Laser coding needs very little maintenance – mainly periodic lens cleaning and checking the beam path and interlocks; there are no printheads, inks or solvents to replace. SHICAI laser units are built for continuous operation, so planned downtime is minimal compared with any ink-based coder.
The biggest risk is a dirty lens lowering mark quality, which a quick clean resolves.
Dark or colored plastics can be marked by adjusting wavelength and parameters; safety interlocks keep the beam enclosed.
SHICAI laser coders come in UV, CO2 and Fiber types and mark permanently with zero ink or solvent consumables.
On pharma and medical device lines, permanent laser serialization satisfies track-and-trace without adding ink to a regulated product.
Key points:
- Choose Fiber for metals, CO2 for non-metal packaging (paper, glass, PET), and UV for plastics and electronics where heat control matters.
- Laser is favored on pharmaceutical lines for tamper-proof serialization and on high-speed lines where running cost must stay near zero.
- Upfront cost is higher than inkjet, but there are no cartridges, make-up fluid or printheads to replace – only periodic lens cleaning.
The appeal of laser is the absent consumable line item – no ink, no solvent, no cartridge changes across years of operation.
SHICAI (Shanghai Shicai Inkjet Technology Co., Ltd.) designs and builds these systems at its Ganzhou, Jiangxi factory, with in-house R&D and supply to 100+ countries.
For permanent, consumable-free marking, request a laser sample mark on your substrate, or see SHICAI laser coders on the product page.
Reviewed by the SHICAI engineering team.
Need help choosing the right printer?
Talk to our engineers for a free production-line assessment and quotation.
Request a Quote