Those who manufacture or recondition cutting tools – milling cutters, drills, taps, reamers, inserts – work with mixed batches, variable geometries, and traceability that is now a technical requirement, no longer an optional request, in industries such as automotive, aerospace, and precision engineering. Added to this is a concrete constraint: space on the shop floor is limited and the marker must be able to fit in without disrupting existing flows. The TowerMark was born for this specific scenario.
A marking area designed for tool pallets
The starting figure is dimensional: marking area up to 600×170 mm on a 750×475 mm work surface, with an overall footprint of less than meter by meter. In practice, you load an entire V-shaped jig with dozens of tools and mark them in a single cycle, without operator intervention between parts.
On a simple V-shaped jig, milling cutters of 6-12 mm diameter are conveniently aligned at regular pitch. With a modular jig designed on the specific geometry, more than 100 parts can be loaded simultaneously. The advantage lies not only in throughput: loading/unloading time, which on a single-piece cycle weighs more than laser time, is essentially eliminated from the operating flow.
On the choice of focal length, working with long, narrow tools the elongated geometry of the 600×170 mm area matches well with the typical shape of the workpiece, avoiding additional table movements.
400 mm Z-axis travel and wide front access
The marking area is not the only dimension that matters. The TowerMark has a Z-axis travel of 400 mm, enough to cover even taller workpieces such as complete toolholders, spindles or clamping equipment, which can pass through the machine without resorting to a separate station.
On the ergonomic front, the cabin provides a large front access area: the table can be reached from the outside even with large modular jigs, with faster loading cycles and less operator fatigue on batches of hundreds of parts per day.
Rotary axis for 360-degree marking
When the specification calls for circumferential marking-code readability independent of mounting orientation, or marking on a continuous cylindrical body-the TowerMark can be equipped with a rotary axis. Management is built into the software, which coordinates spindle rotation with laser scanning to achieve properly developed marking on the curved surface.
Thus, one and the same station covers both flat pallet work and single piece rotary marking, without the need for separate machines.
Laser source: why 30W is the reference
The standard configuration includes a 30W fiber laser. The tools are made of high-speed steel (HSS), tool steel or coated carbide (TiN, TiAlN, AlCrN). Below 30W it becomes difficult to obtain contrasting marks in the required time; above it introduces a risk of undesirable thermal alteration, particularly near the cutting coating.
With 30W, one works in both blackening-useful on coated surfaces, where contrast is needed without removal-and in true etching, where depth must survive subsequent cleaning or passivation.
Software, traceability and dialogue with ERP/MES
Tool marking is almost always associated with a unique code-Data Matrix, QR or serial alphanumeric-that identifies the part throughout its life cycle, from first sharpening to reconditioning. The TowerMark can be supplied with custom software that interfaces directly with ERP or MES for automatic retrieval of the data to be marked: the operator calls up the order, the software builds the layout with variable fields taken from the database, and the successful marking is sent back to the management system as confirmation. It is an integration that requires no hardware changes on the machine.
Designed for the workshop
The structure integrates both the control electronics and, where required, the exhaust fan with fume filtration into the base, avoiding external cabinets or modules. The enclosure is Class I according to EC regulations for laser radiation. The machine is also prepared for integration with loading/unloading robots, upon request: starting with a manned station and, at a later stage, automating pallet loading without replacing the marking machine.
When it makes sense to evaluate it
The TowerMark is a consistent choice for those who process cutting tools in mixed batches, with volumes of a few hundred to a few thousand parts per day, and need full traceability to management. The 400-mm Z stroke allows even tall parts to be handled, the optional rotary axis covers cylindrical marking, and the robotic setup leaves room for future evolution. For very high cadences on a single product, or for workpieces of considerably larger size and weight, different configurations-rotary table or three-axis systems with a fixed table should be evaluated.
