JOB ENTITIES

6 Mark Entities

• Select a mark object and then press the F2 key.

A
B
C M

D N
E O

F P
G Q
H R
I S
J T
K U
L V

The Profiles page

A Select the marking Mode:
•Mark once - The object will mark once with the selected Profile parameters.
•Mark Multiple times - The object will mark the number of times indicated in the Passes field.
•2 pass Cut and Clean - The object will mark twice and each pass has its own Profile settings. To
modify different Profile settings, select them with the Current Profile box.
• 3 pass Cut and Clean - The object will mark three times and each pass has its own Profile
settings. To modify different Profile settings, select them with the Current Profile box.
• 4 pass Cut and Clean - The object will mark four times, and each pass has its own Profile
settings. To modify different Profile settings, select them with the Current Profile box. If the Use
pens checkbox is checked, 2 pass Cut and Clean, 3 pass Cut and Clean, or 4 pass Cut and Clean
is not available.
B When the Mode field is set to 2 pass Cut and Clean, 3 pass Cut and Clean, or 4 pass Cut and Clean,
or the Use pens box is checked, the Current Profile box selects which Profile is currently displayed.
If displaying pens, the associated pen color is displayed to indicate which line segments in the

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object will use the current Profile. Changes can be made to the current Profile and saved with the
object.
C The Passes field is only available when the Mark Multiple times mode is selected. Enter the desired
number of marking passes for the object. When running the Job, the object will mark the number of
times indicated in the Passes field, even though it only appears in the Object List once.
D Controls the output power of the laser. On YAG type lasers, this is typically accomplished by
changing the lamp or diode current. On CO2 type lasers, varying the pulse width while maintaining
the frequency at a constant value controls power. Depending on the settings in the Laser
Configuration file, the units are percent (%) or Watts.
E Controls the repetition rate of the laser control signal. On YAG lasers, this is usually referred to as
the Q-Switch frequency.
F Many applications require laser marking without variation in intensity at the start or end of a
vector. In order to reach acceptable marking results, it is necessary to mark vectors with a constant
velocity. When the Scan Head first executes a marking vector, the mirrors on the galvanometers
have to be accelerated up to the defined marking speed. To make sure the laser is not switched on
before the mirrors have reached the programmed angular velocity, a LaserOn Delay is
automatically inserted before the start of a series of marking vectors. The length of the LaserOn
Delay has to be matched with the Mark Speed.
G Depending on the programmed Mark Speed, a difference occurs between the commanded position
and the actual position of each mirror during execution of a vector. The difference in time between
these two values is called lag. When the command value of the end of a vector is reached, the laser
should not be turned off immediately; it must be turned off after a delay, to compensate for the lag.
A LaserOff Delay is automatically inserted at the end of every series of marking vectors. The length
of the LaserOff Delay has to be matched with the Mark Speed
H At the end of a series of marking vectors, the mirrors have to settle to a stop before executing the
next command. For this reason, a Mark Delay is automatically inserted after the last marking
vector in a series. For best performance, Mark Speed and Mark Delay have to be well matched.
I The time lag occurring while executing a series of marking vectors results in a rounding of the
corners of the polygon. To control this a Poly Delay is inserted between each vector is a series of
marking vectors (polyline).
J The position to move the z-axis output device. This is typically used with a linear translator
assembly to move the focus point up and down in relation to the marking surface.
K Controls the Waveform mode of the laser. Currently supported only with SPI G3 laser systems.
L After the object has completed marking, the laser power will be set to zero % if this option is
selected. This feature is useful if using certain laser types that require a separate signal to control
the laser power.
M The Use pens check box is only available when the object contains extended pen information. Pen
information is usually found in files of type *.PLT, *.DXF and *.DWG.. Using pens allows different
line segments within one object to be assigned different Profiles. When the Use pens box is checked,
the Current Profile control updates with the pens available in the object, and the associated color in
which the line segments in the object are drawn on screen When the Mode field is set to 2 pass Cut
and Clean, 3 pass Cut and Clean, or 4 pass Cut and Clean, using pens is not available

