case study

Brass tags under cycle-time pressure: how to optimize laser marking in a confined workspace?

One tray per minute: assessing the throughput and fixturing constraints for brass tags

The target cycle set for this project was one tray per minute. To hit that target without creating idle time, the operator workstation had to be rethought around a simple principle: while the machine marks one batch, the operator preps the next. Running these steps in parallel calls for a second fixture, enabling alternating loading with no interruption to the laser.

• Throughput of one tray per minute : non-productive handling time had to be eliminated
• Confined environment: the solution had to be compact, workable in a tight footprint and require no outside intervention during the cycle
• Full operator autonomy: no dependence on a second station or a resource dedicated to loading
• Marking readability and durability: the result must meet the long-term identification requirements specific to the energy industry

Together, these constraints — material, throughput, footprint, autonomy — steered the choice toward a solution combining a laser system suited to the application and a fixturing layout engineered from the earliest design stage.

Fiber laser marking and masked-time part preparation

The selected solution is built on the e.L-BOX, fiber laser marking cell from SIC MARKING, in a standard-with-adaptation configuration.

The system integrates a tray-based fixturing arrangement that delivers precise, repeatable positioning of the brass tags on every cycle.

The core adaptation of the project relies on deploying a second fixture used in parallel with the laser cycle. While the machine processes the current tray, the operator loads and positions the parts on the next fixture. When the cycle ends, the swap is immediate: zero machine wait, zero throughput interruption.

• Fiber laser: a technology suited to high-contrast marking on brass, with no consumable
• Tray-based fixturing: repeatable positioning and consistent marking across the entire batch
• Dual fixturing: part preparation runs in parallel with the machine cycle, eliminating loading downtime
• Full operator autonomy: the station can be run by a single person in a confined environment.

The laser parameters were optimized for brass to deliver a marking with high contrast and durable readability, in line with the identification requirements of the energy industry.

Cycle time held, handling reduced, autonomy secured: commissioning results

Commissioning the e.L-BOX in this configuration met the throughput and workstation-organization objectives defined upstream of the project. The dual-fixture principle translates directly into a measurable reduction in handling time: loading parts no longer creates machine wait.

• Throughput of one tray per minute sustained in production
• Reduced handling time thanks to parallel preparation using a dual jig
• Full operator autonomy in a confined environment, with no additional dedicated resource
• Laser marking on brass: high contrast, durable readability, with no label and no consumable
• Compact solution that integrates into a constrained production space