Marking Medical Stainless Steel and Titanium Alloys

The laser marking of medical-grade stainless steel and titanium requires adjustment of the parameters to suit the materials. Stainless steel requires a higher power to ensure clarity, while titanium needs a gas shield to prevent oxidation.In actual practice, stainless steel requires a 20-30 watt power and low frequency, high-precision scanning, while titanium alloys require precise focus control and inert gas.Each type of material has its own advantages in terms of durability and disinfection, and UDI recommends using a dot-matrix format to increase durability.

The effect of the material characteristics on the marking result.

Medical stainless steel and titanium alloys are both widely used in the medical field, but they have different physical properties.Stainless steel is harder and smoother, and requires a higher-powered laser to ensure the clarity of the markings. Titanium is lightweight and corrosion-resistant, but the oxide layer is thicker, which makes it difficult to produce a uniform color.In actual operations, it is recommended that you first conduct small-scale tests to avoid directly going into mass production.

Practical tips for setting parameters.

The power and frequency of the stainless steel.

For 304 / 316L medical-grade stainless steel, we recommend power in the range of 20-30 W and a frequency of 20-50 kHz.If one is after a deeper black mark, such as a UDI trace code, the speed can be reduced to below 800 mm / s, and the pulse width can be minutely adjusted to enhance the oxidation reaction.

Titanium alloy, lasers, and gas-assisted forming.

Titanium alloys are prone to oxidation, which causes instability in the color. It is recommended that they be laser engraved in an atmosphere of nitrogen or argon to minimize the effect of surface impurities.The focal point needs to be precisely controlled within ± 0.1 mm, and power should be set at 15-25 W and frequency at 30-60 kHz to avoid "burning the edges.

Common problems and solutions.

If the laser marks on stainless steel are too shiny, try lowering the frequency and increasing the number of scans, or wipe the surface with alcohol before marking to remove the film of oil.If the color of the mark is too light, it may be because the oxide layer has not penetrated completely. In this case, the power can be increased or the time of irradiation at a single point lengthened.After marking, it is recommended to clean the parts with ultrasound to remove any remaining residue.

Scene selection suggestions.

If the product requires frequent sterilization (as with surgical instruments), stainless steel's wear resistance is an advantage. For implants (such as orthopedic screws), titanium alloy is usually the first choice, and special attention must be paid to the requirement for biological compatibility.UDI encoding is recommended to use dot-matrix marking to improve long-term readability.