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N Controls the speed with which the laser spot moves on the target while executing a marking vector.
The laser is on during the mark.
O Controls the pulse width of the laser control signal. On CO2 lasers, this parameter is not available,
as it is set automatically based on the value in the Laser Power field. For example, if the Laser
Power field is set to 50% and the Frequency field to 5 KHz, the pulse width will be set automatically
to 100 µs.
P Controls the speed with which the spot moves while “jumping” to the start of the next marking
vector. The laser is off during the jump.
Q Before executing a jump command, the Scan Head mirrors have to be accelerated up to the
programmed Jump Speed. This acceleration results in a time lag. After the jump, the mirrors need
time to settle to a complete stop. In order to take into account the time lag and settling time, a Jump
Delay is inserted automatically at the end of every jump vector. Note that a higher Jump Speed
requires a longer Jump Delay. The entire time taken by a jump consists of the jump time and the
Jump Delay and can be minimized by choosing optimum values of Jump Speed and Jump Delay.
R Jump delays sometimes need to be longer for larger jumps, and shorter for smaller jumps. When a
jump length is greater than the Vari. Jump Length, the Vari. Jump Delay is applied. When jumps are
smaller than Vari. Jump Length, the standard Jump Delay is used. To disable, set to 0.
S Jump delays sometimes need to be longer for larger jumps, and shorter for smaller jumps. When a
jump length is greater than the Vari. Jump Length, the Vari. Jump Delay is applied. When jumps are
smaller than Vari. Jump Length, the standard Jump Delay is used.
T When Wobble Width is greater than 0, the beam dithers (moves in a very small circle) while marking
a vector. Changing the Wobble Frequency controls the speed at which this circle is moved.
U When Wobble Width is greater than 0, the beam dithers (moves in a very small circle) while marking
a vector. This has the effect of making the marked line wider. Changing the value of Wobble Width
controls the width of the marked line.
V Select this option to place the laser in CW Mode. This option is only available on SPI G3 lasers.

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ESTIMATING THE MARK TIME

The estimated marking time for an object or group of objects is calculated automatically and
can be displayed in the objects Properties window.

To display estimated marking times

1 Do one of the following:

• Right mouse click on a mark object or group of objects and select “Properties...”.

• Select a mark object or a group of mark objects, then from the Main menu, select
Object > Properties.
• Select a mark object or group of mark objects and then press the F2 key.
2 The Properties window appears. Click the Performance details button to show the
marking times.

A E
B F
C G
D H

The Performance details panel

A The total theoretical marking time for the object / group
B The total time of all the delays
C The total time of all the jump vectors
D The total time of all the marking vectors
E The total number of marking vectors in the outline portion of the object / group
F The total number of jump vectors in the outline portion of the object / group
G The total number of marking vectors in the fill portion of the object / group
H The total number of jump vectors in the fill portion of the object / group

MICRO-VECTORING AND DELAYS

Controlled velocity marking and jumping is accomplished through a process call micro-
vectoring. This process is illustrated in the following figure. The marking engine of the
LEC-1 takes a vector and divides it into multiple shorter segments (micro-vectors) that are
applied to the galvos at regularly spaced time intervals. This interval is known as the update
interval. The galvo speed is controlled by the magnitude of the change in the output
command at each update period.

The following figure shows the sequence of typical output commands for the X axis. The
commands for the Y and Z axes are similar and are strictly locked in time with the X axis,

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differing only in magnitude of the discrete steps. As the X axis reaches successive targets
X1,X2, etc., so do the Y and Z axes reach their corresponding targets, Y1, Z1,Y2, Z2, etc.

X1
Galvo output
command

dX X3

Galvo X2
response
X4

X0

Update

Micro-vector operation
Because laser scanning systems are electro-mechanical in nature, various delays must be
employed to compensate for inertial effects of the mirror and motor structure. These effects
generally result in a positional lag of the deflection mirrors relative to the electrical
command to make them move. These delays are used to properly time laser on/off and
modulation signals relative to the mirror positions. In addition to compensating for lag
times, the delays can be used to compensate for transient instability in mirror positions after
a step to a new location. The following figures illustrate these effects.

Each system configuration requires fine-tuning of delay commands to ensure full and
complete marking with no over burns. The individual delay settings are dependant on the
dynamic response of the galvo/mirror combination in use, and the sensitivity characteristics
of the marking medium. Determining these delays is typically a trial-and-error process. The
delays are specified as part of the job definition described in the next section.

