The main element of the Laser marking system is the Laser source. Pricing of Laser sources varies between different technologies.
Fiber Lasers and U.V. Pulsed Laser are the most expensive sources. CO₂ sources are more affordable.
Among different manufacturers price also varies widely.
Be aware that most cheap Asian-sourced Laser engravers do not have the power or software capability of marking “on the fly” so they can not be used on production lines.
Also some of those Asian sourced Lasers have a Laser life of 400 to 1000 Hours between overhauls. Yes, you read ok… a few months.
Theodore Maiman characterized the first Laser as having a power of one “Gillette” as it could burn through one Gillette razor blade.
Today, it is accepted that even low-power lasers with only a few milliwatts of output power can be hazardous to human eyesight when the beam hits the eye directly or after reflection from a shiny surface.
Lasers are usually labeled with a safety class number, which identifies how dangerous the laser is:
Class 1 is inherently safe, usually because the light is contained in an enclosure, for example in CD players.
Class 2 is safe during normal use; the blink reflex of the eye will prevent damage. Usually up to 1 mW power, for example laser pointers.
Class 3R (formerly IIIa) lasers are usually up to 5 mW and involve a small risk of eye damage within the time of the blink reflex. Staring into such a beam for several seconds is likely to cause damage to a spot on the retina.
Class 3B can cause immediate eye damage upon exposure.
Class 4 lasers can burn skin, and in some cases, even scattered light can cause eye and/or skin damage. Many industrial, scientific and marking Lasers are in this class.
People working with class 3B and class 4 lasers should protect their eyes with safety goggles which are designed to absorb light of a particular Laser wavelength. All Alteria Laser marking systems use a Class 4 Laser.
In your day-to-day operation of your production line our Lasers are perfectly safe, as the optic system expands the beam that is refocused at a given Focal Length distance. So only at the FL distance the Laser has burning power.
A laser however shall never be open, moved, reinstalled or operated by a non trained technician, and safety googles should be worn at all times when checking the Marking system.
Laser marking systems like the ones manufactured by Alteria Laser have a very long life span. The enclosure is built on hard anodized 6065 or 7075 T4 Al/Mag alloy or in 316 L stainless steel as an option.
Wiring is made with thinned copper wire that is guaranteed to last 20 years in a harsh corrosive environment.
All parts are selected from the best suppliers have a certified MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of at least 250,000 Hours.
The life of the Laser source varies between different models and technologies. On average our Laser sources are rated 45,000 hours between overhauls. Most Laser sources work 24/7 over six or more years before the need of service.
Some Laser as the fiber lasers are rated 400,000 hours between overhauls which means the lifetime of the system.
Dust is the only enemy of your Laser marking system. We know that, and our optical enclosures are airtight.
Laser light does not produce heat on the free space, but burns every matter that interferes with the Laser beam. Dust covering lenses and mirrors are fatal to the life of the optical parts, as the heat generated by the burning dust will damage the optics.
Although we have seen Lasers that were never opened in five years, our recommendation is to perform a quick check every year. Clean the optics and mirrors if necessary and check the output power. That is usually made on site in about three hours.
Nope! The main advantage of Lasers is ZERO consumables.
Industrial laser marking systems have no toners, ribbons, ink or chemicals in the process of printing.
Marking is achieved by either a thermal process or a molecular alteration depending of the wavelength of the Laser source used.
The term Laser is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
A Laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation.
The first laser was built in 1960 by Theodore H. Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, based on theoretical work by Charles Hard Townes and Arthur Leonard Schawlow. Maiman’s working prototype is shown on the image.
The term “Light” includes electromagnetic radiation of any frequency; not only visible light, hence the terms infrared laser (FIR or NIR), Ultraviolet laser (U.V.), X-ray laser, gamma-ray laser, and so on.
A Laser differs from other sources of light in that it emits light coherently.
Spatial coherence allows a laser to be focused to a tight spot, enabling applications such as laser cutting, welding, micro engraving, marking or lithography among many others.
Spatial coherence also allows a laser beam to stay narrow over great distances, enabling applications such as laser pointers or weapons.
Among their many applications, Lasers are used in optical disk drives, Laser printers, and barcode scanners; DNA sequencing instruments, fiber-optic and free-space optical communication; Laser surgery and skin treatments; cutting and welding materials; military and law enforcement devices for marking targets and measuring range and speed, and laser lighting displays in entertainment.
In summary Lasers have the following properties:
(1) Monochromaticity (the beam consists of light waves of a single wavelength or frequency),
(2) Directivity (the beam consists of parallel light waves that don’t spread apart as they travel)
(3) High coherence (the beam’s light waves are all in phase with one another).
Our Laser comes with a 2 year comprehensive guarantee that includes parts and labor only. Laser has to be shipped to the nearest service station.
Our guarantee includes the Laser source.