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FILTRATION & SEPARATION BETTER DATA MEANS BETTER EXTRACTION
Geoff Sagar, Product Manager, BOFA International, explains how filtration helps support mass production customisation in the laser industry
and flexibility. L
The use of lasers in manufacturing and processing industries has grown significantly since their introduction more than 60 years ago. They have transformed how many industries work, including electronics, manufacturing, food and drink, and even luxury goods.
Productivity and traceability It’s where customisation meets mass production. In the FMCG drinks market, accuracy and speed of laser coding and marking is not only critical to productivity - with some production lines processing 125,000 cans per hour – it’s also essential for traceability. The frequency at which a laser is firing, the wavelength at which it operates and the power density it generates all govern how quickly and accurately a laser can operate.
At the other end of the scale, lasers also play a key role in customisation and communicating brand, whether by engraving logos on products or cutting and marking the high-quality packaging that reinforces the premium price pitch to consumers. Whether it’s mass production or customisation, there’s no room for poor marking or sub-standard packaging. Irrespective of the laser requirement, what these processes share in common is the requirement to filter fume or particulate emissions at the point of ablation…and that means investing in filtration technology. Filtration systems, such as those developed by BOFA International, help keep equipment free from contamination that might otherwise disrupt laser beams, harm quality or even cause unscheduled downtime. Filtration is also a key contributor to removing airborne contaminants and maintaining a clean, healthy working environment.
For BOFA, this means understanding the size and chemical profile of emissions in order to implement an appropriate filtration strategy. At the same time, understanding the impact of momentum on the ability of particulate to ‘travel’ beyond the point of ablation requires detailed airflow analysis and a corresponding refinement of system
10 MARCH 2023 | PROCESS & CONTROL
architecture and control systems.
This engineering assessment can be critical and hinges on multiple factors, including the process and the materials being worked. For example, the laser cutting of acrylic materials for a store’s point of sale display will emit volatile organic
compounds, which need to be filtered to help maintain a clean working atmosphere.
Maintaining temperature In addition, the adoption of fibre laser technology to support higher productivity levels through increased speed and accuracy, can
barcoding,
How extraction is controlled can make a contribution to productivity in an increasingly data driven environment
“
sometimes also generate higher temperatures. So BOFA has developed additional technology that both helps maintain operating temperatures at the laser head and also helps mitigate the risk of thermal events from any increased temperature at the material surface. Finally, how extraction is controlled can make a significant contribution to productivity in an increasingly data driven and automated environment, such as
” labelling and packaging.
BOFA’s iQ operating platform features a host of functions and innovations, including onboard data logs and real-time system condition visualisation so operators can monitor whole system performance.
Avoiding downtime
In short, better operational data and information means better extraction performance, enabling planned filter exchanges linked to production scheduling, thereby avoiding unnecessary downtime. To help users optimise the value of their laser investments, BOFA’s technical support team also offers regular training and support, both to OEMs and end users, via the free-to-join BOFA Academy -
https://bofainternational.com/en/support/tr aining-bofa-academy/
BOFA International
bofainternational.com
asering is an industrial processing tool that’s been likened to a Swiss army knife because of its incredible functionality
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