In the modern packaging industry, QR codes, as an efficient information carrier, are widely used in product traceability, anti-counterfeiting, and marketing. Bottle caps are an important packaging component for beverages, medicines, and other products. The quality of their QR code marking directly affects the overall quality and market competitiveness of the product. With its unique advantages, UV laser marking machines have gradually become an ideal choice for QR code marking on bottle caps.
一、The difference between UV laser marking machine and traditional inkjet printer
(I) Working principle
A traditional inkjet printer sprays ink onto the surface of a bottle cap through a nozzle to form a QR code or other logo. The principle is to use pressure or an electric field to control the spray direction and size of ink droplets.
UV laser marking: A UV Laser Printer uses a 355nm UV laser to directly act on the surface of the material through a high-energy-density laser beam, breaking the molecular chain or causing a chemical reaction in the material, thereby forming a permanent mark.
(II) Marking effect
Traditional inkjet printing: The effect of inkjet printing is easily affected by ink quality, nozzle accuracy, and environmental factors, and the clarity and durability of the logo are poor. On some bottle caps made of special materials, the ink may penetrate, diffuse, or fade.
Laser marking equipment: The ultraviolet laser marking machine can achieve fine marking at the micron level or even the nanometer level. The logos, such as QR codes, have high clarity, good contrast, and are not easy to wear or fade.
(III) Consumables cost
Traditional inkjet printer: It is necessary to regularly replace the nozzle and replenish the ink. The ink cost is high, and the nozzle is easily clogged, which increases the maintenance cost.
UV laser marking machine: It does not require the use of consumables such as ink, has low operating costs, simple maintenance, and a long service life.
二、 Pain points of bottle cap coding
(I) Material diversity
Bottle caps come in a wide variety of materials, including plastics, metals, etc. The adhesion of traditional coding methods to different materials varies greatly, making it difficult to meet the marking needs of all materials.
(II) Poor environmental adaptability
During the production, transportation, and storage of bottle caps, they may face complex environments such as high temperature, humidity, and friction. Traditional coding logos are easily blurred or fall off due to environmental factors.
(III) It is difficult to strike a balance between production efficiency and quality
Traditional inkjet printers are difficult to ensure the clarity and consistency of markings on high-speed production lines, especially when it is necessary to frequently replace the nozzle or adjust the printing parameters, which will affect production efficiency.
三、 Advantages of UV laser marking machine
(1) High precision and high resolution
The High-Speed Laser Marking Machine has good beam quality and small focusing spot, which can achieve ultra-fine marking. The lines of the QR code and other marks are clear and detailed, which is suitable for bottle cap marking with extremely high precision requirements.
(2) Cold processing and low thermal impact
Ultraviolet lasers are cold light sources. It produces almost no thermal effect during processing and will not cause material deformation or burning. It is particularly suitable for bottle caps made of heat-sensitive materials such as plastic.
(3) Permanent marking
The QR code formed by laser marking is a permanent mark formed on the surface of the material through physical or chemical reactions. It has extremely high wear resistance and corrosion resistance and can withstand complex environmental tests.
(4) Environmental protection and pollution-free
No chemical substances such as ink are used in the UV laser marking process, and no pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are generated, which meets environmental protection requirements.
(5) Automation and efficient production
The UV laser marking machine can be easily integrated into the automated production line to achieve online flight marking, improve production efficiency, and reduce manual intervention.
(6) Wide range of material applicability
Flying Laser Marking Machines are suitable for almost all common materials, including plastics, metals, glass, etc., and can meet the marking needs of different bottle cap materials.
In summary, the UV laser marking machine, with its advantages of high precision, cold processing, permanent marking, etc., solves many pain points of traditional inkjet coding in bottle cap marking and becomes an ideal choice for bottle cap QR code marking. It not only improves the quality and market competitiveness of products but also brings higher production efficiency and economic benefits to enterprises. With the continuous advancement of technology and the expansion of applications, Laser Coding Machine will play an important role in more fields.
CYCJET is the brand name of Yuchang Industrial Company Limited. As a manufacturer, CYCJET has more than 19 years of experience in R&D for different types of handheld inkjet printing solutions, laser printing solutions, portable marking solutions, and high-resolution printing solutions in Shanghai, China.
Contact Person: David Guo
Telephone: +86-21-59970419 ext 8008
MOB: +86-139 1763 1707
Email: sales@cycjet.com
Web: https://cycjet.com/
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