CO2 laser marking systems boost productivity by improving line integration
As line speeds increase to cope with more demanding production targets, manufacturers need easier, more efficient laser marking to print high-quality codes consistently on their products. Videojet Technologies has therefore advanced its range of CO2 laser marking systems with the Videojet 3330 30 watt and the Videojet 3130 10 watt lasers.
Aiming to deliver superior code quality across a range of marking speeds and suitable for a wide array of substrates, the 3330 and 3130 lasers are said to mark simple and complex codes while providing easy integration for virtually any application. When speed is the priority, manufacturers can utilise the dot font mode to mark up to 30% faster than vector fonts, enabling print speeds up to 150,000 products per hour.
Videojet offers over 20,000 standard configurations within its CO2 laser marking line, including 21 mark window options and three laser wavelengths.
“We know from experience that line integration in certain cartoner and labeller applications in the pharmaceutical, beverage, and food industries is challenging due to space restrictions,” explained Markus Vetter, laser business unit manager at Videojet Technologies. “The available configurations give Videojet the flexibility to match the physical integration needs of the packaging line, and the mark window options help ensure we can deliver the marking performance our customers need.”
With three available laser wavelengths, the Videojet CO2 lasers can mark on a range of substrates including PET bottling, plastic labels, laminated cartons and a host of plastic materials common in consumer packaging.
To meet the increasing demands for traceability marking, the 3330 and 3130 are suitable options for serialised coding applications in the pharmaceutical, tobacco, cosmetics and other industries.
“With the recent passage of the US Drug Quality and Security Act, the EU Falsified Medicines Directive and similar legislation in Brazil and elsewhere, our customers are looking for high quality alphanumeric and datamatrix marking,” added Vetter. “The high resolution marking head on the 3330 and 3130, when supported with good material handling and proper line integration, can deliver consistently high quality datamatrix codes.”
These laser systems deliver excellent total cost of ownership owing to their inherently low maintenance requirements and limited consumables, says the company. An air cooled laser source plus optimised power settings reduce heat and can extend the life expectancy of the laser source up to 45,000 hours. Complementing the 3330 and 3130, Videojet offers a range of fume extraction systems and filter options that can be tailored for the given application, helping to remove smoke and particulate debris and improving uptime by keeping the laser lens clean.
Videojet Technologies, www.videojet.co.uk.