Process Date: December 2001

Using low power Synrad CO₂ lasers for contrasting marks.

With selected plastics, including polycarbonate, marking at a low laser power creates a color change in the material instead of simply engraving a non-contrasting mark. The typical power range used to mark this material would create a very nice engraved mark, but it would lack contrast and may be difficult to read under some conditions. This easily-readable, contrasting mark was created at a low power (approximately 10 W) so that the laser energy creates a "bubble" of bleached material, which contrasts with the surrounding area.

The polycarbonate end cap connector shown was marked with a Synrad J48-2 (25W) CO₂ laser and FH Marking Head package. The text was marked using only 10 W of power at a Velocity of 25 inches/second.