduced to 60 % of that used for normal metals.For example, if the normal speed is 800 mm / s, try 500 mm / s when encountering a mirror-like metal surface, which gives the laser more time to act.

Use the space between words to advantage.

The spacing should not be too small, and 0.06-0.08mm is a safe bet.If the spacing is too small, it gets too hot and reflects light; if it's too wide, there are gaps.

The third step is to deal with the surface condition of the material.

Sometimes the problem is not the machine, but the materials themselves.Have you ever seen a metal surface that is unevenly polished? The effect of the laser marking is like writing on the surface of a wave.

Pre-treating key areas.

The area to be stamped is thoroughly cleaned with alcohol, with particular attention to fingerprints and grease spots.For small scratches, try polishing the area with a fine abrasive, but be careful not to ruin the mirror-like finish.

Control the humidity.

If the workshop is too humid, water droplets will easily form on the mirror surface.I recommend keeping the humidity between 40 and 60 percent, and using a dehumidifier if necessary. This can solve many problems.

Remembering these three steps is like the Chinese doctor's "look, listen, ask, feel" approach to diagnosis: first eliminate the basic problems, then adjust the key settings, and finally deal with special cases.Following this order, most problems of unclear labeling can be solved.If that doesn't work, then it might be time to check the laser power output. But that only happens a few times in ten years. We'll worry about that when it happens.