We are very glad to announce that next April, Macsa id will be exhibiting at Foodex Manufacturing Solutions, the UK's premier trade event for food and drink manufacturing, processing, packaging and logistics.
At this show, you’ll have the possibility to find out more about ‘industry 4.0’ and meet the innovators helping make sense of it all. The exhibition is going to take place from April 24th to 26that the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, UK. You can visit us at Hall 6, Stand K168.
We’d be honoured to receive you and showcase our expertise demonstrating how our products and services can benefit your company in undertaking coding and traceability projects across a very wide range of markets.
At FoodexUKyou’ll be able to see two of our technologies working live:
ICON3, our 100% sustainable small character coding. iCON 3 uses clean technology without waste or fuel, doesn't contain inks or solvents and doesn't emit volatile emissions. It has low energy consumption because iCON 3 uses electricity only when it is active.
ICON3. Fully affordable. No consumables.
idTIJ, our high resolution thermal ink injection printer that can be used to print product identification, traceability and date codes onto almost any material. Also, idTIJ printers are particularly effective on plastics, glass and metals, also perfect for round or concave surfaces, as well as for harsher industrial environments.
In addition, we will be showcasing two space models:
SPA2, “The Game-changer”: SPA2 is a series of laser coders for the packaging industry. This newly simplified, modular laser platform is easy to operate, cost effective, versatile and reliable – delivering maximum marking resolution on a wide range of substrates. Due to requiring no consumables, it’s environmentally friendly and cost effective to run.
At Foodex Manufacturing Solutions 2023 you will be able to discover our SPA2 C, ideal for packaged goods.
SPA2 C. Smart. Reliable. Versatile.
idJET, our High Resolution Inkjet printer. It is available in two formats: Compact & Umbilical. Both are capable of printing on an extremely wide variety of materials including iron, tin, aluminium, wood, steel, polystyrene and cardboard. They also include a touch screen which can be used for design, in addition to print management.
idJET. Economical. Easy maintenance.
Our experts are looking forward to welcoming you at Hall 6, Stand K168 and helping you find the right coding solution for your needs.
Foodex Manufacturing Solutions is just around the corner! We are really excited to demonstrate how our technology can help you improve your supply chain.
The 7th edition of Empack Oporto will be held on 19th and 20th April at the Fira Internacional do Porto, Portugal. This is an opportunity to bring together professionals from the sector with multiple suppliers. In addition, you can learn about the latest technological developments in the packaging community: through showrooms, conferences and innovation tours, allowing you to discover the future of the logistics industry.We will be at stand B07 in Pavilion 6 of Exponor, Fira Internacional Do Porto, with the latest solutions in coding and traceability 4.0 for the security of your products and customer peace of mind.
Invitations are available for you to attend Empack Oporto
The industrial labelling machine with linear pneumatic cylinders that allows labels to be applied to surfaces of different lengths. The linear MLPE 4020 from Macsa id has been designed with a high power overlapping system to guarantee good label application.
The SPA2 C 30W range of CO2 lasers are used in high speed applications for packaged goods such as cartons, bottles and blister packs. They provide permanent and sustainable markings that are legible and of the highest quality. It is relevant for all production environments and for a wide variety of substrates such as cardboard, glass, ceramic, PET and PVC in the FMCG markets.
The SPA2 Pulsed Fibre for coding in the packaging sector. A solution for legible, high quality, permanent and sustainable marking on metals in all production environments. These lasers can mark a wide variety of substrates, such as plastics and metals, in the FMCG markets.
SPA2 DPSS UVsolid state lasers used for packaged goods applications, typically for coding plastic substrates. The UV version allows special materials to be coded and marked with minimal thermal impact, making it ideal for marking delicate materials. Ideal environments for this version are standard and humid environments.
idTIJ and idJET; the high-resolution industrial inkjet printers capable of printing on all types of materials.
Linx 8900; the high-performance inkjet printer that helps maximise efficiency during production, saving on costs and time. The versatility of the 8900 series printers makes them suitable for coding across multiple markets and substrates.
Empack Oporto 2023 is just around the corner and we are looking forward to sharing our latest solutions in coding and traceability 4.0 with you at the show.
