Innovative Vision Alignment Tools

Camera systems that ensure precise and repeatable marking accuracy

Traceability is one of the industrial watchwords of today. In the medical, automotive and aerospace sectors, it’s become almost an imperative. These are industries where individual component marking is rarely carried out in major volumes or onto parts with a consistent uniform size or shape. Marking can be work intensive and inaccurate, creating cost-consuming and unprofitable scrap and waste.

Point & Shoot™

TLM’s product partners, FOBA, offer two proven solutions. First is Point & Shoot™. This innovative visual tool option eliminates extended periods of trial and error. It allows users to create marking jobs from existing pre-marked parts, without the need for part drawings. The Point & Shoot camera focuses through the lens to the marking field. It shows a live image from within the software allowing you to overlay your text, graphic, logo, etc.. You can then create the marking and drag and drop it into position.

This WYSIWYG tool is perfect for the processing of quality, high-cost work pieces and individual parts. It generates less scrap, saves costs and increases productivity because marks are applied as and when they are required – exactly.

Intelligent Mark Positioning

The patented high speed Intelligent Mark Positioning (IMP) system detects work pieces automatically to ensure absolute precision and repeatability – especially in automated batch production. In industries where strict compliance to set standards is required, such as aerospace and (with special regard to UDI) medical technology, mark position accuracy is essential. IMP automatically detects the part, validates its integrity, measures its position and aligns the laser marking or engraving process accordingly.

Optical Character Verification

Through Optical Character Verification (OCV), IMP can achieve pre-mark and post-mark verification. Pre-marking verification prevents the operator from marking parts that are already marked. Post-marking verification validates the marking is accurate. It also helps check for marks with poor contrast that may have been caused by a degradation in laser performance or a change in the material’s characteristics.

IMP is an economical system that can increase productivity and reduce production costs in a wide range of industries, particularly in an automated processing environment. The system delivers the highest processing quality consistently and allows faster finishing as well as improving accuracy, increasing efficiency and reducing wastage and scrap.

To find out more about IMP and Point & Shoot and which system can best provide the maximum benefits for your organisation, please contact sales@tlm-laser.com