SYNRAD, INC. - http://www.synrad.com  
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Issue 81

 
Contrasting Marks on PVC Marking Electrical Connectors Shrink Welding Nylon

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.

Contrasting Marks on PVC

   PVC is one of a few plastics that provide nicely contrasting marks at the 10.6-micron CO2 wavelength. This Index application was performed using 10 watts of Power at a marking Velocity of 40 inches per second (IPS). Starting with WinMark Pro’s default settings, we changed Resolution to 450 and Off Vector Velocity to 250. We choose a stroke font (European) to increase mark speed, set a Text Height 0.0938 inches, and added Extra Character Spacing of 0.015”. Cycle time for the 14-character mark was 0.13 seconds.  

   Many wire and tubing processes require marking to be done on-the-fly as the material is spooled. By replacing the Index head with an FH Series Tracker marking head and adding part sensing and speed encoding hardware, this same mark could be made at continuous line speeds approaching 125 feet per minute (FPM).
The photo shows examples of both black and white PVC tubing marked with a Synrad CO2 laser. Beam delivery for this application was through an FH Series marking head equipped with a125 mm focusing lens (180 micron spot size with a 3 mm depth of focus). 

 

 

 

 

Marking Electrical Connectors

 

   We obtained easily readable, engraved marks after marking this 90-pin plastic connector with a Synrad 25 watt laser and FH Series marking head. The beam was directed through a 125 mm FH lens, providing a focused spot size of 180 microns with a three mm depth of field.  

   The ten-digit text string was marked using 23 W of Power at a Velocity of 40 inches per second (IPS). We used a built-in WinMark Pro stroke font (Simple) at a Text Height of 0.0728 inches, increased Extra Character Spacing to 0.0039”, and set a Resolution of 750. To reduce cycle time and increase legibility, we increased the default Pline Start Delay to 250, reduced Pline End Delay to 350, and increased Off Vector Velocity to 157.

   The ten-digit 2D Data Matrix code, measuring 0.0945” square, was marked using seven W of Power with a Velocity of 15 IPS. 2D Barcode Bitmap was set to No (so that cells were marked using unfilled vector circles instead of filled squares) and 2D Barcode Circle Radius was reduced to 20%. After marking, the non-contrasting barcode data was verified using both Microscan Quadrus EZ and RVSI CM4000 readers.

 
Total cycle time for both 2D code and text objects, on the plastic connector above, was 0.22 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shrink Welding Nylon

 

   The thin nylon balloon was welded to the tube using a heavily defocused beam, and rotating the balloon and the tube.  The action of the beam was sufficient to cause the balloon end to constrict onto the tube producing a mechanically strong weld.  

 

 
0.08" diameter nylon tubing welded using CO2 lasers!

 
 

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

Contact Us:

 

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.