SYNRAD, INC. - http://www.synrad.com  
Friday, February 28, 2003
Issue 57

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.

"Spot" Marking Data Matrix codes on CRT Glass

   Data Matrix code marking is especially well suited for glass, and has potential uses in a wide range of industries, including the automotive, construction, medical, and electronics industries. Synrad's laser marking software, WinMark Pro, features a Spot Marking Style that is useful for marking 2D bar codes on various glass types. The photo on the left shows a close-up of CRT monitor glass, marked with a 25W CO2 and FH Marking Head. The code was read using Acuity CI Matrix DMx Verifier + software; the box below lists the code's readability, text information, and other attributes.

For more information on WinMark Pro software, visit www.winmark.com

Scribing Micro-Channels in PMMA

   CO2 lasers have great potential for producing polymer microfluidic channels in very short manufacturing cycle times. Microfluidic channels are sandwich bonded together to create micro fluidic tubes, which allow the transportation of minuscule amounts of liquid. These microfluidic systems are in various kinds of biochemical analysis such as waste water monitoring or in medical applications such as drug delivery and point-of-care diagnostics.¹  

   The material shown in the photos to the left is a 1/8"-thick sheet of PMMA [poly(methyl methacrylate)]. Using Synrad's 48-1 CO2 laser, a 100-micron wide by 100-micron deep channel was scribed into the surface. Power was set to 6W and the FH marking head moved the laser beam across the material at 5 inches per second (IPS). During the initial scribing trial, excess material built up along the edges of the channel and trapped gaseous bubbles formed along the channel's base. Subsequent trials proved that cooling the PMMA in liquid nitrogen just before scribing remedied both of the anomalies. The small amount of  material build-up remaining on the edges of the channel is thought to assist in the structural sealing of the channels during the bonding process. 

This 100-micron wide channel was made using
only 6W of power on a sheet of super-cooled
PMMA.

Enlarged view of the scribed channel.

Cutting Denim Fabric

   Fabric cutting is an easy application for CO2 lasers. In this application, 0.0625"-thick denim fabric was cut using a 2.5" focal length lens at 50W using 5 PSI air as the assist gas. Maximum cutting speed was approximately 650 inches per minute (IPM). Examination of the cut edge quality shows a smooth, unsealed edge with no discoloration.

References:

¹  Henning Klank, Jorg P. Kutter and Oliver Geschke. The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2002, 242-246.

Browse Synrad's Applications Database

Search our online library for more applications of Synrad's sealed CO₂ laser technology. Sort by material, process, or industry.

http://www.synrad.com/search_apps/Default.htm

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