Which laser marker is suitable for plastic materials?

Nowadays, plastic has become the most commonly used packaging material, and we can often see identification marks such as corporate logos, barcodes and numbers on plastic products. These markings are usually made by printing, embossing, perforating, engraving and so on. The use of laser marking machine marking on the surface of plastic products is an advanced marking technology, it is fast processing speed, can maintain the inherent surface characteristics of plastic products, so that the text or pattern and plastic become a unified whole. So, which laser marking machine is more suitable for marking the surface of plastic products?

Different types of lasers emit different wavelengths of light and have different penetration capabilities. Therefore, marking machines equipped with different lasers differ in marking quality and marking speed. Fiber laser markers, UV laser markers and CO2 laser markers can all mark plastics. However, their application scope and effect are different. Below are some of their specific application scenarios:

Fiber laser marking machine

Suitable for marking plastic materials with high ignition point (e.g. PC, ABS). As we all know, fiber laser marking machine is mainly used for engraving and marking metal products. In fact, as long as the parameters are properly adjusted, fiber laser marking machine can also mark some plastic products. By choosing the right parameters, the laser will only evaporate a thin layer on the surface of the plastic without burning the plastic itself. But even so, fiber laser marking machines are only suitable for marking certain plastics. If your workshop only marks non-metallic materials, we recommend that you choose a CO2 laser marker.

CO2 Laser Markers

Primarily used for acrylic and rubber, CO2 laser markers have the same focusing capabilities as metal lasers, making them ideal for fine marking of plastic products. Diode-pumped solid-state lasers have high beam quality, which allows the laser beam to be focused to a small diameter during the marking process. Currently, CO2 laser marking machines also have an irreplaceable role in the plastics sector.

UV Laser Markers

UV laser markers are suitable for all plastic materials and are mainly used in the high-end market for ultra-fine processing. Due to the small UV line width of 0.01mm, UV laser marking machines provide better marking accuracy than other marking methods.

Advantages of Plastic Laser Marking

When marking the surface of plastic products, compared with the traditional mechanical engraving, chemical etching, screen printing, ink printing and other methods, laser marking machine has the advantages of low cost and high flexibility. Laser marking machine can be controlled by a computer system, very simple and convenient in the material surface to complete the permanent engraving of the marking pattern. Laser marking process does not require consumables, will not produce chemical pollution, and because it is non-contact marking, will not cause damage to the material surface, very safe and environmentally friendly.

Laser marking machines use a laser beam to produce markings directly on the surface of the plastic, including marks, codes, characters, numbers, patterns, lines, 2D codes, etc. SUNNA laser marking machines can be used to permanently, quickly and efficiently mark many different types of commercially available plastics (e.g. polycarbonate, ABS, polyamide, etc.). Due to the short set-up time, flexibility and ease of use of the laser marking machines, small batches can be laser marked in the most economical way.