Would you like to come and visit Macsa at the Empack Portugal stand?
The drink can market is in constant growth thanks to various driving factors such as the ease and speed of recycling cans, a determining factor for consumers given current environmental awareness. In this article, discover Macsa id's specialized lasers for coding and marking cans.
Like other food and drink markets, the can market has the need to mark and code cans with a range of information such as can production date or production batch. It can change depending on the country you are manufacturing.
For many years, continuous ink jet printing technology has been used for marking cans, but recently laser technologyhas also been implemented in these marking applications.
Illustration 1: Can marked with a fiber laser system
The drink industry has one of the highest production rates. In most factories, the hourly production of drink cans is around 80,000 cans per hour. Considering it requires coding several lines of text, marking these products is a challenge.
Typically, marking needs on cans involve coding expiry and production dates, batch numbers, but sometimes also include 2D codes such as QR codes or Data Matrix codes. The marking position is usually the base of the can.
Coding requirements in the can market are very demanding. Marking systems must be fast, reliable and high quality.
Thanks to the development of innovative technologies such as fiber laser marking, the solutions offered in this market have been improved. Yet before going into detail with fiber lasers, it is necessary to talk about the technology used to mark drink cans in the past and is which still used today.
Continuous Ink Jet Printing
Continuous ink jet printing is still one of the most widely used systems in the drink industry for can marking.
The different features provided by this technology are:
It can mark many types of materials including cans.
Wide range of inks available, also with different ink colors for colored cans.
Removable inks for returnable containers.
Adhesive inks for marking on wet containers.
Increasingly, this technology is proving to be sub-optimal because the environment where the cans are produced can affect their readability and adhesion. For this reason, it is common to find duplicate coding on cans, which go through two in-line coding systems, increasing operational costs. (The hot and humid environment of drink plants often affects the legibility and adhesion of the information applied by ink printers. For this reason, manufacturers install two printers on each line so that if one machine fails, the other will still mark a code on the can. In addition to increasing operating costs, when both printers are running the information may be illegible because the two codes overlap).
It should also be noted that, compared to lasers, this technology is not as environmentally friendly.
2. Characteristics of fiber lasers
As mentioned, Laser marking systems have had a recent and incremental impact on the can marking and coding market. The large number of lasers within this industry is not a coincidence, but is due to the large list of features and many advantages offered when compared to other technology. Some of the most important features of marking lasers are detailed and discussed below.
Fiber lasers. Fiber lasers are used for optimum can marking. The radiation (with a wavelength of 1064 nm) generates an intaglio reaction (engraving) on the aluminum which, although not generating a color change, does produce high visibility and ensures an efficient, reliable and sustainable coding system.
High marking speeds. Because production rates are so high and a large number of characters must be encoded, the best solution is to use ultra high speed (UHS) and high power equipment from Macsa. Some Macsa lasers can mark more than 170,000 cans per hour (assuming a laser power of 100 W).
100x100 Lens. This lens provides a compromise between the energy density needed to generate a durable mark and the depth of focus needed to work on the curved underside of the can without losing coding capability.
Zero consumables. Laser technology requires no consumables and therefore no need to deal with the management and storage of inks, hazardous solvents and other consumables. In addition, this contributes to being an environmentally friendly machine.
High quality permanent marking. The lasers guarantee exceptional legibility, traceability and safety, even at very high operating speeds.
Environmental protection. Macsa lasers can operate in a wide range of temperatures, from 5°C to 40°C. In addition, the external laser housing can be IP55 or IP65 protected. This means that the laser is protected against sprayed water and is dust-tight.
Minimal maintenance. Maintenance of the lasers is minimal as the only items that need to be checked periodically are the optical components, including the lenses, as well as the air filters. Low maintenance reduces machine operating costs and increases overall equipment efficiency.
Long life. The internal laser source is long-lasting. It has an MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of approximately 100,000 hours, ensuring uninterrupted production, even in the most demanding applications.
Figure 2: Macsa id Fiber Laser System
3. Laser can marking explanation
The following is a technical explanation of how the laser marking process works on aluminum or tinplate (steel) cans.
