See the latest trends in smart manufacturing! The newest equipment for your plant! The best in research and expertise. Get a head start on the competition by exploring tomorrow’s metalcasting advancements today. The Metalcasting Congress attracts attendees from across the foundry industry, as well as professionals from other businesses within the manufacturing supply chain.

Leading Marks will be previewing improved efficiency and improved legibility for pattern labeling with the Boss Buddy embossing system, as well as secondary marking requirements with direct-part marking systems, dot peen, laser & stamps, ink marking, hand-held & automated systems and thermal transfer labeling solutions. Additional product solutions offered include: workbenches, air filtration, vision, handheld scanners and in-line options, soldering irons, machining accessories and more.

Leading Marks will be demonstrating the following products in our booth #715

This article about the Boss Buddy application at ITT Gould Pumps originally appeared in Modern Casting. We are republishing it now to coincide with the introduction of our new Boss Buddy Catalog.  Be sure to grab a copy to download here on our Boss Buddy page! 

Therefore, Lucas set out to find a more effective solution to support the organization. Lucas took the initiative to identify the foundry marking requirements before looking for new equipment. He determined that an effective solution must include:

• The ability to mark multiple char- acter sizes.
• Fast creation of repetitive legends.
• Material that was viable for the
  process.
• Something that fit the budget.

An article in Modern Casting describing the Leading Marks tagging system caught Lucas’ interest.
“We had been struggling with tagging legibility issues for years,” he said. “With our 3D printer, I had been adjusting and proving out a font and tag sizes. I printed thousands of tags, over the course of a year.”

He saw that the Boss Buddy embosses foil tape for use in foundry applications such as pattern labeling, and read that the Boss Buddy is compact, simple to operate, cost-effective and uses proven components customized for foundry requirements.

Leading Marks had been working with many foundries around the U.S. to improve their processes. After 
working with Leading Marks to test date code samples in a couple of character sizes, Lucas said he obtained much more legible marks that were created in less than half the time of the older system and with far greater ease. With favorable results in hand, they began defining what the package should include: Interchangeable type characters in the custom font that Lucas had designed. Characters in a variety of sizes Manual Boss Buddy embossing system (vs. the automated system).

The Boss Buddy system shipped to the facility in Seneca Falls, New York in the spring of 2019. After Lucas’ preliminary use of the Boss Buddy package in the pattern shop, it moved to the shop floor.

Ryan Knapp, molding supervisor at ITT Goulds Pumps uses it daily, quick- ly creating the pattern labels needed by the foundry. During a follow-up meeting with Laurie Barcaskey from Leading Marks, Knapp created even more clearly defined embossed characters with a simple change in the spring used in the impact press. Knapp is relieved he no longer must use the old system, aka the “Spin to Win” for pattern labels. Knapp will be championing the efforts of other departments to employ this solution throughout the plant.

​When asked about the implemen- tation of the new system. Lucas said “I was pleasantly surprised that Leading Marks did not flinch when I men- tioned creating dies for the font I had been 3D printing.”
​
“Leading Marks had some great ideas on implementing the tagging project. Prior to seeing the Modern Casting piece, I was going in a different direction. It saved a lot of time going with proven equipment and a knowledgeable vendor.”

Created via Chat GPT, Edited by Bernard Martin

Laser marking is a process in which a laser beam is used to mark or engrave an object. The laser beam is directed at the surface of the object, and the energy from the beam causes a change in the surface material, resulting in a permanent mark.

There are several types of laser marking, including annealing, engraving, and foaming. The type of laser used, the material being marked, and the desired outcome will determine the specific process and technique used for laser marking.

​Common materials that can be laser marked include metals, plastics, and ceramics. Laser marking is often used in industrial settings for product identification, traceability, and branding.

The term "laser" stands for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation," which summarizes quite well exacty how lasers work. Light particles, called photons, are excited with an electrical current, causing them to emit energy in the form of light. This light forms the laser beam.

The principle of industrial traceability by laser engraving is based on a beam of high intensity laser focused and then directed towards the part to be marked.  Its orientation is ensured by a galvanometric head composed of two mirrors. When a laser beam hits a part's surface, the energy is transferred in the form of heat, creating black, white, and sometimes colored marks.

