Laser Marking of ECC 200 2d Matrix Codes on Printed Circuit Boards Makers of digital units, from your home audio equipment to automotive keyless entry units, are progressively in search of a reputable, value effective strategy for uniquely figuring out and tracking products and solutions from the manufacturing cycle, gross sales distribution and after-sale guarantee verification. An autonomous, automated monitoring procedure needs that a lasting, machine-readable code be applied to an inner printed circuit board to uniquely establish every single solution. The code will have to be sturdy more than enough to outlive producing processes together with wave solder and board cleaning, ought to not have an impact on circuit efficiency Prototype PCB, and have to retail outlet info from the modest area readily available on real-estate acutely aware printed circuit boards. The 2d matrix code provides a way to retail store alphanumeric character strings in very compact regions with the printed circuit board. Laser marking technologies presents a way for completely applying second matrix codes to most board substrates. The high-resolution and high-accuracy of beam-steered laser marking methods supplies the means to create very well outlined, high trustworthiness codes in spite of code dimension. Laser marking also provides the user that has a computer-controlled marking system for simple implementation into automatic product monitoring programs. ECC two hundred 2nd Matrix Codes Two-dimensional symbologies encode info inside the sort of the checkerboard sample of on/off cells. Particular advantages of Knowledge Matrix codes more than standard 1D barcodes include: · Encode info digitally, versus the analog encoding of information in typical barcodes. · Can accommodate low-contrast printing right on elements without having requiring a label · Present extremely large information density - the best among the other common 2nd codes, which means you can position a good deal of information within a really compact region. · They can be scaleable, which suggests you could print them and browse them in a variety of ranges of magnification - only constrained by the resolution of your out there printing and imaging procedures. · As a result of the superior information and facts density inherent to Facts Matrix codes, additionally they supply built-in error-correction techniques which allow absolutely recovering the concept encoded in a very Facts Matrix image whether or not the mark is damaged and lacking as much as 20% on the symbol. · These are go through by movie cameras rather than a scanned laser beam used for reading traditional barcodes, which implies that they is usually examine in any orientation. ECC two hundred Data Matrix will be the most popular 2-D symbology with extensive use in automotive, aerospace, electronics, semiconductor, clinical devices and other producing unit-level traceability programs. Information Matrix codes are typically not changing regular linear barcodes, but are increasingly being used wherever conventional barcodes had been too massive, didn't offer adequate storage potential, or have been unreadable. Facts Matrix Code Framework The 2d matrix codes look to be a "checkerboard" using the individual squares (cells) in either on on (white) or off (black) state. The code is composed of 4 unique components.The 2nd matrix codes are then categorized as passed (eco-friendly), warned (yellow) or unsuccessful (crimson). For all round production efficiency, the laser method may be programmed to verify only a pick out number of second codes with a panel, then to quickly swap to verifying each individual code if your code legibility falls under a specified degree. Present-day readers do a great work examining decreased contrast 2d codes. If the laser marking method is set up on an assembly line with more mature 2d matrix readers downstream in the laser marker, the verification reader can be configured to judge the codes according to the functionality on the older downstream audience to guarantee steady general performance in the course of the assembly process. Marking Overall performance The standard printed circuit board marker is actually a entirely automated, SMEMA-compliant, through-conveyor laser marking system. The general productiveness from the laser marker is comprised of various steps that make up the marking cycle. The actions required to mark 1 multi-array panel are... 1. Transportation and positioning with the panel from the marking spot. two. Fiducial area detection (optional) three. Marking of the initially circuit in the array four. Verification of your marked second matrix code (optional) 5. Movement in the laser marking head towards the upcoming circuit during the array. 6. Repeat techniques three and 4 for that remaining circuits within the array. seven. Transport in the panel away from the laser marking procedure (synonymous with bringing the following panel in) Price of Operation Price of operation is far less than $1 Rigid flex PCB.00 per hour. Standard utilities necessities are 110VAC, 1-phase, 12A. A compressed air resource is required for that pneumatics. Total utilities expenses at most laser electrical power (the laser should really basically run at less then 80% rated electricity) are $0.12 for every hour. The principal consumable item would be the CO2 laser tube that must be replaced each individual 3 to 5 a long time in a expense of generally $1,000.00 to $1,five hundred.00. Assuming a 40-hour workweek and tube lifestyle of 3 many years, the tube substitute price would equate to $0.18 per hour for the whole functioning cost of $0.thirty for each hour below worst case problems. Actual functioning expenditures will probably be decrease because of fewer than maximum electrical usage and more time tube daily life. For standard pcb laser marking apps, the expense for marking is fewer than $0.0003 per circuit. Summary The electronics marketplace continues to be looking for the charge and technically successful suggests of applying machine-readable codes to printed circuit boards considering that the 1980's. Early attempts bundled laser marking linear barcodes on the board edge, a daunting problem for reader alignment, and marking linear barcodes next to circuit traces, also a problem for barcode readers. Barcode information was limited to a few characters because of confined space and also the barcodes character-per-inch capacity. The development on the second matrix code put together with the resolution, permanence and pace of beam-steered laser marking technology now presents brands a reliable, cost-effective, flexible and verifiable means to uniquely discover each individual product or service as a result of creation, distribution and after-sale.
Related Links