MARKEM-Imaje has launched an ‘ultrafast’ fiber laser which the firm said cuts costs and increases uptime of high volume beverage can lines.
The SmartLase F500 coder is decribed as enhancing traceability and anti-counterfeiting efforts by making it easier for manufacturers to put permanent codes onto products.
Manufacturers can print up to 2400 characters per second on lines running up to 640 metres per minute.
“Through the use of proprietary algorithms, the SmartLase F500 laser provides smoother, more precise codes at speeds faster than competitor lasers on surfaces including aluminum and steel beverage cans as well as many plastics, flexible films, extrusion polymers and bare metals,” Markem-Imaje said.
“The precise number of characters and speed will depend on the underlying material and message complexity.
“For example the SmartLase F500 can code up to 1750 cans per minute with 18 alpha-numeric characters 2.6 mm high on a 66 millimetre diameter beverage can production line.”
