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Laser Marking of ECC 200 2D Matrix Codes on Printed Circuit Boards

Manufacturers of Digital products, from home audio machines to automotive keyless entry programs, are ever more searching for a reliable, affordable process for uniquely pinpointing and monitoring merchandise through the producing cycle, gross sales distribution and right after-sale guarantee verification. An autonomous, automated tracking system requires that a permanent, equipment-readable code be placed on an internal printed circuit board to uniquely determine each product or service. The code must be resilient ample to survive producing procedures together with wave solder and board cleansing, ought to not have an effect on circuit performance, and ought to store information while in the little House accessible on authentic-estate mindful printed circuit boards.

The 2nd matrix code provides a means to store alphanumeric character strings in extremely compact regions of the printed circuit board. Laser marking technological innovation offers a method for completely making use of 2nd matrix codes to most board substrates. The large-resolution and substantial-accuracy of beam-steered laser marking methods gives the usually means to produce perfectly defined, significant reliability codes despite code dimension. Laser marking also provides the person with a pc-managed marking process for straightforward implementation into automated merchandise tracking units.

ECC two hundred 2nd Matrix Codes

Two-dimensional symbologies encode info in the shape of a checkerboard pattern of on/off cells. Certain benefits of Facts Matrix codes in excess of traditional 1D barcodes incorporate:

Encode data digitally, instead of the analog encoding of data in typical barcodes.

Can accommodate minimal-contrast printing right on components without having demanding a label

Offer pretty superior details density – the highest between other common second codes, which means you could place quite a bit of data in an exceptionally small area.

They are really scaleable, which implies you can print them and read them in different levels of magnification – only confined through the resolution in the accessible printing and imaging strategies.

A result of the higher information and facts density inherent to Details Matrix codes, In addition they supply created-in error-correction strategies which permit absolutely recovering the message encoded in a knowledge Matrix image although the mark is broken and lacking approximately twenty% in the symbol.

They may be go through by video clip healthcare translation services cameras in contrast to a scanned laser beam employed for studying typical barcodes, meaning that they can be go through in almost any orientation.

ECC two hundred Info Matrix is the most well-liked 2-D symbology with in depth use in automotive, aerospace, electronics, semiconductor, professional medical devices as well as other manufacturing unit-amount traceability applications. Data Matrix codes are generally not replacing traditional linear barcodes, but are being used where conventional barcodes were way too substantial, didn't provide ample storage capability, or had been unreadable.

Info Matrix Code Structure

The 2D matrix codes surface as being a “checkerboard” with the person squares (cells) in either on on (white) or off (black) state. The code consists of four unique elements.

The Finder “L” Sample includes a reliable row medical translation services of cells along the left edge and base from the code that orients the reader for the structure in the second code.

The Clock Track is actually a sequence of on/off cells together the proper edge and leading from the code that designates the row/column rely for the reader.

The information Location would be the sample of black and white cells within the L pattern as well as the clock tracks that have the alphanumeric articles of your code.

The Tranquil Zone round the code should be freed from any features Which may be obvious to the reader. The tranquil zone need to be at the least two rows/columns huge for codes constructed of square cells. The silent zone ought to be at least four rows/columns vast for codes built of round cells (dots).

ECC two hundred Details Matrix codes can retail outlet nearly 3,116 numeric, 2,335 alphanumeric figures or one,555 bytes of binary information in the 144 column by one hundred forty four row array. A lot more reasonable image Proportions for printed circuit boards can still have a substantial volume of information.

Laser Marking Process

The laser marking technique is made of the laser resource, the beam-shaping optics, plus the beam-steering method.

The laser is a lightweight amplifier building a bright, collimated beam of light at a specific wavelength. For FR4 and solder mask programs, most customers pick the air-cooled CO2 laser functioning at the 10,640nm considerably-infrared wavelength. This laser presents numerous overall performance and value positive aspects, and produces outstanding marking outcomes.

The laser beam is projected by way of two beam-deflecting mirrors mounted to superior-speed, substantial-precision galvanometers. Given that the mirrors are rotated under course on the method Pc, the laser beam scans through the goal marking floor to “attract” the specified marking impression.

Once the laser beam is deflected through the beam-steering mirrors, it is focused towards the smallest spot doable by flat-subject focusing optics. The flat-field concentrating assembly is usually a multi-component optical system developed to keep up the focal aircraft in the focused laser beam on a relatively flat aircraft through the entire marking area. The focused laser light-weight substantially enhances the electrical power density and linked marking electricity.

