If you’re considering either one of these, we’re here to help you break down the systems and make sure that you make the best choice for you.
Gantry Marking Systems
The first option we’ll discuss is a gantry-based laser marking systems, like the Vytek L-Star System. Gantry systems certainly have their place, especially since they have the ability to process a wide range of part types. However, they also have some pretty severe limitations that are not always obvious to a new user.
The attractive part of a gantry-based system is the fact that you can lay out a more product on the table, which means you have to reload the table less frequently. However, this can be very deceiving as a Gantry system may take longer, which affects the throughput of a project.
Here are some good and bad aspects of Gantry systems:
The Good Points
- Great when you have a marking requirement that is continuous and cannot be broken into smaller segments.
- Great for light surface marks
- Optimal for very large parts.
- Simple to batch large amounts of small parts for long part runs.
- Easy to set up for single parts and small batches of parts.
The Bad Points
- Due to the nature of moving the gantry, it can be up to 10x slower than the Galvo systems.
- Text and image creation can be difficult.
- Difficult to deep engrave in certain materials.
- Gantry systems, depending on manufacturer, can have a low-accuracy positioning system.
- Has a very low tolerance for out-of-level marking surfaces.
Galvo Marking Systems:
On the other side of the equation is the Galvo system. Galvos are the standard for high-speed marking, deep engraving, and very high-quality text and graphic creation. Systems like the Vytek Compact series and our X3 large field system were designed for high-speed marking and batch serializing, UID, and barcode applications.
The overwhelming majority of manufacturers who require marking choose Galvo systems. Let’s see the breakdown of good and bad points:
The Good Points
- Very fast, among the fastest methods for high-quality marking.
- Incredibly accurate.
- Low maintenance systems.
- Can address multiple part heights.
- Capable of having add-on automation capability.
The Bad Points:
- Have small working fields
- Not generally used for cutting
- Can be more expensive than Gantry systems
Summary:
As a general rule, when optimized for a job a Galvo system will be up to 5 times faster than a gantry based system. If a job on a Galvo takes 10 seconds then it will take at least 50 seconds on a gantry system at best. Depending on how the job is laid out, it could take even more time.
Galvo systems produce far more throughput in a given day with superior quality. Don’t get lured into thinking that because you load a big table up with a Gantry system that you will get the throughput you need. In the end, it will always be about how much product ships in any given day. The Galvo allows you to produce at least 3 times more products a day, and that is the bottom line.