In manufacturing, Lasers  are a permanent, a precise and qualitative marking solution for part identification and traceability. Different applications may require different marking techniques such as engraving, staining, removing, annealing, and foaming are the most common marking methods. Each laser marking procedure will have its own unique advantages and disadvantages, depending on the materials being used and the quality requirement.

Many different types of materials can be laser marked, including:

• Metals: Stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and titanium are common materials that can be laser marked. The laser beam melts or vaporizes the metal, creating a permanent mark.
• Plastics: Many different types of plastics can be laser marked, including polycarbonate, ABS, and polyamide. The laser beam causes the surface of the plastic to change color, creating a contrast between the marked and unmarked areas.
• Ceramics: Ceramic materials can be laser marked by removing a thin layer of the surface material. This creates a contrast between the marked and unmarked areas, making the mark visible.
• Glass: Laser marking on glass is done by a process called scribing, which involves using a laser beam to create a crack in the surface of the glass.
• Wood: Wood materials can be laser marked by burning the surface of the wood, resulting in a dark mark on a light background.
• Some fabrics: Laser marking can be used to print on fabrics such as denim, cotton, polyester, etc.

It is important to note that not all materials are suitable for laser marking, as the energy from the laser beam can cause damage to some materials. Additionally, the type of laser used and the specific laser marking process will be determined by the material being marked, as well as the desired outcome.

Laser marking Is used in many industries including  automotive, aeronautics, energy, metallurgy, medical, agriculture, agri-food, defense, electronics, railway, lifting and public works, mechanics, motorcycles, heavy trucks and numerous others.

Laser marking can be used to create a variety of marks, including:

1. Text: Laser marking can be used to engrave text, such as product information, serial numbers, or branding, onto the surface of an object.
2. Barcodes and QR codes: Laser marking can be used to create barcodes and QR codes, which can be used for product identification and tracking.
3. Logos and graphics: Laser marking can be used to engrave logos and graphics onto the surface of an object, such as company logos or product images.
4. Serial numbers: Laser marking can be used to engrave serial numbers onto the surface of an object, which can be used for product identification, tracking, and traceability.
5. Data matrix codes: Laser marking can be used to create Data matrix codes, which are a type of two-dimensional barcode that can store a large amount of information in a small space.
6. Deep engraving: This type of laser marking is used to create three-dimensional marks in the surface of an object, and can be used to create detailed images or text.
7. Cutouts and shapes: Laser cutting can be used to create intricate cuts and shapes in materials, such as fabrics, plastics, metals and even wood.
8. Micro-text: Laser marking can be used to create very small text that is difficult to read with the naked eye, but can be read with a microscope.

The specific type of mark that is made with a laser will depend on the material being marked, the desired outcome, and the type of laser that is being used.

There are several types of laser marking that can be done, including:

• Annealing: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to heat a metal surface, causing a change in the color of the metal. This type of marking is often used on stainless steel and titanium.
• Engraving: This type of laser marking involves removing a small amount of material from the surface of an object, creating a permanent mark. This type of marking is often used for product identification, traceability, and branding.
• Foaming: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to create small bubbles on the surface of a plastic material, creating a contrasting mark. This type of marking is often used for product identification, traceability, and branding.
• Scribing: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to create a crack in the surface of a material such as glass. This type of marking is often used for product identification, traceability, and branding.
• Ablating: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to remove a small amount of material from the surface of an object, creating a permanent mark. This is commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, and medical device industries for product identification, traceability, and branding.
• Color change: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to change the color of the surface of a material. This is commonly used in the packaging and labeling industry for product identification, traceability, and branding.
• Deep engraving: This type of laser marking is used to create three-dimensional marks in the surface of an object, and can be used to create detailed images or text.
• Laser cutting: This type of laser marking involves using a laser beam to cut materials, such as fabrics, plastics, metals and even wood.
• The type of laser marking that is used will depend on the material being marked and the desired outcome.

Laser marking is used in a wide range of industries, including:

1. Manufacturing: Laser marking is commonly used in the manufacturing industry for product identification, traceability, and branding. This includes marking product information, serial numbers, and company logos onto the surface of products.
   
2. Aerospace and Defense: Laser marking is used in the aerospace and defense industries for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto aircraft parts.
   
