Fiber laser marking systems
CHICAGO – Videojet Technologies has unveiled its new Videojet 7340 and 7440 fiber laser marking systems, the first to use Lightfoot, which the company claims is the world’s smallest laser marking head.
The Videojet 7340 (20-Watt) and 7440 (30-Watt) fiber lasers build on 30 years of Videojet experience in the laser market and have been developed to improve ease-of-use and ease of integration. The compact design addresses the needs of manufacturers working within small spaces and are meant for contract packagers and OEMs in the consumer packaged goods, parts marking and pharmaceutical industries, who are looking for simple integrations, or who perform frequent changeovers.
The one-of-a-kind Lightfoot fiber laser marking head is designed specifically to meet strict IP69K requirements, making it suitable for use in washdown and harsh environments.
The Lightfoot marking head weighs less than a kilogram (2.2 lb) and measures 205.0mm (8.07 inches), it is similar in size to a Videojet continuous inkjet printhead. It requires less mounting bracketry and enables fast setup and repositioning to increase the range of installation opportunities.
Measuring just 41.3 mm (1.60 in) in diameter, it is designed to fit almost anywhere.
The 7340 and 7440 models incorporate the same technology as previous Videojet fiber laser solutions, with marking speeds of up to 2,000 characters per second on high-density packaging substrates across a wide range of materials including metals, plastics and foils, without compromising on code quality, uptime performance, code length or content.
The Videojet 7340 and 7440 fiber lasers feature an integrated pilot beam focus finder, offering easy, fast and precise focal alignment during the installation process or when frequent line or product changeovers are required. There is no need for measurement tools or awkward adjustments as operators can easily see that the pilot beam is in focus and the laser is ready to code, thanks to the built-in system using the triangulation of two beams.
Available with a range of features to further aid the ease of integration, the Videojet 7340 and 7440 fiber laser options include: 0° and 90° marking heads, three focal distances and two umbilical length options (3m and 10m).
Manufacturers can choose from a variety of Videojet user interfaces to control the 7340 and 7440 Fiber Lasers, including the Videojet Touch Control Software+ (TCS+) that is engineered to help manufacturers control Videojet lasers remotely through either the TU430 10.1” colour touchscreen laser controller, or from virtually any browser-based device other than a Safari browser.
Alternatively, the advanced Videojet laser controller with CLARiTY software features an intuitive touchscreen used in other Videojet marking and coding solutions, which allows for simple operation while helping to minimize operator errors.