A laser marking system for flexible circuit identification

Abstract

Abstract The ability to mark and read product identifications for tracking the flexible circuits in production lines is critical for a major inkjet pen manufacturer. The investigation showed that commercially available marking machines were not acceptable due to contamination, physical damage, and readability issues. This paper describes the development of a new laser-based integrated marking system and its development methodology. Failure modes effect analysis (FMEA) was used to identify and prioritize potential risks that led to output parameters for subsequent design of experiments (DOE). The input parameters were optimized for a small number of key output parameters. Qualification processes were then used to make sure that all risks were within acceptable ranges. An integrated marker was built to automatically differentiate flex types, enabling a foolproof marking. The key success factors and the three stages of implementation for the project were noted. The readability was 99.9% for the identification marks at the first manufacturing release. The system enabled product tracking and faster manufacturing problem diagnoses.