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SYNRAD, INC. - http://www.synrad.com
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Issue 226
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Laser applications at a glance![]()
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Marking Aluminum Composite Material
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Cutting Flame-Retardant Polypropylene
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Cutting Triple-Layer Airbag Material
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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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Laser Marking Aluminum Composite Material (ACM)
Aluminum Composite Material, also known as ACM, is a common cladding material used in construction applications such as sidings for commercial and industrial buildings. ACM typically consists of several thin aluminum sheets bonded to a thermoplastic center sheet, with options for additional coatings and paints applied for weather protection and fire-proofing. The resulting material is light-weight, but robust, and is easily shaped to fit around corners or other contours by folding the flexible thermoplastic center at the point where the aluminum sheets are seamed.
ACM is applied to the sides of buildings in large modular interlocking arrays. If there is damage to the building, only the damaged modules need to be replaced, not the entire siding face. For this reason, traceability of each ACM module is important so that the specific shape and location of each module is archived with the construction documentation. This need makes laser marking an attractable option since it provides an easily readable and permanent mark.
This ACM marking setup consisted of an FH Flyer marking head and a 10 W laser controlled by our WinMark Pro Laser Marking software. The Flyer head was equipped with a 125 mm focal length lens that provided a 180-µm (0.007") spot size.
The mark file consisted of 25.4 mm (1") and 12.7 mm (0.5") high Times New Roman TrueType® text objects to display identification numbers and location data. The mark Velocity for these objects was set to 102 millimeters per/second (4 inches/sec). In addition, a 1D barcode was added to store the ID number. The Resolution for this object was set to 300 scan lines per inch and the Velocity was set to 152 mm/sec (6 ips). The resulting mark on the inside face of the ACM panel was made by ablating off the exterior paint coating leaving a crisp, black mark that was completed in a cycle time of 33.48 seconds.
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The high contrast human-readable text and 1D bar code on this ACM panel encompass an area measuring 82.55 mm x 76.2 mm (3.25 x 3") and were laser marked using 10 watts of power in a cycle time of 33.48 seconds.
See this application in action!
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ACM panels are applied in interlocking arrays to produce exterior facades, as seen here.
*Photograph courtesy of NorthClad® Rainscreen Solutions (Everett, WA, USA).
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Cutting Flame-Retardant Polypropylene
One of the primary uses for flame-retardant (FR) polypropylene is in the manufacture of low-cost, low-temperature electrical insulating products to replace polycarbonate, polyester, and PVC materials. In addition to its flame-retardant properties, FR polypropylene is non-hydroscopic and is now available in halogen-free formulations. Products manufactured from FR polypropylene for the electrical/electronics industry include insulating shields, barriers, enclosures, and spacers.
For this application trial, the customer requested that we cut through a sheet of 1.6-mm (0.062") thick flame-retardant polypropylene and its 0.1 mm (0.004") thick adhesive/paper backing. Our laser cutting setup consisted of a Firestar f201 laser with its beam directed by a set of XY flying optic mirrors down through a cutting head. The head assembly contains a 63.5 mm (2.5") positive meniscus focusing lens that provides a 100-micron (0.004") spot with a 1.8 mm (0.07") depth of field. To aid the cut process and protect the focusing lens, we introduced 1.4 bar (20 PSI) of clean, dry assist air into the cutting head's gas assist port.
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This sheet of 62-mil thick flame-retardant polypropylene and a 4-mil thick self-adhesive paper liner exhibits a cleanly cut edge with only slight melt back at the lower edge when cut using 200 W of power at a speed of 225 inches/minute.
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The flame-retardant polypropylene sheet was positioned face down (paper side up) on the table so we could obtain a clean cut through the self-adhesive backing. At a power level of 200 watts, we achieved cut speeds of 5.72 meters per minute (225 inches/minute). In addition to achieving a clean cut through the adhesive paper backing, the FR polypropylene provides a cleanly cut edge (no residue or charring) with just a slight melt back on the lower edge.
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Cutting Triple-Layer Airbag Material
Cutting airbag material, both single-layer and multi-layer, is a common CO2 laser application. Nylon 6,6 is the most commonly used airbag material on the market due to the lighter weight and superior energy absorption of nylon yarn.
For this application trial, we were asked to determine the maximum cut speed for triple-layer woven airbag material measuring 0.71 mm (0.028") thick. The cutting head on our XY table was fitted with a 63.5 mm (2.5") positive meniscus lens that provides a 100-micron (0.004") focused spot and a 1.8 mm (0.07") depth of focus. The cutting head also provides a gas port that delivers assist gas coaxially with the laser beam through the nozzle.
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This 0.028" thick, triple-layer airbag fabric was cut with 400 watts of power at a speed of 1450 inches per minute using 25 PSI of air assist.
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Using 400 watts of power, we achieved cut speeds of 36.8 meters per minute (1450 inches/minute) while cutting though the three-layer (0.028" thick) material using 1.7 bar (25 PSI) of clean, dry air assist. As seen in the photo, cut edges are clean and free of debris and discoloration.
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FH Flyer / Fenix Flyer Technical Updates
Synrad Technical Updates keep you informed of recent developments related to FH Flyer Marking Head or Fenix Flyer Laser Marker products. Sign up to receive these bulletins automatically via email at http://www.synrad.com/FH_Flyer/flyersupport_subscribe.htm
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Contact Us:
Please do not reply directly to this newsletter. E-mail questions or comments to synrad@synrad.com
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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Copyright ©2009 SYNRAD, Inc. All rights reserved.
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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