3. Automotive: Laser marking is used in the automotive industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto car parts.
   
4. Medical Device: Laser marking is used in the medical device industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto medical devices.
   
5. Electronics: Laser marking is used in the electronics industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto electronic devices.
   
6. Jewelry: Laser marking is used in the jewelry industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto jewelry.
   
7. Packaging and labeling: Laser marking is used in the packaging and labeling industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto packaging and labels.
   
8. Textile: Laser marking is used in the textile industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto fabrics.
   
9. Wood and stone: Laser marking is used in the wood and stone industry for product identification and traceability, such as marking serial numbers and other information onto wood and stone products.
   

The specific use of laser marking in an industry will depend on the nature of the product and the needs of the industry for identification, traceability and branding.

There are lots Steel Stamps and Dies available off-the-shelf to meet many of your everyday needs. But when you need something custom or unique, it's good to know that we can have that made for you too!  Here are some things to things you should know about steel stamps and dies. 

This video shows how Monolith Knives use metal dies and a press to put a makers mark into a knife blank before hardening the blade steel.

Marking 5 Lines of Code on Precast Concrete: Oil Crayons Versus EBS-260 Hand-Held Inkjet Printer 

The HandJet EBS 260 provides reimagined features and functionality for even more innovative, portable coding.

​The EBS-260’s print height has been doubled to 32 dots with print heights up to 2.2″ and will provide one to four separate lines of code. EBS has increased the capacity of the ink cartridge to up to 200,000 characters in a 7×5 matrix. Single- or multi-line messages from .276″ to 2.2″ high can be printed on both porous and non-porous substrates. It’s ideal for imprinting corrugated, paper, film, foil, glass, metal, lumber, concrete, and many other surfaces.

At slightly-over 3.5-lb. the unit features a new redesigned hand grip improved ergonomic grip contours to ensure that handling is comfortable and well- balanced.

​In the video below, the portable, lightweight EBS-260 marks a 2.2” high pre-programmed text and the printer's built-in laser guidance ensure precise message positioning. The EBS-260 features a touch-screen controller, with a 3.5"-diagonal, hardened screen, enables the user to view the message being printed and make on-the-fly text adjustments.

A  big thank you to Oldcastle Infrastructure, an industry leader in engineered building solutions, in Elgin, IL. for this video.

Reiner, a marking and coding solutions provider, is excited to announce the Reiner 1025 Sense as an all-in-one solution for scanning, processing and printing data.
​
There are three ways to utilize this one-of-a-kind technology: 

1. Scan > Copy > Print – Scan a QR code, for instance, and print that same QR code with the option to include additional data with the code.
2. Scan >  Convert > Print – This offers 3 options. Scan a barcode or QR code and print the embedded text in the scanned barcode, print the human readable code in the scanned barcode, or convert to a different style/type of barcode. 
3. Scan > Command > Print – Create a look-up database stored on the printer. Scan a barcode and have it jump to your specified print on the 1025 and then print the preprogrammed information. 

​All of these options include the ability to print barcodes, alphanumeric text, live date and time, sequential numbering & graphics and the unit can store up to 255 imprints at one time. Print up to 1” x 3 1/2”. 
AMI has proudly been a partner with and distributor of Reiner handheld thermal inkjet printers for over 40 years. 

“We are ecstatic to be able to offer new innovation to our customers that will make their process and production more efficient,” said Stephanie Mear, COO of Automated Marking Inc.

​ “We have always said that Reiner products represent German engineering at its finest, but the 1025 Sense shows that they are also innovation at its finest. We believe no other product provides the kind of lifetime value like our Reiner line of thermal handheld inkjet printers,” Mear concluded.

Several of the manufacturers that we represent will be displaying their products and introducing some technology at the International Manufacturing Technology Show September 12-17 in Chicago.  

​If you are heading to the show be sure to stop and visit our friends at:

• Technomark - North Building, Level 3 — 236019 — Fabricating & Lasers
• Tapmatic -  West Building, Level 3 — 431246 — Tooling & Workholding Systems​
• TBH - 
• Zeus Marking - West Building, Level 3 — 432021 — Tooling & Workholding Systems

​

Leading Marks is honored to announce the addition of Honeywell scanning solutions to our industrial solutions product mix.  Honeywell makes barcode scanning easy! That’s why Honeywell barcode readers are plug and play with industry-leading scan performance, making even the most difficult-to-read barcodes look good. 

