Laser Markers VS Dot Peen Marking Machine- What Should You Choose?
In the manufacturing industry, marking the products with permanent copyright engraving is important to recognize and trace the makers. It is important as it creates the brand image and makes it easy to search for the product for people. Permanent marks like 1-d Barcodes, 2D data matrix codes, and serial numbers are important for distinguishing the fake & real ones.
Typically, you can find two types of marking machines available in the market
– Dot Peen Marking
– Fiber Laser Marking
You can get confused between these two. Here is a blog that will give a detailed insight into these machines and help you to consider one as per your needs.
Dot Peen Marking Machine:
Dot Peen marking uses small pins made of diamond or carbide to pinch the metal surface. These machines hit the surfaces with force and make holes on the surface that will last permanently on the metal.
There are two types of Dot Peen Marking Machine according to the stylus used. These are air-compressed and electromagnetic pressure processes. Air compressed one is more impactful and powerful and used to mark metals while an electromagnetic one is used to mark plastic and softer metals.
- Benchtop Dot Peen Marking machine is ideal for setting up the system on a bench and marking tags, plates, and similar items.
- Portable Dot Peen Machine supports flexibility in location and is very easy to hold with hands.
- Integrated Dot Peen Marking machine offers you easy integration with your production line system.
Laser Marking Machine:
The fiber Laser Marking Machine system uses focused photon lights on the surface of the targeted metals. The laser lights either burn the place or chemically react with the surface and change the texture permanently. The laser light is controlled by two mirrors. Fiber laser & CO2 laser- two types of laser marking machines are available in the market.
- Fiber Laser passes the laser light through an optical fiber cable. The emitted light marks the metal or plastic or rubber surfaces easily. This machine can easily work for 10 years without maintenance.
- CO2 laser light is less compact and used to mark organic materials like fabrics, cardboard, plastic, and many others.
There are three types of laser marking machines.
- Tabletop laser marking is the perfect tool for marking personal items such as jewellery.
- Laser Workstations are ideal for a steady flow of lasers. It changes its configuration automatically for different parts.
- Automated laser machines are used in smelting plants, casting plants, and assembly lines. It possesses many parts in its system.
Difference between Laser Marking & Dot Peen Marking:
1. Marking Quality:
The Industrial laser marking machine wins the battle of quality as it gives more accurate fine detailing. Whereas the Dot peen marking machine gives low contrast pinching on the surface of the targeted material, often hard to read.
The laser size is fixed and focused in the laser marking machine with the optional modification controller in that. Dot Peen marking system is less consistent and includes a mechanical process due to which it offers a higher scrap quality rate.
2. Maintenance of the Marking Machine:
Dot Peen Marking systems are mechanical. Hence they go through regular vibrations and gear ups shocks. This process creates urgency in maintenance in short periods. Laser light Marking machines don’t require a contact zone and work fully on the shooting laser lights from the machine. Hence no mechanical touch keeps the machine maintenance-free for 10 years easily. All machines need maintenance but some require it very frequently while some require it once in a long period.
3. Marking Materials:
Dot Peen Marking System is ideal for marking hard metals, soft metals, and hard plastic too. Although this is a forceful marking process, it is not a good choice for softer materials. A laser light marking system works on a wide range of different materials including metals, plastic, rubber, and many more. Aluminum stainless steel, copper, gold, and silver are such kinds of metals.
4. Marking Applications:
Best Dot Peen Marking Machine is an ideal choice if you are working on marking alphanumeric numbers and 2D barcodes. But these are not good for 1D barcodes as they need a higher writing contrast level.
Laser Marking Machine stands out in the market as it gives you a wide range of applications. It can engrave high contrast surface treatments. They have an excellent ability to engrave 2D barcodes, Alphanumeric numbers, 1D barcodes, and several other designs in jewellery pieces.
While the Dot Peen Marking system uses the depth of a stylus to engrave deeply, a laser marking machine uses energy for in-depth engraving on the surface.
5. Cost Differences:
Dot Peen Marking Machine is comparatively cheaper than other options available in the market. Its initial price starts from only $6000. However, as this system needs regular maintenance and needs the parts to be frequently changed, it costs you a running cost on a regular time period.
Laser Marking Machines demands very high capital prices. It comes in a price range of around $35000. It can also vary with the type of laser and power requirement. However, it does not require a high running cost. You can easily expect it to run without maintenance for 10 years at least.
6. Marking Speed:
In today’s business era, time is money and you need to be as fast as possible. In the manufacturing field, working with the cycle time is a must. That’s why you need to decide on the purchase keeping the speed factor in mind.
Dot Peen Marking System works slowly and takes comparably more time. Hence it is not an ideal option when you are bound by time and for your productions.
A laser marking machine meets all the time challenges as it offers you a very fast system. Since it works on laser technology, you can speed up the whole process by increasing the energy of the laser light. For example- A 100W laser will produce all your desired results in twice lesser time as a 50W laser light.
Conclusion:
Dot Peen Marking Machine and Laser Marking Machine, both are preferred in the manufacturing industry. Both are used for different target materials and give different results. No matter how efficient one is over the other, it’s you who will choose the right system for you. Above is a detailed study of both the marking machines. Choose what suits you better.