Nowadays, more and more companies are investing in fiber laser markers. Without a doubt, the automotive industry is pioneering the use of fiber laser markers, and given the many advantages of fiber laser markers, it is no surprise that this relatively new solution is popularly preferred.
Below are some reasons to choose fiber laser markers.
Speed
The high speed of fiber laser markers makes them the preferred choice for customers looking for efficiency. At their output band, fiber laser markers are currently the fastest laser markers on the market.
Although there are other more mature traditional laser marking techniques available, no marking scheme can surpass laser markers in terms of marking speed and quality. This means that fiber laser markers can open up new opportunities.
For example, an automotive parts manufacturer needs to mark a series of codes quickly in less than half a second, which cannot be achieved by other types of lasers.
Why can fiber laser markers reach such high speeds?
Because they are better configured in terms of speed and power. DPSS laser systems rarely have a power rating greater than 200,000, while fiber laser marking systems typically offer up to 50W of power. These high power levels are essential for scoring speed and depth.
Energy efficiency
In addition to faster speeds, fiber laser markers are also more energy efficient than other alternative solutions. This not only reduces energy consumption, but also helps make the system simpler, smaller and more reliable.
Fiber laser technology utilizes basic air cooling systems, eliminating the need for additional expensive and cumbersome water cooling units, making it an ideal choice for companies with limited resources and factory space.
Figure 1 shows the UniQ fiber laser system that is popular among users. It is a single laser system unit that meets IP65 protection level standards. It integrates the laser head controller and PC, has a compact structure, is easy to integrate and has no messy cables.
Long service life
The lifespan of fiber laser systems is much longer than that of other types of lasers. The lifespan of most lasers is around 30,000 hours, which generally equates to a lifespan of approximately 15 years.
The expected lifespan of a fiber laser system is about 100,000 hours, which equates to about 45 years of use. Although it is unlikely that a single fiber laser system will be used for 45 years, it can be guaranteed that fiber laser systems bring a considerable return on investment to customers.
Laser Power
Due to the long power transmission time of fiber laser technology, fiber laser marking solutions are the ideal choice for deep marking. The energy delivered by fiber lasers is not a continuous stream, but rather a prolonged pulse.
However, at high repetition rates of up to 200,000 pulses per second, pulsed fiber lasers avoid destructive peak energy levels. This means they can deliver energy for longer periods, which is ideal for deep, long-lasting marks. An example of this is the production of automotive fuel systems.
What are the prospects for fiber laser systems?
Fiber laser systems have notable advantages in terms of energy efficiency, so just from an energy conservation point of view we will continue to favor fiber laser systems, although they are not always the best solution.
Sometimes the many advantages of fiber laser systems can also lead users to blindly follow the trend, and often “what they think they want” and “what they really need” can be two different things.
While there are many compelling reasons to choose fiber laser systems, it's important to remember that sometimes traditional solutions can provide better alternatives. For example, lamp-pumped lasers are still good for laser welding, and CO2 lasers are still the preferred choice for cutting certain specialty materials because of their wavelength.
Even for marking applications, other laser technologies can achieve better plastic marking (see Figure 2). All choices should be based on the specific tasks at hand.
