CASE STUDY
LASER SYSTEM KEEPS TOOL MARKINGS LEGIBLE FOR YEARS
Anyone reaching for a screwdriver in their toolbox should be able to tell straightaway whether they have the right size in their hand. With PB Swiss Tools products, this is now possible even after years of use - thanks to laser marking with a TRUMPF laser.
Marco Baumann, CEO of PB Swiss Tools, proudly examines a freshly marked screwdriver from the latest product range. The logo and marking adorn the tool handle with razor-sharp precision. For Baumann, who is the fifth generation to run the family business, it is more than just a visual detail - it is another step toward the goal that his great-grandfather Paul Baumann pursued over 100 years ago in the heart of the Swiss Emmental: to use innovative techniques to manufacture tools that will last for years.
“Until now, we used a printing process to mark the screwdrivers. This is very time-consuming and the print gradually rubs off with use," explains Adrian Kernen, Engineering Project Manager. To ensure that the marking is of the same high quality as the tools themselves, a new process was needed.
The company opted for laser marking. After several tests, the TruMark 3330 UV laser proved to be the best choice. To ensure perfect legibility, PB Swiss Tools marks its plastic handles in black or white, depending on the color tone. To do this, they precisely adjust the
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laser parameters to the handle material. "Due to its UV wavelength, the marking laser is ideal for marking polymers, and thanks to its high pulse energies, it is highly productive," says Kernen. This doesn't just work for practical standard marking.
PB Swiss Tools uses a fully automated system to assemble over 200 different screwdrivers. “Up to now, our employees manually assembled the tool blades with the handles and then printed them by hand. The new system allows us to combine the two production steps, as we were able to integrate the marking laser very easily," says Baumann. This saves the company a lot of time, as Kernen explains: "The system has a cycle time of five seconds. This means that a screwdriver is assembled and marked every five seconds. This significantly increases our productivity."
Baumann is hopeful about the future: “Ideally, we would like to mark all our products with lasers.” He has already put his words into action and purchased another TRUMPF marking system.
Contact: Tom Chaffer
tom.chaffer@
trumpf.com
trumpf.com
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