10 Interesting Facts About Industrial Marking Systems
How much do you know about industrial marking methods and practices? Below, we’ll discuss some interesting facts about industrial marking systems, from laser marking methods to the history of industrial coding and the industry’s future.
There Are 3 Major Industrial Marking Methods
Our first fact is that there are multiple ways industries go about marking products and mechanical components. The three primary methods of industrial marking are laser marking, dot peen marking, and industrial inkjet printing.
While all these methods can get the job done for marking products or components, they go about it differently and have distinct benefits and disadvantages. Below, we’ll briefly explain these industrial marking systems for those unfamiliar.
Laser Marking
Laser marking is an industrial method of permanently altering the surface of a material with a focused beam of light. Different types of lasers (CO2 and fiber) are applied in different ways (continuous and pulsed), which we’ll explain later.
The type of laser used in the method depends on the material and marking. But whatever the material is and whatever’s needed, lasers can typically accomplish it. This type of marking is useful on many materials like steel and rubber and can produce barcodes, serial numbers, logos, and more.
Dot Peen Marking
Dot peen marking is an industrial marking application for manufacturers to make permanent impressions on materials. This method is also called pin marking, pin stamping, or dot peening.
Dot peen marking uses a carbide pin to directly impact the material surface to create a deep mark. Dot peen marking is common in industries with heavy and tough parts, as its benefits are making deep impressions rather than accurate markings.
Industrial Inkjet Printer
Lastly, there’s also the industrial inkjet printer system. Industrial inkjet printers are common for batch marking, like best-before dates on grocery packaging, barcodes on packaging products, and more.
Industrial inkjet printing contains several methods, like continuous inkjet coding, thermal-transfer printing, and laser date coders. But the inkjet printers generally work by expelling tiny ink droplets onto the surface without touching it, leaving a durable mark without harming the surface.
Practically Every Industry Uses Them
As we briefly mentioned in our overview of industrial marking systems, practically every manufacturing industry needs marking systems for its process. Practically everything the average person comes into contact with daily has been industrially marked with a laser, dot peen, or ink label.
For example, the simple act of driving to the grocery store puts a person close to many industrially marked products. The average car features parts marked by laser marking machines for use on its assembly line. Oil and gas industries use dot peen marking systems to manufacture gasoline that goes into the car. Inkjet marking labels the sell-by dates on milk cartons at the grocery store.
Laser Marking Is the Most Precise
While each industrial marking method has benefits, laser marking is considered the most accurate. Lasers mark with light, which can be aimed extremely accurately at a target—much more precisely than a mechanical component or ink droplet like with dot peen and inkjet labeling.
Laser marking can be precise within a nanometer, which is a billionth of a meter! For precision and accuracy, laser marking is the unqualified best choice.
Lasers Can Perform Various Markings
Another benefit of the laser marking method is that there are various options for industrial marking, like marking and etching. Laser marking is when the beam interacts with the material’s surface to alter its properties or appearance but leaves the substrate intact, only affecting the surface coloration.
Laser etching uses high heat to melt the surface, which causes the material to expand as a raised mark. So, instead of vaporizing the substrate to leave an impression, laser etching raises the surface material.
Laser Marking Only Heats the Surface
As we mentioned, laser marking does not materially change the surface like other methods or add a material to the substrate like inkjet, but only heats the substrate. Many would be surprised to learn that the laser is only light and not hot.
The lasers only heat the surfaces to which they are exposed, whether metal, plastic, or another substrate. Heat is created only when the laser contacts the surface; otherwise, it’s just a beam of light.
Laser Marking Uses Continuous & Pulsed Lasers
We’ve also mentioned that lasers use continuous and pulsed lasers depending on the marking method. Continuous and pulsed lasers have different power outputs that affect the substrate differently.
Pulsed lasers have a more intense peak and low average power, making them suited for creating deep impressions on the substrate like carvings. Continuous lasers aren’t as powerful but are more stable, ideal for gradually heating a substrate for laser marking.
Industrial Laser Marking Origins Date Back to Einstein
An interesting fact about industrial laser marking systems that many may not realize is that their origins can be traced back to Albert Einstein. Einstein developed his radiation theory in 1916, which was the precursor to the development of the maser and, later, the first laser.
It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that other scientists applied his theories to real-world applications with laser marking machines. However, without Einstein, we still might not have the laser technology today.
The First Industrial Marking Methods Came From WWII
While primitive forms of industrial marking had been around for decades, they didn’t become integral parts of manufacturing until the Second World War. World War II transformed industrial America and created an urgency for better logistics, organization, and product marking.
The first methods were simpler and more dangerous, like steel stamping, which used hand stamps and dies to impress numbers and letters onto metal like a brand.
The First Industrial Laser Was Invented in 1965
There were breakthroughs in laser technology prior, but it wasn’t until 1965 that they were applied to industrial purposes. Western Electric crafted the first industrial laser for manufacturing purposes in 1965 to drill holes with diamond dies.
In the early years, most industrial lasers were used for cutting and drilling. But these practices and technologies laid the groundwork for industrial laser marking to become common in the later 20th and early 21st centuries of industrial manufacturing.
The Industrial Marking & Coding Market Is Growing
Enough about the past; what about the future of industrial marking? It’s obviously quite useful for manufacturers to have well-printed and marked products to reduce counterfeiting and inform the product information supply chain.
Industry experts predict the industrial marking and coding market to continue growing throughout the 2020s as more stringent government regulations and standards are applied to more industries. In more cases, industries will have to increase the accountability and traceability of their manufacturing processes, which means more industrial marking and coding.
