Depending on the material and application of the product, plastic cables or tubes can be marked with a UV or a fiber laser. UV is for plastics like silicone, that must not be impacted by too much laser heat due to its surface structure. Fiber is an appropriate laser method for plastics like Nylon which is often disposed to environmental strain. Read More
Laser paint removal is the most advanced way of creating highly precise sharply contoured symbols on coated, translucent or transparent plastics. Day-night-design components carry signs that are backlit by night and safely distinguishable in any lighting conditions. These components are usually made of white ABS-plastic, like this automotive center console (see picture in the middle).
Anticipating the upcoming football world championship, we are well prepared: Drinking glasses and snack dishes have been marked appropriately! Our application engineers chose UV-laser marking systems for glass and wood application. High precision marks and only minimal heat impact on the surrounding structures can be achieved.
At the Medtech Europe, starting tomorrow in Stuttgart, FOBA will demonstrate laser marking on medical forceps. Visitors can get this trade show sample and see in live demonstrations, how vision-based automated laser positioning enables accurate marking results, even on products that are totally out of alignment from their expected positions.
Individualized codes with flexible contents like QR-codes on beverage cans can be applied on the outside of the can as well as inside the opener. They serve as marketing tools which help to increase customer engagement with the brand. By scanning the code with a mobile device, the end-user can access the brand’s website, join a contest, benefit from special promotion s etc.
Complex structures of a substrate – such as on castings in the automotive sector – may complicate the readability of the applied codes due to shadows in varying lighting conditions and therefore poor contrasts.
Ceramic is a material that needs to be highly resistant against wear or temperature changes, especially in industrial applications. When hardness increases, the substrate becomes more sensitive against mechanical impact, which might lead to damages and a loss in quality. For that reason it is essential to avoid micro cracks during the marking process.
For marking food with logos, quality labels, identification numbers or best-before dates, CO2-laser marking is the most appropriate method. Just a little laser energy must be applied to the skin of fruits and vegetables, nutshells or bakery products, so that the product’s quality is barely affected. Laser marking can result in reduced consumption of plastic packages or adhesive labels.
For sample marking on ball bearings, we applied marks with two different procedures for demonstration purposes: laser engraving on the outside, laser annealing on the inside circle. Both markings are robust and durable. For heavily used metal substrates like some bearings, the preferred marking method is often laser engraving, because the marking remains readable even in highly abrasive use.
Musical instruments often get marked with company logos, serial numbers or other information. Different marking systems are utilized, depending on the material.