Focus on Laser-Processing Equipment
September 23, 2010
CO2 Laser Systems Mark Medical Components and Instruments
A line of CO2laser systems that can permanently mark medical components, surgical instruments, metals, and engineered plastics is offered as an alternative to YAG marking equipment. Using patented high-power-density focusing optics, the systems directly mark such metals as stainless steel, chrome steel, and titanium without requiring the use of metal-marking compounds. Compatible with popular graphics software and industry-standard bar coding and labeling software, the systems incorporate productivity-enhancing technologies, including a mechanism that enables the user to change laser power within seconds without tools. The systems feature an integrated CO2 laser and a materials-based Windows print driver designed to optimize workflow, improve operational efficiency, and expand customized applications.
Universal Laser Systems Inc.
Scottsdale, AZ
www.ulsinc.com
Pad-Printing Systems Etch Polymer and Aluminum Clichés
Automatic plate-making systems for pad-printing applications feature high-resolution lenses that can etch a polymer or aluminum pad-printing cliché in five to 10 minutes using the same graphic file that previously created a film positive. Medical products such as catheters and syringes have critical marking parameters and tolerances that can be validated using these laser cliché makers, according to the company. The lasers in these small desktop imaging systems offer 100% repeatability during the etching process, eliminating the variables associated with the traditional chemical plate-making process. Training requirements are also minimized because fewer steps are involved in operating a laser cliché. The system can be employed to print variable images or high volumes of short print runs.
Pad Print Machinery of Vermont Inc.
East Dorset, VT
www.padprintmachinery.com
Fiber-Laser System Marks and Etches Dense, Hard Metals
Delivering 30 W of power to the target surface, a three-axis fiber-laser-based marking system can permanently mark and etch dense, hard metals in milliseconds. The ultrasmall head of the MD-F3000-series machine facilitates installation in tight spaces, while its fanless design allows it to be completely sealed and able to withstand metal-processing and other harsh industrial environments. This design also maximizes stability, reduces maintenance requirements, and increases the unit's mounting possibilities, according to the manufacturer. The system additionally features a three-axis beam control system for distortion-free marking across a 300 × 300-mm area, an internal power monitor, a sample marking function, encoder inputs, date-and-time functionality, a touch panel interface, and capacity for storing up to 2000 programs.
Keyence Corp. of America
Woodcliff Lake, NJ
www.keyence.com
Laser Cutting Systems Suit Cardiac Pacemaker Applications
A line of high-precision laser excise systems for the automated production of aluminum and paper D-shape capacitor layers is designed for the manufacture of cardiac pacemakers. Systems are available with either a far-infrared (FIR) CO2 laser or a frequency-tripled Nd:YVO4 laser operating at the 355-nm UV wavelength. The FIR wavelength of the CO2 laser is used for cutting the paper layers at high speed, whereas the UV wavelength of the Nd:YVO4 laser provides a focused spot size of less then 0.0005 in. for cutting aluminum layers with a good edge finish. Raw materials 30 to 50 µm thick are roll-fed through an automated feeder to vacuum fixtures that secure the sheet for cutting. After pieces are laser-cut into the programmed shape, a vacuum pick-and-place robot removes them. Finished cutouts are stacked in cassettes holding up to 2000 pieces.
Control Micro Systems Inc.
Winter Park, FL
www.cmslaser.com
Quality-Management System Monitors Laser Manufacturing Process
Relying on the zero-defect standard and CAD-data-based additive manufacturing technology, a quality-management system provides real-time monitoring and documentation of the laser manufacturing process. The equipment enables manufacturers to expand the use of computer designs to make medical-grade components from titanium, advanced alloys, and other metals. Used to monitor laser melting of powdered metal and the construction of complex components via programmed layering, the system evaluates data generated during the melting step using a series of QA modules. Performing several thousand scans per second, one module monitors the melt pool at the microscopic level. Other modules evaluate powder quality, oxygen concentration in the process gas, and the temperature of machine components.
Concept Laser GmbH
Lichtenfels, Germany
www.concept-laser.de
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