Laser Off
Delay

Laser On Mark
Poly Delay

Laser

Micro-vectoring and laser timing relationships

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Optimizing the Jump de lay

During a jump, the scan head mirrors accelerate to rapidly to get to the next mark position,
ideally at the fastest speed possible to minimize overall marking time. As with all
accelerations, mirror and system inertia create a slight lag at the beginning of the
acceleration. Likewise, the system will require a certain delay (settling time) at the end of
the jump as it decelerates to precisely the correct speed required for accurate marking.
Acceleration and deceleration times and settling times will vary from system to system
(weight of mirrors, type of galvanometer, etc.), and will vary depending on the requested
jump speed and the length of the jump.

jump delay
(unstable
Jump
Command:

set position

actual

lag

time

Effects of the Jump Command

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

p
Mark

Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Jump Delay too short: Marking starts before mirrors properly settle. Too short of Jump Delay will
cause marking to start before mirrors are properly settled, resulting in inadvertent marking. Too long of
a Jump Delay will have no visible effect, but marking is delayed so overall job production time
(marking time) increases.

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Optimizing the Ma rk delay

A mark delay at the end of marking a line segment allows the mirrors to complete the move
to the required position prior to executing the next mark command.

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum

Mark
Mark

Mark
Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Mark Delay too short: Marking continues into a jump vector. Too short of a Mark Delay will allow the
subsequent jump command to begin before the system mirrors get to their final marking position. The
end of the current mark will turn towards the direction of the jump vector, as shown to the right. Too
long of a Mark delay will cause no visible marking errors, but will add to the overall processing time.

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Optimizing the Laser On Delay

The Laser On Delay can be used to prevent burn-in effects at the start of a vector. This delay
in time before the laser is turned on is typically used to turn on the laser after the first few
micro-steps of a mark command to ensure that the laser's motion control systems (mirrors,
Etc.) are “up to speed” before marking. This delay can have either a positive or a negative
value and will vary with different systems and lasers because of galvo motor and mirror
inertias, and laser activation timings.

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

Mark
Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Laser On Delay too short: Burn-in at vector start points

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

p
Mark

Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Laser On Delay too long: Marking starts too late, skips vector start points because the vector mark has
started before the laser has switched on

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Optimizing the Poly De lay

A polygon delay is a delay automatically inserted between two marking segments where
two vectors meet. The minimum delay allows enough time for the galvos and mirrors to
“catch up” with the command signal before a new command is issued to move on to the next
point.

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

Mark
Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Poly Delay too short: Characters not well formed

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

p
Mark

Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Poly Delay too long: Burn-in at vector junctions

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Optimizing the Laser Off Delay

The Laser Off Delay is used to prevent burn-in effects at the end of a vector. This delay in
time before the laser is turned off is typically used to turn off the laser just before the last
few micro-steps of a mark command to ensure that the marking stops exactly where it is
desired to stop. The goal is to adjust the Laser Off Delay to ensure uniform marking with no
variations of intensity throughout the desired vector.

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

Mark
Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Laser Off Delay too short: Marking stops too soon, skipping vector endpoints. Typically, too short of a
delay will cause skipping of vector endpoints as the laser switches off too early.

Jum

Mark Mark

Jum
Mark
Mark

p
Mark

Mark Jum
Jump Jump

Mark Mark Mark

Laser Off Delay too long: Marking stops too late, burn-in at vector end points.Typically, too long of a
delay will cause burn-in at the end of a vector where the laser stays on too long.

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Tips on optimizing Profiles

Take care of the basics when setting up a scanning system. Best results are achieved when
the input beam is perfectly aligned cleanly into the scan head without contacting non-
transmissive surfaces, expanded and collimated so the energy floods the mirrors without
overspill. eg. using a 10mm scan head, the entry diameter is just under 10mm. Larger and
the beam will contact the housing, causing interference, and compounding the focus at the
target.

Pay strict attention to parallelism between scan head and target. Be aware the wider the
angle scanned to the field extremities, the more the spot will change from a perfect circle,
and when using focusing lenses after the mirrors, more diffraction will be introduced.
1 Ensure any pointer laser is aligned to the main processing beam. Mark 5 points (center
and corners), and position the pointer to the same points, adjusting until it falls
perfectly on the marks.