The purpose of the laser optical prepare is usually to aim the laser beam to a small location and to scan the laser beam around the goal surface with substantial speed and precision. Using the CO2 laser configuration, the focused place diameter and involved marking line width is about 0.0035″ to 0.004″. Man-readable textual content figures is as modest as 0.040″ and 2nd matrix codes may be made from particular person attributes as little as only one 0.004″ dot.

PCB Marking

To mark printed circuit boards, the warmth generated by the laser beam thermally alters the floor in the board to make a contrasting, legible mark. The method isn't going to have to have labels, stencils, punches or another auxiliary components or consumable.

For printed circuit board applications, many unique variations of This system can be employed for different board/coating products and history disorders.

Solder mask or other Conformal Coatings on FR4 Boards –

The laser beam can change the texture with the coating, giving it a lighter contrasting visual appearance, or can fully remove the coating to reveal the fundamental substrate or copper floor aircraft.

Uncoated FR4 –

The laser beam alters the texture of the area of your FR4 generating a around white look.

Silk-screened Ink Block –

For end users who previously silkscreen ingredient identification or other fixed information on the boards, a silk-screened white ink block can function like a background to your 2D matrix code to optimize readability. This method is particularly beneficial when

o The track record coloration with the board is analogous to the color with the laser mark.

o Fundamental circuitry would obscure the marking image to code visitors.

o The board material isn't suitable for laser marking, like ceramic substrates.

2D Matrix Code Verification

Verification in the legibility and written content from the 2nd matrix codes is a vital step in the overall quality application. Immediately after marking of each circuit, the reader verifies the integrity on the mark in advance of indexing the laser marking head to the subsequent marking site. The reader retrieves the alphanumeric textual content string in the 2D code and compares it With all the text string which was to be marked.

The reader also evaluates the legibility of the code based on several different parameters together with foreground/history distinction, geometric accuracy (skew, squareness, etcetera.) as well as dimensional precision of both of those the marked and unmarked cells. The 2D matrix codes are then classified as handed (green), warned (yellow) or unsuccessful (pink). For overall production efficiency, the laser system is usually programmed to confirm just a select couple 2nd codes over a panel, then to quickly switch to verifying just about every code When the code legibility falls under a specified degree.

Now’s readers do a fantastic task reading through decreased distinction 2D codes. Should the laser marking method is put in on an assembly line with older second matrix audience downstream with the laser marker, the verification reader might be configured to evaluate the codes according to the performance from the older downstream readers to assure consistent general performance through the assembly process.

Marking Efficiency

The everyday printed circuit board marker is a totally automated, SMEMA-compliant, by way of-conveyor laser marking process. The overall efficiency of your laser marker is comprised of several measures which make up the marking cycle. The actions necessary to mark a person multi-array panel are

1. Transport and positioning from the panel while in the marking space.

2. Fiducial location detection (optional)

3. Marking of the 1st circuit while in the array

4. Verification of the marked 2D matrix code (optional)

five. Movement on the laser marking head to the subsequent circuit inside the array.

six. Repeat methods 3 and 4 for the remaining circuits in the array.

seven. Transportation of the panel out of your laser marking technique (synonymous with bringing another panel in)

Price of Procedure

Expense of operation is much less than $1.00 for every hour. Common utilities requirements are 110VAC, one-stage, 12A. A compressed air supply is required to the pneumatics. Whole utilities charges at optimum laser power (the laser should truly run at much less then eighty% rated electric power) are $0.twelve per hour. The primary consumable item is definitely the CO2 laser tube that should be replaced each three to five years at a cost of ordinarily $one,000.00 to $one,five hundred.00. Assuming a 40-hour workweek and tube life of three many years, the tube alternative cost would equate to $0.eighteen for each hour for a complete working expense of $0.thirty per hour under worst case situations. Actual working costs will be reduced because of a lot less than greatest electrical usage and extended tube life.

For standard pcb laser marking applications, the fee for marking is lower than $0.0003 for each circuit.

Summary

The electronics sector has become looking for a price and technically powerful signifies of applying machine-readable codes to printed circuit boards For the reason that 1980’s. Early makes an attempt bundled laser marking linear barcodes over the board edge, a daunting problem for reader alignment, and marking linear barcodes beside circuit traces, also a obstacle for barcode audience. Barcode written content was limited to a number of figures on account of restricted space plus the barcodes character-for each-inch capacity.

The event of your 2D matrix code coupled with the resolution, permanence and pace of beam-steered laser marking technologies now gives manufacturers a trustworthy, Price tag-efficient, adaptable and verifiable signifies to uniquely determine every solution as a result of manufacturing, distribution and immediately after-sale.