Marking 53 Years of Achievement

Back in Newsletter Issue 238, we described in detail how we laser marked 54 large 8.5” x 11” anodized aluminum plaques for a project developed by the Prior Enlisted Cadet Assembly (PECA) from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. PECA is comprised of cadets who previously served in the United States Air Force on active duty or as a member of the National Guard or Reserves before attending the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA).

The cadets comprising the current Prior Enlisted Cadet Assembly, lead by Cadet in Charge C1C Jason D. Gabrick, planned and constructed the Heritage Plaque Gallery at the USAFA with the mission of providing inspiration to the Cadet Wing, to recogize former Prior Enlisted Cadets, and to honor the Enlisted Corps. Each PECA graduating class, beginning with the class of 1959, is recognized with a laser-marked plaque containing the names of each cadet and their unique class crest.

As seen in the photo, the Heritage Plaque Gallery is now complete for PECA graduating classes dating from 1959 through to this year's 2011 class. Each individual class plaque is inset in a walnut mount with six plaques forming one of nine 43" x 42" walnut displays in the Academy's Arnold Hall. The Heritage Plaque Gallery is scheduled to be officially unveiled prior to graduation ceremonies in May.

The employees of Synrad are proud to have contributed to this project and extend our sincere congratulations and appreciation to this year's PECA graduating class, the United States Air Force Academy, and to all members of our armed forces

Laser Welding Stainless Steel

Welding processes are split into two categories: (1) low energy density, and (2) high energy density processes. Low energy density processes are those such as traditional arc and resistance welding technologies that rely on heat conduction through the material from a surface point to provide melting. High energy density processes using lasers create a heating filament, known as the keyhole, which penetrates the depth and offers two-dimensional line heating, causing a highly efficient heat transfer into the weld joint.

The key advantages of laser welding are a small heat affected zone (HAZ), accurate control of heat input, and the ability to direct the beam precisely to the weld point. This means reduced thermal distortion, the ability to weld close to heat sensitive parts, and precision welding capabilities.

Major applications for sub-kilowatt lasers are in precision-welding and heat-sensitive welding processes, such as hermetic sealing, because the typical focused beam diameter of 100 microns localizes temperature rises around the weld to fractions of an inch.

We welded these stainless steel coupons using our Firestar f400 laser. The 0.9 mm (0.036") thick stainless steel was fixtured with the ends tightly aligned to create a butt type weld. Because most laser welding processes do not use filler wire, but instead rely on the molten material to create the weld joint, part fit up for a laser weld must be free of any gaps or voids in order to achieve strong, consistent joints. As with conventional welding processes, creating initial spot welds at intervals along the joint helps to prevent material separation during the actual weld pass.

Full weld penetration through the stainless steel was achieved using 400W of power at a weld speed of 1.9 meters per minute (75 inches/minute - IPM). Beam delivery for this application was accomplished using a 63.5 mm (2.5") positive meniscus lens, which produced a 100-micron (0.004") spot and 1.8 mm (0.07") depth of focus. During welding, argon shield gas at a flow rate of 1.0 SCFM prevents the molten weld pool from reacting with the surrounding atmosphere. At this material thickness and weld speed, there is no difference between argon and helium assist. When welding thicker stainless material at higher speeds, helium shielding provides deeper weld penetration due to its higher ionization potential and smaller weld plume.

New Laser Marking Software Release

Synrad is pleased to announce the release of the latest WinMark Pro Laser Marking Software for use with FH Flyer marking heads and Fenix Flyer Laser Markers. Version 6.2.0, build 6977, is designed to operate on 64-bit and 32-bit computers running Windows® 7, Vista, or XP Operating Systems and incorporates both a new MSI installer and new 64-bit/32-bit USB driver packages.

Build 6977 includes substantially improved DXF and DWG file import functionality with the ability to import fills and Bezier curves, support for AutoCAD 2010 files, adds support for SVG graphic imports, and improved EMF file imports. Several new marking properties have been added and the WinMark help file is updated to include all current FH Flyer ActiveX properties, events, and methods.

Synrad's laser marking website, www.winmark.com, contains the latest WinMark Pro software downloads, firmware updates, and sample files. Visitors to the site can also access detailed product data, view video clips of laser marking applications, and download drawings and 3D models of our products.

Our build a laser marker feature provides a simple visual demonstration of the components you'll need to assemble your own marking setup using the FH Flyer Marking Head. To download WinMark Pro 6.2.0.6977 or to view Release Notes, go to http://www.winmark.com/products/download.html.

When using WinMark Pro in conjunction with our new Flyer/Fenix Flyer firmware update, version 3.04, customers now have the ability to upload head properties as a configuration file through WinMark to a PC for archival or troubleshooting purposes. To update your Flyer/Fenix Flyer firmware to v3.04, see our firmware page for download links.