2 Mark a series of 10 close parallel lines across roughly half the field size. Do not worry
about the starts and ends of the lines at this point. The first goal is to find the best laser
and marking speed settings for the absorption of the energy by the target material.
3 Set Line 1 at the minimum and Line 10 at the maximum Mark speed you feel would suit
the material. Set Lines 2 to 9 in incremental Mark speed steps between the minimum
and maximum. This gives an indication of the best results, but may be slower or faster
than expected. You may need to adjust the speed range and mark again. When you
have a good result, reduce the range to fine-tune the Mark speed.

4 Set the best Mark speed to all lines. Set a range of incremental laser frequencies
between the minimum and maximum you feel may suit the material and mark again.
Different materials may absorb differently at differing frequencies, and you may see
further improvements.

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5 When you have found the best laser parameters, set all lines the same and repeat the
incremental Mark speed variations either side of the setting for the frequency
optimisation. Repeat these steps until you have the best results.

6 Use a step-by-step approach to optimize delays, rather than changing several

parameters at the same time. Download the delays.plt file and place in the
marker/graphics/vector folder. Open a new Job and import the delays graphic. 4 simple
lines will be marked, joined by a double-Jump.
7 The file is in its simplest form and will mark over 80% of the field, starting with the
index lines A-B-C. The scanners will then double-jump without marking via C-D-E,
before marking the calibration lines E-F-G.

8 Set the Jump speed the same as the Mark speed, the Laser On, Jump and Mark delays
relatively long (800µs), and the Poly and Laser Off delays relatively short (80µs).

9 Mark and check Point E. A tail in the direction D-E leading into the marked line E-F
should mark. If the tail is, say 2mm, reducing the Laser On delay to 400µs will roughly
halve it to 1mm. This is speed and laser dependent. Continue reducing the Laser On
delay until Point E starts the mark perfectly in the middle of the A-B index line.
10 Now increase the Jump speed until Point E starts to lose position. Reduce the Jump
speed slightly until Point E is clear again.

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11 Now reduce the Jump delay to 400µs. If you see no difference, halve it again. Keep
reducing the Jump delay until Point E starts to lose position, then slightly increase the
Jump delay until Point E starts the mark perfectly in the middle of the A-B index line.

12 Because a jump is a repositioning of the mirrors, you want to minimise these process
timings. The faster the Jump speed, the longer the Jump delay to allow the mirrors to
settle, and you may have to reduce the Jump speed to reduce the Jump delay to gain
faster overall process times.

13 Now concentrate on Point F where the 2 vectors E-F and F-G meet. If Point F over-
burns, reduce the Poly delay. If Point F is rounded, increase the Poly delay until you
have a crisp result.
14 Finally, check Point G where the vectors end. Increase the Laser Off delay until Point G
ends the mark perfectly in the middle of the B-C index line. Reduce the Mark delay until
the mark moves away or over-burns, then reduce slightly until it marks perfectly in the
middle of the B-C index line again.

You have now set the optimum parameters for the material. Do not forget to save these
parameters by adding them to a Profile and naming as your choice (refer to Managing
Profiles in the WinLase LAN User Guide provided as a .pdf document in your
marker/documentation folder).

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OBJECT SETTINGS
• Use the Object Settings to configure:

• The Object Name

• The on screen Color

• When the Outline and Fill will mark

• Jump display properties

To modify Settings Values

1 Click on the Mark Object to be modified.

2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the object settings values.

A
B
C

D
E
F
G
H

The Settings page

A This name will appear in the Object Manager, and in any messages that appear referencing the
object.
B Change the color of the selected object on screen.
C Select between vector, dot and circle dot marking styles (not available on all releases of WinLase).
D Check this box to mark the outline portion of the object. By default, this field is enabled.

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E If Fill has been enabled, select this option. By default, this field is disabled.
F Shows the jump vectors, indicating the path the marking beam spot takes while moving to the next
marking vector. By default, this field is disabled.
G To mark multiple objects in a job onto a continuous moving part (like wire, etc.), endless sequences
of marks can be attained by resetting the starting point of the object using this option.
H Enter the spacing, in field distance on the moving part, between successive objects.

