Laser marking is a technology that is becoming increasingly popular in many industrial sectors due to its ability to support manufacturing processes and improve supply chain management.
Laser marking is the process of customizing a wide range of materials using a concentrated, high-intensity laser beam. This process allows you to etch barcodes, serial numbers, text, images or symbols onto a variety of substrates, such as metals, plastics, wood and ceramics.
Laser marking offers numerous industrial advantages, including:
- High precision and repeatability: laser marking allows you to obtain precise and repeatable engraving on different types of materials, with engraving tolerances generally less than 0.1 mm.
- High marking speed: Laser marking is a highly automated process that allows you to mark large quantities of materials quickly and efficiently.
- Flexible customization: Laser marking allows you to customize materials flexibly, using a wide range of fonts and images.
- Durability: Laser engravings are resistant to wear and corrosion, making them suitable for industrial applications.
Laser marking is particularly useful in industries such as food, pharmaceutical and industrial, allowing you to create barcodes, serial numbers and other important product information. This information allows companies to track and trace products along the supply chain, improving production management and food safety.
In summary, laser marking is a versatile and precise technology that offers numerous industrial benefits, such as precision, speed, flexible customization and durability. It has become an increasingly popular technology in many industries, especially in sectors such as food, pharmaceutical and industrial.
Laser marking is a technology that is becoming increasingly popular in many industrial sectors due to its ability to support manufacturing processes and improve supply chain management.
Based on the type of substrate to be marked
Based on the type of substrate to be marked and, therefore, its absorption characteristics, it is possible to establish the ideal wavelength to obtain the desired type of coding. Cardboard, glass, aluminium, PET and eco-sustainable materials, for example, have very different characteristics, therefore careful evaluation is necessary before choosing a specific laser marker.
Total Cost of Ownership
Another very important aspect is the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), which includes the cost of installing the laser markers and subsequent operation and maintenance costs. This is essential to evaluate the ROI and the actual effectiveness of the chosen solutions.
Advantages in three different areas
As we mentioned earlier, several companies are starting to use laser markers for coding their products. Let’s see what the advantages are in three different areas.
Food & Beverage sector
The food & beverage sector was one of the first to use laser marking on aluminum cans, because it allowed a large number of codings to be carried out in a short time. Thanks to its ability to withstand particularly hostile conditions, laser marking is now used in the food and beverage sector to mark different types of materials (such as glass, plastic, foil and metal) because it allows you to:
- comply with food safety regulations
- ensure food traceability
- best manage problematic situations (such as withdrawals of production batches)
- meet the expectations of customers, who want to have more and more information on the products they decide to buy at the supermarket
- keep up with the continuous changes on the production lines, due to the ever-increasing number of SKUs
Industrial sector
When we talk about laser marking in the industrial sector we are referring above all to the steel, automotive and aerospace industries, which need to code metal tubes and laminates. In these cases, laser technology is used to quickly perform permanent and quality markings even on very small areas, thus guaranteeing total traceability of the components.
Pharmaceutical sector
In the case of pharmaceutical products, laser technology guarantees long-lasting marking, a fundamental requirement for the serialization of products required by the EU FMD Directive on falsified medicines, as well as avoiding line stops and the need to purchase and dispose of consumables. Furthermore, it allows you to guarantee the safety and traceability of pharmaceutical products throughout the supply chain.
In summary, laser marking offers an effective solution for product coding in many industrial sectors, such as food, pharmaceutical and industrial. It ensures precision, speed, flexible customization and durability, as well as enabling product traceability and regulatory compliance. However, it is important to consider the Total Cost of Ownership and select the right laser marker based on the characteristics of the substrate to be marked to obtain the best results.
