50W fibre laser increases laser marking output on plastics

This 50-Watt fibre laser marking system extends the capabilities of the Videojet fibre laser offering. For substrates such as aluminium and extruded plastics, the new 50-Watt fibre is 65-95 per cent faster than the 20-Watt offering in short product pitch applications, bringing all the advantages of fibre laser marking to an entirely new set of higher-speed, and higher content marking applications. Pharmaceutical companies can achieve up to 50 per cent faster coding on blister packs and over double the speed on vials when compared with using the 20-Watt fibre.

The 50-Watt fibre laser marking system directly addresses the growing need for manufacturers to increase lines speeds and maximise throughput. Certain metal and plastic applications, typically found in beverage, canning, and extrusion operate at very fast production speeds. The 7510's high-speed capability is complemented by an exceptionally large marking window - up to 498 millimetres in length- which provides more time to engage a moving product to achieve the desired mark. Markus Vetter, Laser Business Manager, Videojet, says: "Our new 7510 brings an optimal combination of power, spot size and choice of marking fields to deliver a significant increase in marking speed and throughput."

In addition to faster line speeds, the 50-Watt fibre laser provides a higher-quality beam compared with Nd:YAG lasers, allowing it to run faster than traditional solid state lasers of higher power. Vetter adds: "As an example, the 7510 is up to 63 per cent faster than our legacy 100Watt Nd:YAG laser for printing on plastic and metal packaging. An added benefit of the higher-quality beam is that is produces better-looking marks on certain materials. Effectively, this means packaging professionals can now select the Videojet 7510, our fastest laser to date, to put more content on their packaging, and optimise the aesthetics of the mark."

The 7510 marking unit is much smaller than its predecessor. At 74 per cent smaller than the 100W Nd:YAG marking unit, the 7510 enables a far easier integration into packaging lines and equipment. A choice of working distances, varying from 122mm to 543mm, allows users to work within the physical constraints of the packaging line. This, along with the choice of a straight or 90 degree marking head orientation, provides flexibility on production lines with space limitations.

Air-cooled laser source

Videojet's 7510 fibre laser has been designed to minimise downtime, increase reliability, and run more efficiently. The absence of lamps and diode pumps eliminates the pump chamber maintenance found in most conventional high-powered laser systems such as Nd:YAG solid-state lasers. And the air-cooled laser source reduces the complexity and maintenance frequency associated with external water cooled systems. Markus Vetter adds: "Our fiber laser technology has meaningful customer advantages beyond simply speed. The 7510 offers a high efficiency laser source with a life expectancy of up to 100,000 hours, Mean Time Between Failure, equating to over 10 years continuous operation in a 24/7 environment. Further, the 7510 is 90 per cent more energy efficient than our legacy 100 Watt Nd:YAG laser system. The new Videojet 50-Watt fibre laser really brings the best of all worlds - faster marking speeds, better mark quality, higher inherent reliability and efficiency, and a smaller physical footprint."

For more information about the Videojet 7510 Laser Marking System, visit www.videojet.co.uk.