ES Technology launches VIN Mark 30 laser system

ES Technology has announced the launch of the VIN Mark 30 laser system, designed to produce tamper-evident self-adhesive labels.

Laser marked, tamper-proof labels have now replaced the traditional metal plaques that were once commonly used for vehicle identification number (VIN) plates on vehicles.

These plates were generally riveted to the inside of the engine compartment, but were easy to remove, making it possible to quickly give a stolen vehicle a 'new' identity.

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 that are ideally suited to the automotive, electronics and security fields.

They cure upon adhesion so that they cannot be removed without destroying the label, and they also withstand high temperatures and are highly resistant to weathering.

The 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.

The VIN Mark 30 laser system was designed to meet the needs of the automotive industry, and uses 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.

The system to process material supplied by TESA uses a 30W CO2 laser source which is fully integrated within the machine.

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.

The primary task of the extraction system is the removal of fumes and particulate, however 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.

The design principles and concepts of the VIN Mark 30 laser system are such that the machine can be used to produce different widths of label if required, and the choice of laser sources means that the ideal marking solution 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, and a bespoke operator interface can be provided to suit each customer's specific requirements.

When installed within the customer site, the machines are linked to the customer's data management system, which downloads vehicle and label information directly to the machine which then automatically populates the fields within the label generation software.

ES Technology also provides sub-contract laser marking services, after-sales servicing and parts in addition to the design and manufacture of laser marking systems, built from a range of suitable manufacturers.

Back to top