Generation and reaction of the fiber laser beam
The marking laser is a device that emits light by means of an optical amplification process based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation.
The laser, as we have discussed, is electromagnetic radiation and has a wavelength. In this case, it is a Fiber laser and therefore has a wavelength of 1064 nanometers.
When the laser emission hits the can, it generates an intaglio reaction (engraving) that produces a resulting marking of excellent visibility.
The fiber laser for can marking is generated as follows:
In the laser source, diodes emit photons into the optical fiber doped with an active medium (Ytterbium).
The amplification process takes place with each collision of the photons with the atoms of the active medium (Ytterbium).
An element called Master Oscillator pulses the laser to achieve maximum peak output power.
The laser is then transported to the laser head by standard fiber optics to be collimated in the head to obtain a concentrated output laser beam.
Fiber laser beam steering and control
Once the laser beam is generated, it leaves the laser head but still has to follow a steering and control path. This laser beam path is located inside the marking head and consists of the following stages:
The beam exits through the laser tube opening and is conducted to the marking surface through the mirrors and focal lens.
Each movement of the mirrors corresponds to one of the axes (X or Y) and is positioned according to the X-Y coordinates of each of the points of the message to be printed.
These galvanometric scanners have built-in mirrors that reflect the laser beam to the marking surfaces. The mirrors have a high reflectivity index at the laser wavelength to provide maximum beam power.
In the case of dynamic marking, the mirrors follow the product as it moves down the production line while the message is being marked.
Sometimes, in the optical path, there may also be a laser beam expander, which serves to make the laser beam diameter larger/smaller. A 3D system for dynamic control of the Z-axis can also be incorporated.
Illustration 3: Example of an optical system with galvanometer scanners
4. Macsa's solution for laser marking cans
As a leading company in marking, coding, labeling and traceability, Macsa id adapts its different solutions to the specific needs of each market and each customer.
In this case of the drink can sector, we have implemented the following standard fiber laser marking system, which is modular and can be adapted to the different companies in the sector.
How the system works
The Macsa id fiber laser marking system for standard drink cans is composed of the following devices and systems:
Adjustable booth height
The booth where the drink cans are marked can be adapted to different transport heights.
The adjustment is manual by means of extending legs (which can be adjusted from the feet or from the upper body). An adjustment of 50 cm is foreseen. In addition, the feet are adjustable at the base to make it level. The assembly of the line is done through a split cabin to facilitate integration.
Illustration 4: drink cans marking system
Modular cab structure
The booth module is standard and as many modules can be added as required.
The module will always be the same and can be adapted to the application by adding modules as required. The booth is made of grade 316 Stainless Steel. The dimensions are optimized for the transport of the cans.
Illustration 5: Modular structure of the drink can marking system
Customized I/O side panels
One of the advantages of the machine is that costs are reduced due to the fact that only the panels are customized and also the safety is upgraded to class 1.
The side panels will allow the entry and exit of the assembly to be adapted the customer's transport. Tunnels can be added to improve safety.
Illustration 6: drink can marking system side panels
Cabin capacity
Each cabin module allows the devices to be added according to the customer's application needs.
The module should at least allow a fiber laser for can marking (SPA F-50 or SPA F-100) and a vision camera for marking verification to be added. The positions must be interchangeable.
Laser head adjustment
Focal adjustment allows marking of different can sizes. Automatic or manual positioning can be chosen by the customer.
The laser should be adjustable in focal length, manually or automatically, according to requirements (from 90 mm of product up to 250 mm).
Illustration 7: drink can marking system
System Control
The system control is adaptable to the customer's needs, covering the whole range of investments.
The control can be by Panel PC with Integra software (Macsa's own software for the integration of devices of the same system) or by Laser Touch Screen if only marking is required (Marca Touch software for editing laser messages).
A 500 x 600 mm electrical cabinet must be provided.
In both positions (camera and laser) there must be an emitter-receiver sensor to synchronize the movement of the cans with their marking and verification.
Closed lower cabinet
Being closed better protects the laser/machine control racks/cabin from water and dust that comes from outside.
The lower booth area shall be enclosed with hood type louvered ventilation.
