Important considerations for laser marking an identifier on aluminum

Industrial laser marking of aluminium is becoming a key technology for both metal producers and transformers. Its low maintenance and consumables costs due to the fiber-based laser sources, combined with the speed and precision of the marking process makes it a very attractive tool for such industries. This paper aims to explain how to obtain and maintain good contrast laser identifiers on aluminium at various temperatures. The most important laser parameters (spot size, marking speed and line spacing) are analyzed with regards to their effect on the achievable contrast. The results indicate a significant variation of the optimal parameters for the studied temperature range, i.e. between 25°C and 400°C. The marking system tolerance to the piece positioning is also analysed for two different optical configurations.