Keyence UV Laser Delivers High Contrast Marking Without Damage

Keyence’s MD-U series laser marker is designed to engrave a wide range of materials without damage. This laser operates in the UV spectrum, which is absorbed by more materials than conventional lasers. The end result is high-contrast, high-speed engravings across a wider selection of materials with little chance of damage.

Keyence’s MD-U series 3-axis marker operates using a 355 nm wavelength UV laser. Image used courtesy of Keyence

Industrial Laser Marking

Laser marking has become a popular way of noting serial numbers, production dates, and other relevant product information. Instead of stamping, which can damage brittle materials, or labeling, which can fall off, laser engraving can be performed on virtually any material. Also, lasers are precise, so they can be used to engrave small objects, such as integrated circuits. This precision enables users to make small engravings that are hardly visible to the naked eye to verify the legitimacy of a part.

The challenge with laser engraving is heat management. For example, consider a composite package for an integrated circuit. The composite itself is engineered to remove heat away from the chip but then withstand relatively high temperatures. Each chip needs to be marked with the model number at the very minimum, but often with a serial number as well. A conventional laser will need higher power output to engrave these numbers into the package, potentially transferring heat to the chip. Depending on the composite, the localized heat from the laser could lead to thermal stresses and cracking in the composite package.

Compared to other engraving methods, the MD-U laser enables precise, high-contrast, and compact marking with minimal damage. Image used courtesy of Keyence

MD-U Series UV Laser Marker

Keyence’s MD-U series 3-axis laser marker uses UV light at a wavelength of 355 nm. This particular wavelength is absorbed by materials commonly used in manufacturing. Just as black paint absorbs more sunlight and heats up more quickly than white paint under sunlight, a lot of materials heat up more quickly with UV light than visible light. Because of this, higher contrast markings are possible without the risk of damage.

Additionally, the MD-U series laser has a power output of 7 W. The high absorption of the energy by the material and the power output from the laser lead to faster engravings, increasing throughput without increasing the scrap rate. Furthermore, more of that power goes into heating and engraving material, versus being wasted during a slower heating process.

Besides the laser itself, the MD-U series has continuous distance measurement to the surface. This allows the laser to change its output and heat the surface properly, without overheating or underheating due to part misalignments or for a variety of parts on the same process line.

The MD-U series UV laser marker can be used on a wide range of materials across applications. Image used courtesy of Keyence

Precise Marking and Coding

Keyence’s MD-U series laser marker has been designed to address laser engraving complications. With the MD-U UV laser, even more materials can be engraved than with conventional lasers, and the high speed at which engraving is possible makes this laser a tempting replacement for conventional engraving systems.