Smart devices, such as smartphones, wireless scanners that send images to the cloud, and fitness trackers, are increasingly common. In industrial settings, equipment connected to the “Industrial Internet of Things” sends measurements, performance reports, and alerts to managers and technicians. Some devices communicate with each other to automate tasks. The smart laser marking control board is a key addition to this ecosystem.
What is a Smart Laser Marking Control Board?
A smart laser marking control board is a hardware device that connects to a network and communicates with other devices, such as programmable logic controllers, similar to a PC motherboard. It enhances the intelligence of laser marking systems. According to Industrial Lasers, manufacturers often use dedicated terminals to control each laser device, requiring changes to be made individually on each terminal, a tedious and time-consuming process (Source: Industrial Lasers, Laser Marking Participates in the Industrial Internet of Things).
This inefficiency is addressed by smart laser marking control boards, which allow a single programmable logic controller to manage an entire network of equipped laser devices. This innovation streamlines laser marking operations, enabling factory workers to send marking jobs to devices without configuring individual workstations, similar to printing to a network printer. The control board supports downloading, selecting, and sending marking jobs through hardware, software, remote APIs, and Ethernet IP communication.
Benefits of Smart Laser Marking Control Board
The technology is complex, but its benefits are straightforward:
- Eliminates the need for individual computers to manage each marking device, simplifying operations, improving efficiency, and reducing energy consumption and costs.
- Connects to the network as part of the Industrial Internet of Things, replacing individual PCs and enabling remote control of marking devices.
- Reduces downtime for changing jobs, such as laser marking on metal. For example, if 10 marking devices each take 10 minutes to download and start a new job, updating 10 devices individually could take over 90 minutes. A smart control board streamlines this process, saving significant time.