Miscellaneous
The machine, as mentioned above, can be customized down to the smallest detail.
The following elements can be added according to the customer's needs:
Signaling beacon: This device is a 3-color traffic light that indicates the status of the system at all times.
Extractor system: A laser marking fume extraction system can be installed. The system will consist of a suction nozzle and an external fume filtering cabin. The nozzle will be attached to the laser module and will be connected to the outside with a flexible tube.
Viewing window: A window can be installed in the booth module to view the status inside the booth at any time.
Maintenance doors in the upper module: Doors can be installed in the upper part of the booth to facilitate the handling of the devices when maintenance work has to be done.
Illustration 8: drink can marking system
If you are looking for the best laser solution, do not hesitate to contact us:
Macsa id offers its customers a wide range of pre-sales and after-sales technical services. This personalised technical assistance aims to respond punctually to any coding, identification and traceability equipment needs that may arise.
As a market leader, we believe that committing...
Macsa id offers its customers a wide range of pre-sales and after-sales technical services. This personalised technical assistance aims to respond punctually to any coding, identification and traceability equipment needs that may arise.
As a market leader, we believe that committing...
The term 'Green Supply Chain management' (GSCM) refers to the concept of integrating sustainable environmental processes into the traditional supply chain. This can include processes such as product design, material sourcing and selection, manufacturing and production, operation and end-of-life management.
In recent years, research in the area of green manufacturing has extended into green supply chain management. Achieving highly responsive, sustainable supply chain performance is the key to securing a competitive advantage, as well consumer loyalty and long-term business success.
Organizations worldwide are acutely aware of this, but implementing green supply chain management is no simple task. Traditionally, supply chain management has been about cost and quality. Growing concern for the environment has forced a rethink.
In this article you will get an overview of the challenges it involves and Macsa id’s comprehensive solution to get along in this new scene.
Green supply chain management is an approach that integrates eco-friendly methods into traditional supply chain management. Its goal is to reduce the harm incurred at every stage of product creation—purchasing, production, material management, distribution, and logistics.
In short, the environmental aspect must be a component in all stages of a product's life, from its design, to its eventual recycling.
The Cycle of Green Supply Chain
2. The challenge with conventional packaging solutions
Conventional print methods struggle to offer brands the flexible and agile solutions they need to meet these varying packaging demands effectively. Traditional manufacturing processes are intended for mass production and require high volume minimum orders of identical boxes, labels, or retail displays to be cost-effective for the brand and the manufacturer.
3. Benefits of using laser printers
The rising adoption of digital printing and marking technology in food and beverage packaging, consumer goods packaging, and industrial packaging, is propelling the market towards laser printers in the food and FMCG segment.
Laser printing provides precise, high-quality text and graphics on various packaging materials. It is an ideal solution when you need custom printed labels for your products, promotional items, on a wide variety of packaging surfaces.
Laser markings are completely permanent. They are engraved onto the surface of the item, which is a huge bonus for laser marking.
Laser printers guarantee:
High-quality Print
Precision
Flexibility
Durability
Versatility
Safety
Near-Zero Maintenance
The Macsa id SPA2 Can Coding
4. The Macsa id solution
Macsa id’s packaging lasers achieve high quality marking on any packaging material from cardboard, glass or PET to polystyrene. They require no consumables, making them environmentally friendly and cost effective to run.
Macsa id provides laser marking solutions which are compact for production line environments, but also offers modular options for flexible integrated applications, with both options being highly reliable and requiring little maintenance.
To explore Macsa id’s range of laser printers just click here.
At Macsa id we will be happy to find the marking, coding and traceability solution that best suits your needs:
The method that is typically used in laser systems utilizes an optical system of galvanometric scanners. Because the laser beam has no mass, limitations on speed and accuracy are imposed by the movements of the mirrors that guide the laser beam.
Beam control is achieved using a set of two X-Y mirrors connected via an axis to the galvanometer scanners, which is in turn controlled by drivers receiving signals from the laser CPU. This provides a pair of polar coordinates converted to Cartesian coordinates by positioning the laser beam in an X-Y plane.
The beam exits through the opening of the laser tube and is directed at the marking surface via the mirrors and focal lens.
