Stamping

This page introduces process improvements made possible by using laser markers instead of stampers.

Stamping/Laser Marking Characteristics

Advantages Disadvantages
Stamping characteristics
  • Low initial cost
  • Easy to use
  • Mistakes can be erased
  • Characters can be missing or faint
  • Marking may fade
  • Running costs are incurred
  • Difficult to mark curved surfaces and soft products
  • Pin holes may occur
  • Difficult to make subtle changes to the marking details
Laser marking characteristics
  • No occurrences of missing or faint characters
  • Marking does not fade (marked with a laser)
  • Low running costs
  • Stable marking even on curved surfaces and soft products
  • No need to worry about pin holes occurring
  • Detailed traceability down to the second is possible
  • High initial cost
  • Large equipment size

Comparison of Stamping and Laser Marking

Comparison details Laser marker Stamping
No missing or faint characters Very good Poor
No need to perform product tooling changes Very good Very poor
Marking does not fade Very good Very poor
Ability to perform automatic marking for calendars and counters Very good Very poor
Support for high-speed lines Good Poor
Ability to perform clear marking on curved surfaces, rough surfaces, and soft parts Very good Acceptable
Ability to perform clear marking of small characters Very good Acceptable

Laser Marking vs. Ink Stamping on Wrapping Film

Ink systems are often used to mark individual wrapping films, but are unable to create permanent marks since they simply place ink on the outer surface of the film. There's also a risk that substances such as salad dressings, oils and alcohol contact the ink.

Individual wrapping film benefits from laser marking because the material itself is discolored and processed so the marking doesn't fade.

Application Examples

Pouch
Pouch
Pouch
Bag heat seal

Key Laser Marking Advantages

1Quality
Accurate marking that does not fade due to contact with oil or alcohol is possible.
2Cost
The running costs of ink ribbons and maintenance components, which increase according to the number of sheets used, are eliminated.
3Work efficiency
Tooling changes for different models and ink ribbon replacements are not necessary, which greatly reduces the amount of required work.
4Environment
The elimination of garbage such as ink ribbons contributes to environmental initiatives (CSR).

Laser Marking vs. Stamping on Cartons

Laser markers are used to directly mark cartons. This improves the product image, since high-quality marking with no faint or missing characters is possible.

Laser markers also help improve line stability when visual marking confirmation is required, since their marks are less susceptible to environmental degradation.

3. Improvement from Stamping on Cartons

Application Examples

Carton
Medicine box

Key Laser Marking Advantages

1Quality
Stable marking without defects (like missing or faint characters) is possible, even on rough surfaces.
2Cost
The running costs of ink ribbons and maintenance components, which increase according to the number of sheets used, are eliminated.
3Work efficiency
There's no need to stop production while marking; products can be marked while being conveyed. Overall productivity also improves since the marking contents can be changed with the touch of a button.
4Environment
The elimination of garbage such as ink ribbons contributes to environmental initiatives (CSR).

Laser Marking vs. Roller Stamping on Cables

Direct marking can be performed on cables moving at high-speeds. Laser markers accurately create a colored surface that doesn't fade, so stable marking is possible even on small wire diameters and rough surfaces.

4. Improvement from Roller Stamping on Cables

Application Examples

Cable (contrast marking)
Cable (processing)

Key Laser Marking Advantages

1Quality
Stable, defect-free marking is possible on high-speed lines. Accurate marking is possible on small wire diameters and rough surfaces.
2Cost
Detailed, damage-free traceability is possible with laser markers. There are also zero running costs.
3Work efficiency
There is no need to refill the ink every few hours and the work required to change the marking details is greatly reduced.
4Environment
No ink means no organic solvents, which contributes to environmental health and safety.

Laser Marking vs. Inkjet Printing on Bottles

Laser markers work on both transparent and colored bottles. They're even capable of handling multiple bottle types on a single line, since KEYENCE's 3-Axis control eliminates the need for tooling changes.

No ink also means no running costs and no need for ongoing maintenance.

5. Improvement from Using Ink on Bottles

Application Examples

Cosmetic bottle
Plastic bottle

Key Laser Marking Advantages

1Quality
3-Axis control enables stable, beautiful marking on multiple bottle shapes.
2Cost
Detailed, damage-free traceability is possible with laser markers. There are also zero running costs.
3Work efficiency
Eliminates the need for tooling changes and regular maintenance.
4Environment
Because no ink is used, no organic solvents are used as well, which contributes to environmental initiatives (CSR).

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