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BITMAP GRAPHIC OBJECT

A bitmap is a rectangular grouping of pixels that form a visual image. In laser marking, the
bitmap image must be “rastered” to render it with the laser. Because the scan head is a
vector output device, this rastering action must be simulated, with the laser spot tracing
across the image one row of pixels at a time. This can be a time consuming process, and it
will usually take longer to mark a bitmap representation of an object than a vector
representation. Some images, however, lend themselves only to bitmap marking, i.e.
photographs. WinLase LAN supports importing bitmap files with monochrome, grayscale
or color content. All color images, however, will be converted to grayscale internally after
import.

To modify Bitmap Graphic setti ngs

1 Click on the Bitmap Graphic to be modified.

2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the Bitmap object settings values
for a multi-tonal bitmap.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I

The Bitmap graphic Settings page

A Adjusts the spacing of pixels within the bitmap image, in dots/inch.

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B Adjusts the range between the lightest and darkest pixel. A higher contrast setting will increase this
range.
C Adjusts the overall lightness of the image. Increasing this value will cause the laser to stay on
longer at each pixel.
D Applies the standard error diffusion algorithm to a grayscale bitmap, converting it to a
monochrome bitmap. The pixels are placed in such a way that the image appears to be grayscale.
E Reverses the light and dark pixels in the image, using the middle of the range as a reference point.
F Forces the lines of pixels in the bitmap to all be marked in the same direction. This improves pixel
alignment when marking at high speed.
G When marking, pixels that have a value of black (non-marking) will be jumped over by the laser
beam, reducing the overall marking time.
H When bitmaps are rotated, black pixels may be added to the bitmaps corners. To add white pixels
instead, select this checkbox.
I Select this option to lock the Y mirrors in place and only scan the X mirrors. The part to be marked
is then translated under the marking head in the y axis.

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POINT ARRAY OBJECT

Point objects direct the laser to specific coordinates and then turn the laser on for a specified
time. Point objects are usually set up as an array of points arranged in rows and columns. If
specifically placed point objects are needed, use multiple objects of one point each. This
object is used for applications such as perforating or drilling into a material.

To modify Point settings

1 Click on the Point Object to be modified.
2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the Drill Object settings values.

B
C
A D
E
F
G

The Point object Settings page

A The size each individual dot is displayed on the screen in WinLase LAN. This value has no effect on
the mark.
B The length of time the laser is on during a single pulse.
C The time the laser is off between successive pulses.
D The number of times to pulse the laser at each dot location.
E The number of rows in a point object array.
F The number of columns in a point object array.
G Total number of points in an array. Note that a setting of 1 creates a single point.

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POLYGON OBJECT
Polygons are markable objects with a specified number of sides of equal length, each side
being the same distance from the center of the object.

To modify Polygon settings

1 Click on the Polygon to be modified.
2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the Polygon object settings
values.

A
B
C

The Polygon Settings page

A The number of straight-line segments the object has. For example, to create a triangle, use a value
of three. Circles are specified by setting this value to a large number. (> 10).
B The angle where the first line segment starts. An angle of 0 is the 12:00 position.
C The angle where the last line segment ends.

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RECTANGLE OBJECT
Rectangle Objects are markable objects with four sides, and optional radiused corners. The
radius changes as the object is sized.

To modify Rectangle settings

1 Click on the Rectangle to be modified.
2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the Rectangle object settings
values.

A
B

The Rectangle Settings page

A The radius of the corner as a percent of the size of the rectangle.
B The number of straight line segments used to make up the corner radius.

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ROUNDED RECTANGLE OBJECT

Rounded Rectangle Objects are markable objects with four sides, and optional radiused
corners. The radius of the corners is fixed and independant of the size of the rectangle.

To modify Rounded Rectangle settings

1 Click on the Rounded Rectangle to be modified.
2 Right-mouse click and select “Properties...”.

3 Click on the Settings tab. The Settings page displays the Rectangle object settings
values.

A
B

The Rounded Rectangle Settings page

A The radius of the corner.
B The number of straight line segments used to make up the corner radius.

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