Johan Bosman

Laser and materials technology for flexible decoration in mass production

Customization of products is an important factor in selling products. This will lead to an increasing number of types in the production. To control this, a flexible way of decoration should be integrated in the production. Without a flexible and high yield mass customization method, the integration of customization in a mass production cannot be achieved. Laser decoration is one of the possible techniques that is able to meet the demands for flexibility and high yield. There are already some methods available, but the combination of quality with price is, at the moment, an obstacle. Laser decoration is the only technique which is already integrated into a mass production environment and is able to join decorative marking with high yield and low costs. Color flexibility is, however, still a major challenge for laser decoration. In order to expand towards a more mature technique and to explain the necessary developments, we would like to focus on the process. The process is a combination of laser technology, material technology and software (decoration, engraving, marking, tunable lasers, multi color, process control).

Nanosecond laser micro machining using an external beam attenuator

The pulse width -- pulse energy relationship of a solid-state laser can reduce the accuracy of micro machined features. Our goal is to control a depth of a laser mark with an accuracy of 0.1 μm and reduce the line width below the spot diameter. Reaching this depth and width in a stable and industrial viable laser process would not have been possible without the additional control generated by the beam attenuator.