FAQ - Answers to your Fiber Laser Marking Questions

What laser system configuration is best for my situation?

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There are a few things to consider when defining a laser configuration...

The first consideration must be the laser power and beam delivery optics.

The laser power question simply has to do with how much laser power is required to successfully perform the marking task. If the task consists of marking anodized aluminum substrates with graphics or text then a 20 watt Q switched fiber laser will provide more than enough power to provide high quality marks at high marking speeds. If the task consists of engraving text or graphics 20 mils deep into a metal substrate, a 50 watt Q switched fiber laser might be more appropriate.

Beam delivery optics determine the size of the focused spot on the material to be marked and the overall size of the marking field. Spot size is an extremely important consideration. The smaller the focused spot, the higher the laser power density at the work. Higher power density translates into faster marking times and deeper marks.

F theta lenses come in a variety of focal distances. Longer focal distance lenses result in larger marking fields. Longer focal distance lenses also result in larger focused spot sizes which decrease power density. There is a tradeoff between spot size (power density) and marking field size. An application study can be very helpful in determining the best laser and optical configuration for a particular application.

The next configuration consideration has to do with the workstation that the laser is mounted on. If the only requirement for the laser is to mark a single part type over and over again then the workstation can be relatively simple. The laser simply has to be placed in a manner that presents the work to the laser beam at the correct focal distance of the f theta lens.

On the other hand, if the laser is going to be used to mark a variety of part sizes and shapes, there must be some means of presenting all parts at the correct focal distance of the lens. This can be accomplished by specialized parts fixturing or by some mechanical means of moving either the part or the lens so that the surface to be marked is always at the correct focal distance from the lens.