Laser marking, as a non-contact processing, does not generate mechanical stress, and it does not have problems like wear and falling off found in other traditional processing methods such as spray painting and stickers, so it is widely applied in various industries.
If distinguished by working principles, laser marking can be divided into many types, and different types of laser marking correspond to different laser control systems. Let us take thermal processing and cold processing in laser marking as examples.
Thermal processing uses high-energy laser beams to heat the material surface, causing physical or chemical reactions such as carbonization and oxidation through the laser, thereby giving the object a permanent mark. In industries with low precision requirements, such as marking on stainless steel, wood, and leather, thermal processing can be chosen. Fiber or CO₂lasers are usually the preferred choice for thermal processing. Although thermal processing does not require very high precision from the laser controller, it requires the laser control system to possess good power output capability and scanning synchronization ability.
Cold processing mainly relies on photochemical effects or non-thermal physical effects, using laser photons to directly break the molecular bonds of the material. Cold processing can be applied in fields with high requirements for processing precision, such as electronic products, chips, and medical devices. This processing method usually uses ultraviolet lasers, green lasers, or picosecond lasers. Compared with thermal processing, cold processing has more stringent requirements on the precision of the laser controller.
The laser controller affects the speed, accuracy, and quality of laser marking. When selecting a laser controller, it is necessary to ensure that the laser marking effect is clear, without deviations, and with consistent marking depth. A good laser controller can effectively avoid problems such as unclear marking, black edges or melting at the edges, or deformation of patterns.
