Laser and materials technology for flexible decoration in mass production.

Customisation of products is an important factor in selling products. This will lead to an increasing number of types in the production. To control this, a flexible way of decoration should be integrated in the production. Without a flexible and high yield mass customisation method, the integration of customisation in a mass production cannot be achieved. Laser decoration is one of the possible techniques that is able to meet the demands for flexibility and high yield. There are already some methods available, but the combination of quality with price is, at the moment, an obstacle. Laser decoration is the only technique which is already integrated into a mass production environment and is able to join decorative marking with high yield and low costs, Colour flexibility is, however, still a major challenge for laser decoration, In order to expand towards a more mature technique and to explain the necessary developments, we would like to focus on the process. The process is a combination of laser technology, material technology and software. (decoration, engraving, marking, tuneable Lasers, multi colour, process control).