Each movement of the mirrors corresponds to one of the axes (X or Y) and is positioned according to the X-Y coordinates of each of the points of the printed message.
These galvanometric scanners have built-in mirrors that reflect the laser beam onto the marking surfaces. The mirrors have a high reflectivity index at the particular laser wavelength to provide maximum beam power.
In the case of dynamic marking, the mirrors follow the product as it moves down the production line while the message is being marked.
Figure 1: Example of an optical system with galvanometer scanners
2. 3D technology
For 3D marking currently there are different technologies, but these can be divided into 2 main groups:
Displacement lenses
These optical systems in 3D laser marking heads entail the introduction of a new displaceable lens in addition to one, two or more fixed focal lenses. These lenses are placed in the optical path between the laser tube aperture and the X-Y galvanometric scanners.
The usual operation of these systems is as follows:
The laser beam exits the laser tube aperture and hits the displaceable lens. The function of this lens is to shift the laser focal spot around the focal plane by moving along an optical axis. This causes a change in the divergence angle of the laser beam.
Once the laser beam has passed through the displaceable lens, it passes through one, two or more focal lenses that deal with focusing. It then reaches the laser deflection unit, which is where the X and Y galvanometer scanners are located. As already explained above, the task of the scanners is to guide the laser beam on the X-Y plane.
If we focus on the 3D part of the optical path, the part with the new lenses, we can say that when the movable lens approaches the fixed lens, the focal length increases. Conversely, when the displaceable lens moves away from the fixed lens, the focal length decreases.
To achieve high performance 3D marking, in addition to having a system with the components explained above, we will need the linear lens shift system to have a number of characteristics.
For example, the lens displacement speed performance has to be very high, since the 3 axes (X, Y, Z) have to be coordinated to achieve perfect 3D marking.
To attain good performance for linear lens displacement systems, different technologies have been explored. A few of these are explained below:
Galvanometer (Rotary Motor).
It works in the same way as galvanometers that control the motion of X-Y scanners. A galvanometer is based on and works like an electric motor.
Displacement systems can have 2 galvanometers, one on each side for higher speed performance.
Linear actuator (Linear motor)
These are motors that base their operation on the same physical principle as traditional rotary motors, but instead of having a rotary motion they have a linear motion due to the arrangement of their components.
Piezoelectric moto
These motors are considered linear but follow the piezoelectric principle in operation. This principle uses the deformation experienced in some materials when an electric current is applied to them. This deformation is converted into an ultrasonic vibration that moves the motor forwards/backwards.
Voice coil motor
This motor is based on a copper coil energized by an electric current and placed inside a magnetic field generated by permanent magnets. The force generated by the coil is proportional to the magnetic field and to the direction and magnitude of the electric field. As there are no components in contact, there is no wear or friction and it is suitable for high speed applications.
All these linear lens displacement systems will normally be controlled by drivers connected to the central CPU of the laser system.
In addition to the above, depending on the application of the 3D laser marking system, an F-Theta lens may or may not be included. The function of these lenses is to ensure the same focal length over the entire marking area.
Focus-tunable lens
The 3D technology we are going to explain below is based on physical properties to control the Z-axis.
The electrically focus-tunable lens is a flexible lens that can change its shape. This lens consists of a polymer membrane surrounded on one side by a type of liquid and on the other side by air. Finally, it is encapsulated by protective glass.
The lens works as follows: If the pressure difference between liquid and air is altered by means of an electromagnetic actuator, the radius of curvature of the membrane can change.
In the marking head, these tunable lenses are positioned between the laser tube aperture and the X-Y galvanometer scanners. Their function in the optical path is the same as that of the displaceable lens, i.e. to control and change the position of the Zaxis.
As in the previous case, depending on the application, an F-Theta lens may or may not be added at the end of the optical path.
If it is added, its function is to ensure the smoothing of the marking area and the function of the tunable lens is to change the divergence of the laser beam to achieve a focus shift in the Z-axis.
If the F-Theta lens is not added, the two functions discussed above must be performed by the tunable lens.
The tunable lens is controlled by a driver connected to the laser system's CPU and allows real-time control in conjunction with the X-Y scanners to achieve perfect 3D marking.
