Turntable Laser Marking System

One of our long time firearm manufacturing customers came to us asking for a two position turntable marking system using a 50 watt fiber laser.

See the video below of the two position, 50 watt fiber laser marking, dial table system with dual Sherline rotary indexers in action.

We designed the system to mark on both sides of a firearm. We used a light curtain to signal the system to rotate to the second station if the light curtain was not broken. The marking cycle time is about 2-3 minutes depending on the firearm being marked. The customer wanted the operator be able to load the next part and walk away with another part set up for marking. If the light curtain is not broken then the system automatically rotates in the next part to be marked.

The system has a 50 watt fiber laser. It has a custom workstation and enclosure. Mounted on the workstation floor is a Bell-Everman Servobelt rotary table. It is designed as a 2 position table. Each position of the table has a Sherline rotary indexer mounted on it. While the part that is positioned under the laser is being marked, the operator can load a new part in the table position that is exposed. This particular system will have part of a firearm loaded in the Sherline rotary indexer. After one side of the part marks, the Sherline will rotate the part 180 degrees and the other side of the part will be marked. Meanwhile, the operator will load a new part in the table position that is outside of the enclosure. After the part inside of the enclosure has finished marking, the Bell-Everman rotary table rotates 180 degrees and positions a new part under the laser and brings the marked part outside of the enclosure so that it can be unloaded and a new part loaded onto the Sherline rotary indexer.

The system is equipped with a light curtain that covers every possible entry point into areas where things move. If an operator breaks the light curtain with any part of their body or with any object, all Bell-Everman rotary motion immediately stops and only starts again if the integrity of the light curtain is re-established. If the light curtain is broken while all motions are completed and a part inside of the enclosure is being marked, marking is not interrupted but, once the marking on that part is completed, the part will not rotate out of the enclosure until the light curtain integrity is re-established.

The Bell-Everman ServoBelt table is a belt driven table. In order to prevent any table movement by stretching the belt when a new part is being loaded, the system employs a “hard stop” positioning scheme. For each of the two table positions, the Bell-Everman table drives into a hard stop then continues to drive until all stretch is taken out of the belt, at which time a mechanical brake is applied to the motor, locking it into position. In this manner, a new part can be loaded and vigorously attached to the Sherline rotary indexer without fear of “rocking” the table and causing motion during a marking cycle.

The enclosure has front and side laser safe view ports and removable access panels on all sides.

The system also has a motorized Z axis drive for programmable focusing.

Contact us about your custom laser marking system requirements.