From warehouse supply chains, manufacturing, to hospital patient care, Honeywell barcode scanners are purpose-built for the demands of your business.
This includes:

• Fixed Mount Scanners that automate the scanning process, minimizing the risk of missed scans and eliminating the need to have a person manually scan each item.
• General Duty Scanners are easy to use – so easy, in fact, that no set up or training is required.
• ​Industrial Duty Scanners are made for challenging working environments. You can trust these handheld, industrial-grade barcode scanners to provide superior durability and reliability.
• Hands-Free Laser Scanners and area imagers feature a range of barcode scanning technology – from omnidirectional scanning to 1D and 2D scanning – to meet the specific needs of your business.
• Ring Scanners are easy to wear and use. They’re especially useful for mobile workers that need to scan barcodes while also keeping both hands free.

​For questions or a demonstration, please contact us! 

If you took apart a Dot Peen machine, one of the most important components you would find is a carbide or diamond-tip stylus.

The Dot peen process is considered a “low-stress” marking method because the mark is generated via material displacement rather than material removal.  The carbide stylus strikes the material surface to produce the mark via a series of cold-formed stamped dots. Compared to Laser Marking Systems, Dot Peen does not induce thermal shock to the part surface since the material is cold-stamped rather than super-heated to produce the mark.  

Dot Peen systems are commonly used by manufacturers in the aerospace and oil & gas industries where low-stress marking is required, such as tubular and flow control products that are exposed to extreme pressure differential in the oilfield. 

Dot Peen marking is viable for material hardness up to 63 HRC. Typically, when a part hardness is greater than 63 HRC, laser marking systems are recommended. 
​
All of Technomark’s Dot Peen machines rely on an electromagnetic solenoid to actuate the marking stylus. Dots are plotted in an X/Y plane via electronic control for precise placement of the Dot pattern. Using electromagnetic force versus pneumatic also provides a greater level of control of both the depth of the mark as well as the ability to mark contoured or complex surface.

While these machines can run in-line and handle large quantities in an automated production environment, most are operated manually using a battery pack to go mobile. ​

One of the biggest benefits of a Dot Peen Marking Machine is its ability to efficiently produce marks compared to other marking systems. Other benefits of Dot Peen machines include: 

1. Portability: battery-operated systems are ergonomic and perfect for smaller-scale operations or marking of large, heavy parts that cannot be transported to a fixed location for marking
2. Versatility: state-of-the-art Dot Peen marking systems are modular and can start with a portable or manual marking system that can later be adapted to a fully automated production line
3. Ease of use: Dot Peen machines are easy to program and do not require any advanced computing knowledge or technical training. 
4. Permanency: Dot Peen marking process yields a permanent, indelible mark that can withstand harsh operating environments
5. Economical: Compared to other marking systems, Dot Peen systems are typically less than $10,000.

Integrating a dot peen marking machine into your production line will improve the productivity and quality of the part-marking process.  

PITTSBURGH, PA. -  Leading Marks LLC has been appointed as a manufacturers agent for Technomark North America in the territories of Pennsylvania, Western New York and Western Maryland effective May 1, 2022.

Technomark North America specializes in traceability solutions and industrial marking equipment, supplying laser and dot peen marking machines for production lines across the globe.  Technomark has been operating and supplying expertise with industrial marking equipment since 2000. In 2018, Technomark established a direct OEM presence in the USA with the opening of Technomark North America.

According to Laurie Barcasky, "I've been watching this company evolve over the past few years and I must admit that the the dot peen marker from Technomark is pretty sweeeeet.  It's bluetooth compatible, battery operated and the controller will work with both marking heads and can be used as bench model as well! There is nothing like it on the market! We can't wait to start showcasing this product to our customer!"

Today, Technomark North America is the only OEM of dot peen and laser marking systems with USA headquarters located in the south-central United States. Technomark has become the fastest-growing brand of permanent marking systems in the Americas region. Their centralized location allows them to lower your total cost of ownership (TCO) by reducing shipping costs and delivery lead times. 

Technomark has been at the forefront of industrial marking innovation, developing machines for seamless integration in manufacturing processes.