In this article, we will explore the different powers of marking lasers and the pulse duration, focusing on wavelength. We will try to understand how these three parameters define the markings we make on components.
Laser markers can have either pulsed or continuous lasers. This is what we call the operating mode. With continuous-wave lasers, energy flow is constant. This means that the laser continuously emits a single, uninterrupted laser beam. The most common example of an uninterrupted laser beam is a laser pointer. Continuous-wave lasers are commonly used for laser cutting and laser welding.
With pulsed lasers, the laser beam is interrupted at regular intervals, allowing the energy to accumulate, reaching a higher peak power than continuous-wave lasers. The laser beam is released as pulses that last a certain amount of time, called the pulse duration. This high energy is required for many applications, such as laser marking.
Continuous-wave lasers may appear more powerful than pulsed lasers, but this is not always true. This is because, in reality, the power indicates the average laser power, and the average laser power of pulsed lasers is usually lower, even if the peaks are higher.
For example, a continuous 6,000 W laser continuously releases 6,000 W of laser power. On the other hand, a 100 W pulsed laser can release 10,000 W pulses each time.
Here, we will discuss the variable pulse duration version of the Fiber lasers, or LASIT’s FlyMOPA, which is ideal for marking plastic and all metal.