There are two main types of laser marking systems, each with its own way of directing the laser beam to make marks.
Dual-Galvanometer Lasers
Dual-galvanometer (shortened to galvo) lasers use two precision mirror galvanometers to direct the beam at any angle within the marking window of the laser. This allows the beam to mark continuous, vector-style characters very quickly. The result is smooth, high quality marks without the pixelated look of raster-style characters.
Galvo lasers are fast enough to be used on a production line as materials move past the marking head. When used in a stand-alone marking workstation, single parts or even trays of fixtured parts can be marked very quickly for high-volume production needs.
Galvo lasers are best for:
- High speed marking & engraving
- Marking parts of different heights
- Marking parts directly on the production line and communicating with PLCs or host systems (lasers with embedded controls can also operate without a PC)
Flatbed Lasers
Flatbed lasers, also called raster lasers, use a lens with a fixed mirror to direct the beam straight down. The lens moves on X/Y axes like a plotter printer. As the lens moves back and forth on the X axis, it marks the image or message one line at a time as shown in the video below. The outlines of some text and graphics can also be marked as vector-style by moving the lens on the X and Y axes at the same time.
Flatbed lasers are suitable for marking flat products one at a time or in batches. Parts are arranged inside the laser enclosure and the marking job is created in the software. Once the door is closed, the lasing process can begin.
Flatbed lasers are best for:
- Marking batches of flat products at a dedicated station
- Low-volume applications where fast printing is not required
Raster vs Vector Marking
Raster: When laser marks are made one line at a time, the edges of characters and images have a pixelated look which is the hallmark of raster images.
Vector: When characters and images are created in continuous lines, they have the clean edges of vector images.
