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A. Fraser and J.-M. Deschênes
Jumbo
Jumbo movement direction
Exit door
Entry door
Distance sensors
Camera
3D laser
marking head
Fig. 10 Top sectional view of the laser marking machine to mark the sides of the parts
Conclusion
Laser marking of lead and zinc can be accomplished with single-mode fiber lasers.
High contrast identifiers such as human readable characters, 1D or 2D codes, and
logos can be rapidly marked on lead and zinc surfaces to enable traceability of the
parts. Two-dimensional or three-dimensional laser marking systems can be used
depending on the precision of the positioning of the part with respect to the laser
marking head.
Machines are available to mark either individual ingots moving continuously on a
conveyor or bundles and jumbos inside an enclosure that is integrated on an indexing
conveyor. Integrated reading cameras allow live monitoring of the laser marking
process and can guarantee that the part is correctly marked and readable. With their
high reliability and low maintenance, these machines pave the way to true in-line
traceability for the lead and zinc primary and secondary metal industries.