UV Laser Marking Scan Order for Bold Contour Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser marking technologies face challenges in achieving boldface printing with sufficient line width, particularly when using UV laser light on workpieces that chemically react with the laser, as it leads to incomplete printing due to fume accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A laser marking apparatus that includes a storage section for print data with multiple scanning lines arranged side by side, and a marking control section that controls the scanning order to prioritize the outer scanning lines farther from the center line, ensuring that these lines are scanned earlier to prevent fume interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If multiple scanning lines are used for boldface printing, then the line width of the character can be increased, but the printing quality deteriorates due to fume accumulation in subsequent scanning lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by scanning the outer scanning lines (which form the character contour) before the inner scanning lines. This ensures that the contour lines are printed with sufficient adhesion and density before fumes from inner lines can interfere, thereby maintaining printing quality while achieving boldface effect
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional scanning order by scanning from the outer scanning lines toward the inner scanning lines, rather than the traditional inner-to-outer order. This reversal prevents fume accumulation from affecting the contour lines, resolving the contradiction between line width and printing quality
2Ease of operation
If the center scanning line is scanned first, then the printing process follows conventional order, but the outer contour lines are insufficiently printed due to fume afflux
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by prioritizing the scanning of outer contour lines before inner lines. This ensures that the contour lines receive sufficient laser energy and adhesion before fumes from subsequent inner line scanning can degrade the printing quality, thereby maintaining ease of operation while improving contour line quality
3Ease of manufacture
If UV laser light is used on workpieces that chemically react, then marking can be achieved, but fumes are generated that interfere with subsequent scanning lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by scanning outer lines before inner lines, completing the contour marking before fume generation from inner lines interferes. This maintains the chemical reaction marking capability while mitigating the harmful effect of fume generation on subsequent scanning lines
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of fume generation into a benefit by adjusting the scanning order. By scanning outer lines first, the fumes generated from inner lines naturally flow outward without interfering with the already-printed contour, effectively utilizing the fume flow pattern to maintain printing quality
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 allows for higher quality boldface printing with sufficient line width by ensuring that the outer contour lines are scanned before inner lines, thus minimizing the impact of fume accumulation and improving printing density.
Implementation Method 1
a laser light output section that generates laser light based on excitation light and outputs the laser light
Implementation Method 2
a case will be considered in which UV laser light is adopted as laser light and the boldface printing using a plurality of scanning lines as described above is performed on a workpiece that chemically reacts with the UV laser light
Data Source
AI summary
Boldface printing having a sufficient line width is more easily implemented as compared with the related art. A laser marking apparatus includes a laser light output section, a laser light scanning section, a storage section, and a marking control section. The marking control section scans UV laser light along an outer scanning line farther from a center line of a line element of a character corresponding to print data for boldface than an inner scanning line prior to the inner scanning line closer to the center line for scanning lines adjacent to each other in a direction in which the line element of the character becomes thick among a plurality of the scanning lines forming the print data for boldface.