New laser source expands possibilities

14th April 2017

     

Font size: - +

International laser systems provider Trotec Laser has expanded the product portfolio of the Galvo marking lasers with a new laser source, MOPA.

The new laser source allows expanded possibilities for users when marking metals and plastics. With the MOPA laser, users are able to also mark plastics in greater contrast and achieve more legible results, mark (anodised) aluminium in black or create reproducible colours on steel.

In addition, the MOPA laser allows for the production of industry-standard qualitatively equivalent markings, which are often produced faster than with the conventional fibre laser. In addition to this improvement, it notably still retains the advantages of the conventional laser sources – being maintenance-free and air-cooled, and having a long life and an economical purchase price.

The MOPA fibre laser is, moreover, posited to provide more possibilities for users. Compared with conventional fibre laser sources, the pulse duration of the MOPA fibre laser can be variably adjusted and reduced to a few nanoseconds. Thus, owing to the short pulses as well as the lower pulse energy, the material is heated less.

Moreover, it facilitates higher contrast and more homogeneous laser markings on plastics. For some plastics, the MOPA fibre laser can make full use of its strengths – short pulses and thus less material heating. Therefore, plastics which are difficult to mark with a conventional fibre laser can be laser-marked with the MOPA laser in a more aesthetically suitable and more homogeneous manner, with less burning and foaming. This is especially the case for dark plastics, as the shorter pulses often produce ‘vivid’, lighter markings, which results in a higher contrast. Thus, some plastic parts, which could not be adequately marked with a fibre laser before, can now be laser-marked in a clearly (machine) readable manner.

The MOPA fibre laser also makes it possible to mark natural anodised aluminum in black, thereby extending its reach of advantages to metals. This process is also used to mark high-quality smartphones. Further, faster and corrosion-free annealing on steel is possible. In general, the MOPA laser with pulse durations of between 4 and 200 ns is posited to offer a wide spectrum of possibilities for marking on most products.

To make full use of the numerous advantages and possibilities for the marking of plastics and metals, an extensive application knowledge is necessary. In order the ensure this level of quality control, application experts from Trotec provide detailed advice to customers.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION