Product category:
Laser marking systems
News Release from: ES Technology | Subject: Laser marked tamper proof labels - automotive
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 21 January 2008
Ensuring metal product marking is
tamper-proof
A laser marking system has been designed to meet the specific needs of the automotive industry, for the production of tamper evident self adhesive labels.
Laser marked tamper proof labels have now replaced the traditional metal plaques which were once commonly used for vehicle VIN plates (Vehicle Identification Number) These plates were generally riveted to the inside of the engine compartment, but were extremely easy to remove thus making it possible to quickly give a stolen vehicle a 'New' identity
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 12 Jul 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Laser makes high contrast marking on plastics
Subcontacting laser marking service has recently acquired another system to give better detail on all materials and faster, higher contrast marking on thermoplastics.
Non-contact engraving, cutting and marking
Superior non-contact engraving, cutting and marking using CO2 lasers is claimed for the range of Universal Laser Systems ( ULS ) products, from ES Technology.
Manufacturers now use up to 17 separate identity and information labels on a single vehicle, each of which is self adhesive and tamper evident.
These new labels are produced from materials which are ideally suited to the automotive, electronics and security fields.
They cure upon adhesion so that they cannot be removed without destroying the label.
Further reading
Laser marking with automation
The Drill-Mark 6000 from ES Technology is capable of marking up to 6,200 components per hour and incorporates dual part presentation hoppers and dual marking fixtures.
High speed marking is cost-effective
For where laser marking is impractical, a compact high speed pin marking system which is capable of marking 12 characters per second.
Laser fuses powders into dense, complex parts
LaserCUSING is a process, similar to laser sintering, but which fuses metallic powder by a scanning laser to produce dense, complex and intricate 3D components.
The labels also withstand high temperatures and are highly resistant to weathering.
This change in the way in which information is attached to the vehicle brought with it the need to develop a robust and high speed method of producing the new self adhesive labels, said ES Technologies.
The TESA Laser Marking System designed and developed by ES Technology has already been adopted by a number of major automotive manufacturers including Land Rover, Toyota amongst others.
The system uses a laminate foil material manufactured by TESA and supplied in reel form.
The 120mm wide reel of material is loaded to a motorised dispensing mandrel on the machine.
At the processing area on the machine a pair of pinch rollers, one stepper motor drive and one spring loaded, are used to accurately feed and position the strip material for laser marking.
* Choice of laser - the system developed by ES Technology to process the TESA material uses a 30W CO2 laser source, which is fully integrated within the machine.
ES Technologies offer other laser sources, such as Nd:Yag, for alternative materials.
The marking process is achieved using a high speed servo driven galvo head, which is located above the working area of the machine.
A built in extraction and filtration system performs a dual role within this system.
The primary task of the extraction system is the removal of fumes and particulate.
The extraction system is also used to generate a vacuum under the foil location area to ensure that the material remains perfectly flat during the laser marking process.
Safety interlocks on the filtration system access door means that the machine will automatically stop if the access door is opened during production.
* Flexible machine concept - the design principles and concepts of the TESA Laser Marking System are such that the machine can be used to produce different widths of label if required.
A wide choice of laser sources means that the ideal marking system can be found for all of the commonly used materials.
This PC controlled machine is also simple to set up and operate using the CAD and Graphics editor software suites.
A bespoke operator interface can be provided to suit each individual customers specific requirements.
When installed within the customer site, the machines are linked to the customers data management system, which downloads vehicle and label information directly to the machine which then automatically populates the fields within the label generation software.
* About ES Technology - ES Technology Limited is part of the Rofin Group and provides sub-contract laser marking services, after- sales servicing and parts in addition to the design and manufacture of laser marking systems.
Laser systems are built from a range of suitable manufacturers - including Rofin.
• ES Technology: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Manufacturingtalk email newsletter
• Manufacturingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
