Fiber Marking Guidelines
This document is a collection of information gathered from a variety of sources and is intended to provide the reader with a set of general LASER marking guidelines. These parameters should apply regardless whether the machine is operating in 2D or 3D mode (assuming the system is capable of 3D). Each specific material type will require some testing to ensure that the desired marking results are successfully achieved. Use caution when marking materials that you have not marked before, especially if the item to be marked has high value or is in limited supply.
Most Fiber LASERS have numerous control parameters that can be adjusted to create different types of marks on various material types.
There are several common parameters that will affect the marking result:
• Hatch / Fill
• Repeat Counts
• Spot Speed
• Power
• Frequency
• Pulse Width
Please see the following definitions for each parameter.
1. Hatch / Fill – These settings control how the mark is filled between the outline. Smaller line spacing create darker marks and larger line spacing create lighter marks. The outline can be turned on or off and fill angles, cross-hatching, multiple fills, Pen parameters, etc. can all be selected with these settings.
2. Repeat Count – The number of times that the material is processed using the other hatch and laser parameters.
3. Spot Speed – This is the speed of the LASER spot as it is scanned over the part being marked.
4. Laser Power – This is the percentage of power being used relative to the maximum LASER power available. For example, if operating a 30-watt fiber laser at 50% then you are using half (15 watts) the available power of the laser.
5. Frequency – The pulse repetition rate of the laser. The laser light is delivered in energy pulses and the frequency controls the number of pulses delivered per second. In general, lower frequencies produce more aggressive marks while higher frequencies produce less marks.
6. Pulse Width – This parameter is to control the length of the repetitive pulsing of the laser beam. Many systems have a fixed pulse width. However, variable pulse width provides a more precise level of control over the mark, especially when marking on plastics.