Laser Plotter Engraving Sequence to Eliminate Mechanical Stripes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laser plotters often produce mechanical stripes during engraving of flat objects due to mechanical play in the carriage, leading to irregular vertical stripes, particularly when using specific laser sources and materials like CO2, YAG, or fiber lasers.
Innovation Solution
A method where the control unit uses a sequence control adapted to the quality of engraving, defining a specific spot size and line spacing, and processing occurs block-by-block unidirectionally, with alternating block directions to prevent stripe formation, allowing for selection of quality settings such as standard, improved, or highest quality, and controlling heat input by varying line processing directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If line-by-line bidirectional engraving is used to reduce processing time, then productivity increases, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to mechanical play causing stripe formation
Solution Approach 1:
The engraving area is divided into multiple blocks, and within each block, lines are processed in a unidirectional manner (all left-to-right or all right-to-left). This segmentation prevents the carriage from reversing direction within a block, eliminating the mechanical play-induced positioning errors that cause stripe formation, while still allowing bidirectional processing between blocks to maintain high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic reversal of engraving direction at the block level rather than at each line level. The control unit alternates the engraving direction for successive blocks, creating a periodic pattern that maintains consistent thermal conditions and avoids cumulative heating effects, thereby preventing stripe formation while preserving processing efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If unidirectional engraving is used to eliminate stripe formation, then manufacturing precision improves, but productivity decreases due to increased processing time
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the engraving area into blocks and applying unidirectional processing only within each block (not across the entire area), the patent achieves stripe-free engraving locally while maintaining overall processing efficiency through parallel block processing and minimal carriage repositioning between blocks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the engraving direction for each block based on the previous block's direction. The control unit automatically reverses the direction alternately for successive blocks, creating a dynamic processing pattern that prevents both stripe formation and cumulative thermal effects while minimizing idle carriage movement time.
3Productivity
If continuous laser processing is used to maintain processing speed, then productivity is maintained, but temperature increases causing thermal distortion and stripe formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic interruption of continuous laser processing by alternating the engraving direction at each block boundary. This periodic reversal creates natural cooling intervals that prevent cumulative heat buildup and thermal distortion, thereby eliminating stripe formation caused by excessive temperature while maintaining high processing speeds through efficient block-by-block processing.
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 method significantly reduces or eliminates stripe formation while maintaining processing time comparable to standard line-by-line sequential engraving, ensuring high-quality engravings without overlaps or free spaces, and can be implemented using commercially available laser plotters.
Implementation Method 1
a laser beam emitted from the beam source is sent via deflection elements to at least one focusing unit, by which the laser beam is deflected towards the workpiece and focused for processing
Implementation Method 2
This creates an extremely high power density at the focal point of the laser beam, which can be used to melt or vaporize materials, engrave, mark, or label them
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 7~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for engraving, marking and/or inscribing a workpiece (7) using a laser plotter (2). In said method, in a housing (3) of the laser plotter (2), one, preferably more, in particular two beam sources (4) in the form of lasers (5, 6) have an effect preferably alternating on the workpieces (7) which are to be processed. The workpiece (7) is laid in a defined manner on a processing table (9) and a laser beam (10) emitted from the beam source (4) is transmitted to at least one focusing unit (12) via deflection elements (11) and the laser beam (10) is diverted by said unit towards the workpiece (7) and focused for processing. The workpiece (7), in particular the position of the workpiece in relation to the laser beam (10), is controlled by means of software running in a control unit (13), such that the workpiece (7) is processed line by line by the displacement of a carriage (21). A sequence controller adapted to the quality of the graving in which a defined ratio of a spot variable (23) to the line distance and a graving controller (1) of the lines (22) to be processed is determined and/or carried out by the control unit (13) and the focusing unit (12) on the carriages (21) is controlled corresponding to the defined parameters of the sequence controller.