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3-Axis Beam Control for Laser Marking

July 22, 2008
Keyence Corp. of America (www.keyence.com) has developed a high-speed, yttrium vanadate laser marker that can mark in the X-, Y- and Z-axes. Keyence said its new laser is the first that can move in any direction, and its special 3-axis ...

Keyence Corp. of America (www.keyence.com) has developed a high-speed, yttrium vanadate laser marker that can mark in the X-, Y- and Z-axes.

Keyence said its new laser is the first that can move in any direction, and its special 3-axis motion allows for a multitude of advantages, including the fact that it provides a 42-mm (1.65 in.), variable focal length, a distortion-free 300 mm by 300-mm (11.81 in. by 11.81 in.) marking area, and the ability to make clear marks on shapes such as cylinders, cones and inclined planes, among others.

The company said its MD-V9900 series of laser markers provide outstanding visibility on deformed or curved surfaces, and are designed to have a long life making high quality marks.

Additionally, the MD-V series uses a special lens system with its 3-axis control to create the accurate marking area while eliminating the need for mechanical adjustment to maintain character integrity.

The company said its MD-V series is equipped with the company’s newly developed dual end pumping cavity that is designed to improve the optical exchange efficiency to double that of conventional markers. The higher efficiency means that the diode has to use less current to generate equivalent power, thus reducing energy consumption while increasing the diode’s life to as much as three times longer than conventional markers.