For years, fiber lasers have been a mainstay in the electronics, automotive and aerospace markets with their ability to produce crisp, durable alphanumeric text in a range of fonts, logos, 2D codes and bar codes on the surfaces of hard plastic and metal parts. Now, with advancements in speed, ease-of-use and size, fiber lasers are gaining a foothold in consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing.
CIJ printers continue to be the leading choice for CPG manufacturers to print variable data like batch codes, serial numbers, bar codes and traceability information onto products and packaging. While laser marking solutions, especially fiber lasers, require a much larger upfront investment than CIJ options in both the laser itself and fume extraction equipment, a comparison of fiber lasers to CIJ printers should consider the overall benefits of laser technology.