Videojet Technologies, a leader in coding, marking and printing solutions, has announced that in response to manufacturers’ requirements to laser mark on plastic packaging, metal containers, and other industrial products faster with more code content, the company introduced a 50-Watt fiber laser marking system – the Videojet 7510 – to complement its existing 10-Watt and 20-Watt fiber laser offering.  

The new 7510 marking laser is specifically engineered for high speed pharmaceutical, beverage and extrusion manufacturers who need to code data such as expiry information, lot and batch numbers, and other critical production information onto robust materials including plastics such as High-density Polyethylene (HDP), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP) and Nylon, as well as metals such as aluminum and stainless steel. The new 50-Watt fiber laser marking system extends the capabilities of the highly successful Videojet fiber laser offering.  For substrates like aluminum and extruded plastics, the new 50-Watt fiber is 65-95% faster than the 20-Watt offering in short product pitch applications, bringing all the advantages of fiber laser marking to an entirely new set of higher speed, and higher content marking applications. Pharmaceutical companies can achieve up to 50% faster coding on blister packs and over double the speed on vials when compared to using the 20-Watt fiber.

The 50-Watt fiber laser marking system directly addresses the growing need for manufacturers to increase lines speeds and maximize throughput. Certain metal and plastic applications, typically found in beverage, canning, and extrusion operate at very fast production speeds.  The 7510’s high speed capability is complemented by an exceptionally large marking window – up to 498 millimeters in length– which provides more time to engage a moving product to achieve the desired mark.  “Our new 7510 brings an optimal combination of power, spot size and choice of marking fields to deliver a significant increase in marking speed and throughput,” said Markus Vetter, Laser Business Manager, Videojet.

In addition to faster line speeds, the 50-Watt fiber laser provides a higher quality beam compared to Nd:YAG lasers allowing it to run faster than traditional solid state lasers of higher power.  “As an example, the 7510 is up to 63% faster than our legacy 100Watt Nd:YAG laser for printing on plastic and metal packaging.  An added benefit of the higher quality beam is that is produces better looking marks on certain materials.  Effectively, this means packaging professionals can now select the Videojet 7510, our fastest laser to date, to put more content on their packaging, and optimize the aesthetics of the mark,” added Vetter.

The 7510 marking unit is dramatically smaller than the predecessor solution.  At 74% smaller than the 100W Nd:YAG marking unit, the 7510 enables a far easier integration into packaging lines and equipment. A choice of working distances, varying from 122mm to 543mm, allows users to work within the physical constraints of the packaging line. This, along with the choice of a straight or 90 degree marking head orientation, provides flexibility on production lines with space limitations.

The new 7510 fiber laser has been designed to minimize downtime, increase reliability, and run more efficiently. The absence of lamps and diode pumps eliminates the pump chamber maintenance found in most conventional high powered laser systems such as Nd:YAG solid state lasers.  And the air-cooled laser source reduces the complexity and maintenance frequency associated with external water cooled systems.  Markus Vetter adds: “Our fiber laser technology has meaningful customer advantages beyond simply speed.  The 7510 offers a high efficiency laser source with a life expectancy of up to 100,000 hours, Mean Time Between Failure, equating to over 10 years continuous operation in a 24/7 environment.  Further, the 7510 is 90% more energy efficient than our legacy 100 Watt Nd:YAG laser system.  The new Videojet 50-Watt fiber laser really brings the best of all worlds – faster marking speeds, better mark quality, higher inherent reliability and efficiency, and a smaller physical footprint.”

Videojet has been pursuing innovation in laser marking technologies for almost 30 years, continuously identifying and developing laser solutions that increase throughput, provide better mark quality, and improve operational efficiency.  The Videojet 7510 is one of a number of innovative new laser products being launched by Videojet in 2014.