High-contrast laser marking of metals
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The backbone of modern industry
Fast and efficient systems for marking and tracking products with their serial numbers and countries of origin are the backbone of modern industry. Nowadays, even a simple egg comes with a number determining the exact farm it came from!
Why traditional inks and paints fall short
While in some cases inks and paints are a sufficient solution, industrial and medical applications require something much more robust.
Mechanical Damage: Paints and coats are highly susceptible to wear and tear. When applied to tools, they wear down during cleaning or get scratched during use.
Chemical Safety: In many industries, it is of paramount importance to avoid potentially toxic chemicals, which are frequently found in paints. For instance, when marking medical devices and implants, keeping track of how the mark interacts with living tissue is critical.
The solution: altering the material surface
Luckily, there is a simple solution to these challenges: we can alter the surface of the material itself instead of putting something on top of it! This is exactly where laser marking comes into play.
Key advantages of femtosecond lasers
Using a femtosecond laser provides several distinct advantages over traditional continuous-wave lasers:
Unmatched Versatility: It allows us to mark practically any metal—including titanium, tungsten, or stainless steel—with incredible precision and speed.
Biocompatibility: The marking modifies the surface of the material itself, leaving absolutely no alien substances behind. This makes it completely safe for medical use.
Extreme Durability: Because the material itself is altered, these marks are permanent and highly resistant to removal.
Achieving nanoscale contrast and precision
To top it all off, laser marking delivers smooth, precise edges and high contrast even on the smallest of scales. This is made possible by characteristic surface nanoscale features that appear only under ultrashort pulse irradiation. This unique nanotopography makes the surface naturally antireflective.
An ideal tool for achieving this is Fluence’s compact Jasper Flex laser, which was created specifically with demanding industrial applications in mind. This femtosecond laser helps you achieve the highest marking quality available on the market.
Meet the Jasper Flex: built for industrial settings
The Jasper Flex features a maximum pulse energy of 30 µJ at up to a 1 MHz repetition rate, delivering 30 W of average power.
What truly sets it apart is Fluence’s unique technology: a truly all-fiber, SESAM-free oscillator. Combined with a fiber preamplifier, this design creates a monolithic, incredibly robust construction. It is fully capable of operating reliably in harsh industrial environments, completely unaffected by everyday shocks and vibrations.