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SYNRAD, INC. - http://www.synrad.com |
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SYNRAD's sealed CO2 lasers are used in a variety of industrial processes including cutting, welding, drilling, and marking. This news brief showcases some of the interesting materials and products that are processed daily by Synrad's line of CO2 lasers and marking heads. |
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Marking Polyether Imide (Ultem®) Connectors Polyether Imide, also trademarked as Ultem®, is a high-temperature thermoplastic (rated for continuous use in temperatures up to 356 °F) that features high tensile strength along with good flame and chemical resistance. Polyether Imide is commonly specified for aerospace, automotive, medical, and packaging applications. Its flame resistance combined with low smoke emission makes it an important material for molded portions of aircraft interiors. In this application, we were asked to demonstrate the feasibility of laser marking electrical connector housings molded from a polyetherimide formulation that includes a 10% glass fill for reinforcement.
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Our marking setup consisted of a 25 W sealed CO2 laser, an FH Series marking head (equipped with a 125 mm lens), and our WinMark Pro laser marking software. The FLA125 focusing lens provides a 180-micron (0.007”) diameter spot at the point of focus over a mark field measuring 85.7 mm by 105.6 mm (3.4” x 4.2”). In WinMark Pro, we created a two-line, 10-character text object using our European stroke font and set a Text Height of 6.35 mm (0.25”). On the Marking tab, we set a Power, duty cycle percentage, corresponding to 25 watts and a Velocity of 254 mm per second (10”/sec). Because of the radius of the connector housing, we set our focus point midway between the upper and lower extents of the text to ensure a consistent power density across the mark. Using these settings, we achieved cycle times of 0.51 seconds per part when marking the 10-digit part code. The resulting engraved mark exhibits high contrast, due in part to the 10% glass fill.
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Cutting Ceiling Paper Ceiling paper is frequently seen in traditional or Victorian homes and manors. Much like wallpaper, ceiling paper is available in subtle textures, embossed designs, and multi-color printed designs. This application request involves laser cutting various textured ceiling papers to size. We laid out paper samples on our XY table and installed a 63.5 mm (2.5”) positive meniscus lens into the cutting head. This lens focuses the incoming beam down to a 100-micron (0.004”) spot with a 1.8 mm (0.07”) depth of focus. An assist gas port below the lens directs 1.4 bars (20 PSI) of clean, dry air coaxially with the beam down through the nozzle. The white textured paper, measuring 0.18 mm (0.07”) thick, was cut using 100 watts of power at a linear cut speed of 50.8 meters per minute (2000”/min). The cut edge is clean and shows no sign of charring on the cut edge or top and bottom surfaces. |
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The tan textured paper, 0.36 mm (0.014”) thick, was also cut with 100 watts of power. Maximum cut speed was 25.4 meters per minute (1000”/min), however this material exhibits some slight discoloration of the cut edge as well as the upper surface.
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Degating FR4 Circuit Boards When using automated equipment to manufacture small PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards), it is far easier to fabricate boards and insert components while working with a single large board. PCB designers accomplish this task by nesting many smaller boards to fit within the confines of standard size boards. The first photo shows a partial view of a 20-up board where 20 smaller boards are contained within the larger parent board. After board fabrication and component insertion is complete, individual boards are cut from the parent board prior to integration into the final product. The customer request for this application was to verify the feasibility of degating, or trimming, individual multi-layer PCBs from the parent board. Boards are held in place by four trim points on each end with the trim points measuring 0.775 mm (0.0305”) thick by 0.635 mm (0.025”) wide. Our laser cutting setup consists of a Firestar f400 laser mounted behind an XY gantry with 90-degree “flying optics” delivering the beam down to the focusing optic in our cutting head. We chose a 63.5 mm (2.5”) positive meniscus lens with a 1.8 mm (0.07”) depth of focus based on the required spot size and board thickness. In addition, we supplied 4.1 bars (60 PSI) of air as a gas assist to blow vaporized FR4 through the cut kerf. |
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To assist the customer in determining the right laser solution for his budget and throughput requirements, we performed tests using both 200 and 400 watts of power. At the 200-watt power level, we cut through the FR4 trim points at a speed of 3.18 meters per minute (125 inches/min). Using 400 watts, we cut out the PCBs at a rate of 6.35 meters/minute (250 in/min). In both cases, cut edges exhibit the typical FR4 charring, however the surface area is too small to be readily noticeable or affect the PCB in any way.
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Search our online library for more applications of Synrad's sealed CO2 laser technology. Sort by material, process, or industry. |
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Synrad, Inc. 4600 Campus Place Mukilteo, WA 98275 Tel: 1-425-349-3500 Fax: 1-425-349-3667 E-mail: synrad@synrad.com |
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SYNRAD and Synrad product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of SYNRAD, Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. |
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