3. Other Z-Axis Control technology
Apart from laser marking for 3D objects, it is sometimes necessary to control the Z-axis but at lower output, for example when marking an object with different planes at different heights.
In this application the Z-axis has to go up/down, but it does not have to do it in coordination/real time with the X-Y scanners. In other words, the Z-axis does not have to go as fast as in 3D laser marking systems.
For these applications there is also a wide range of technology, but we will describe the most commonly used ones:
Focus Shifter
The basic principle of this technology is the same as in 3D displaceable lens laser systems. In fact, the operation and arrangement of the optical components inside the marking head is practically the same.
The big difference between these two technologies is, as mentioned above, the performance it gives, so the displaceable lens systems for focus shifters normally use a single galvanometer because the application speeds are much lower.
External Z-axis
This technology is different from that described above. As the name suggests, the Z-axis is controlled externally, i.e. outside the marking head of the laser system.
This external axis can be implemented in two ways: either an elevator can be positioned to raise/lower the laser or an elevator can be positioned to raise/lower the marking plane and thus the product in question.
In this application, the laser focal length is always the same since the laser beam is static in the Z-axis, but it is the external Z-axis elevator that moves up/down.
Many laser applications have an external elevator to properly adjust the focal length manually using up/down buttons.
For more precise applications, the elevator may be controlled by a servo motor connected directly to the laser CPU to receive position signals.
4. Creation of 3D messages with marca
Marca is Macsa id's own message design software.
The software in question has an option for editing and designing messages for 3D shapes.
The 3D message design is very similar to the 2D edition. The message to be marked is created with the standard software editor. As in 2D message editing, you can add shapes, text, user messages, images, date or time fields...
The difference comes now. In the standard case, when we created the message, we could already save it or print it directly without taking any further steps. In the case of 3D design, once the message is created in the standard Marca editor, we must map the 2D objects created to the surface of the 3D objects. For this reason, first of all, the 3D objects will have to be imported/created in the software.
To edit and design a message on a 3D object, follow the steps below:
Once we have the Marca software open we have to press the button.
A pop-up window will appear with an options bar on the right and a central screen with an X-Y plane. If we zoom out the screen with the mouse wheel, we can see a square with a white circle that represents the laser and can serve as a reference point.
To add a 3D object, we have to select the desired geometric figure (sphere, cone, plane, cylinder...) from the drop-down list at the top right of the pop-up window and press the "Add" button.
Figure 2: 3D window in Marca with some selected shapes.
In the toolbar we can see the created shapes and we can view and change their properties.
In the standard 2D Brand editor we have to design the message we want to mark on the 3D figure. Once the message is created, if we go inside the 3D popup window, we will see that the message appears in the z = 0 plane. That is, the message is not yet mapped on the figure.
Figure 3: 3D window with a message on the z = 0 plane
Next, we must map the 2D message to the 3D figure. Once completed, we can see how the message is mapped on its surface in the 3D window.
Figure 4: 3D window with different messages mapped on the 3D objects
In addition to the range of geometric shapes in the 3D window, it is also possible to import your own STL files (3D shapes) to perfectly map the marking onto the surface of the product.
Figure 5: Message created in the standard editor and 3D window with the message mapped onto an imported 3D object
If you are looking for the best laser solution, do not hesitate to contact us:
Optimal coding and traceability solutions for the chemical and paint industry
Macsa id offers coding and traceability solutions for most industrial sectors, including the chemical and paint industries, where several leading companies already use our products.
In chemical and paint companies it...
Integra, coding and traceability process optimisation and management in the production industry
For Macsa id, offering a comprehensive service to our customers is essential. That's why, in addition to having the widest range of lasers, along with coding and marking technologies...
Take away detailed information for our SPA range. If you provide your email address, we’ll send contact details of your personal product advisor for any future questions.
Empack Oporto 2023 is just around the corner and we are looking forward to sharing our latest solutions in coding and traceability 4.0 with you at the show.
Fiber laser beam steering and control
Once the laser beam is generated, it leaves the laser head but still has to follow a steering and control path. This laser beam path is located inside the marking head and consists of the following stages:
