Laser Card Marking Calibration Using Vision-Guided Auto Setup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing card marking systems require manual and time-consuming adjustments of the vision and marking subsystems, leading to errors and inefficiencies in setting up precise settings for laser marking of personalized plastic cards.
Innovation Solution
A method for automatically determining optimized settings for both the vision and marking subsystems, using a process that involves inspecting reference elements and comparing results to determine target settings, allowing for partial or complete automation of the adjustment process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual adjustment of vision and marking subsystems is performed, then the system can be set up, but the process is time-consuming and prone to errors
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines optimized settings by having the vision subsystem inspect reference elements and the control device calculate target settings based on inspection results, enabling the system to self-calibrate without manual intervention. This eliminates time-consuming manual adjustments while ensuring accurate alignment between subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The vision subsystem provides feedback by inspecting reference elements and marked cards, allowing the control device to automatically adjust settings based on actual performance. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures high reliability in setting accuracy while reducing setup time through automated iterative optimization.
2Measurement precision
If manual trial personalizations are performed to adjust settings, then the system can be calibrated, but a large number of cards are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses digital reference elements and virtual calibration patterns instead of physical trial cards. The vision subsystem inspects digital references and the control device calculates optimal settings mathematically, eliminating the need for physical trial personalizations and card consumption while maintaining high calibration accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary inspection of reference elements and calculates target settings before actual marking operations. This preliminary calibration phase uses virtual references and mathematical optimization to determine settings, avoiding the need for multiple physical trial cards during the calibration process.
3Productivity
If automated determination of optimized settings is implemented, then setup time is reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vision subsystem serves multiple functions: it inspects reference elements for calibration, inspects marked cards for quality control, and provides feedback for automated setting optimization. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated calibration devices, managing system complexity while enabling automated determination of optimized settings.
4Ease of operation
If automated setting determination is used, then user requirements are reduced, but the automation extent increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines optimized settings by having the vision subsystem inspect reference elements and the control device calculate target settings based on inspection results, enabling the system to self-calibrate without manual intervention. This eliminates time-consuming manual adjustments while ensuring accurate alignment between subsystems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces user requirements, time, and card usage, while minimizing setting errors, and ensures precise alignment and calibration of the subsystems, resulting in improved accuracy and repeatability.
Implementation Method 1
personalizing plastic cards - such as chip cards or identity cards - by means of laser marking
Implementation Method 2
targeted local discoloration of the surface material through the application of energy, particularly with a suitable laser
Implementation Method 3
The vision system typically incorporates a camera for this purpose
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
The invention relates to a card-marking system, in particular to a card-marking system for personalizing plastic cards such has chip cards or identity cards by means of laser marking, and to a method for the automated detection of an optimized setting of this type of card marking system. According to the invention, the method comprises a vision sub-system setting process for setting a vision sub-system of the card marking system, in which with the aid of a reference element, which is used instead of a card to be marked, an optimized target setting of the vision sub-system is determined and implemented. The method further comprises a subsequent marking sub-system setting process for setting a marking sub-system of the card-marking system, in which an optimized setting of the marking sub-system is determined and implemented by generating test markings on cards and inspecting same by means of the vision sub-system configured in the corresponding target setting. The card-marking system is designed to carry out the above method fully or semi-automatedly and to this end can include a corresponding computer program controlling the method.