Method and apparatus for laser marking with laser cleaning

An apparatus for marking a desired pattern of at least one of a character, symbol, and figure on a surface of a workpiece by laser beam scanning, said apparatus comprising:

• an input device operable to input data of an image and position of the pattern to said apparatus;
• a cleaning area determining device, linked with said input device, operable to determine, from the data input by said inputting device, a desired cleaning area including a desired portion corresponding to the pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• a marking device, linked with said input device, operable to project a laser marking beam so as to scan the surface of the workpiece so as to mark the desired pattern thereon;
• and
• a cleaning device, linked with said cleaning area determining device, operable to project a laser cleaning beam, having an energy density lower than an energy density of the marking beam, so as to scan the desired cleaning area determined by said cleaning area determining device.

An apparatus for marking a desired pattern of at least one of a character, symbol, and figure on a surface of a workpiece by laser beam scanning, said apparatus comprising:

• an input device operable to input data of an image and position of the pattern to said apparatus;
• a cleaning portion determining device, linked with said input device, operable to determine, from the data input by said inputting device, a desired portion corresponding to the pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• a marking device, linked with said input device, operable to project a laser marking beam so as to scan the surface of the workpiece so as to mark the desired pattern thereon;
• and
• a cleaning device, linked with said input device, operable to project a laser cleaning beam, having an energy density lower than an energy density of the marking beam, so as to scan the desired portion on the surface of the workpiece determined by said cleaning portion determining device.

An apparatus for marking a desired pattern of at least one of a character, symbol, and figure on a surface of a workpiece by laser beam scanning, said apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting data of an image and position of the pattern to said apparatus;
• cleaning area determining means for determining, from the data input by said inputting device, a desired cleaning area including a desired portion corresponding to the pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• marking means for projecting a laser marking beam and scanning the surface of the workpiece with the laser marking beam so as to mark the desired pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• and
• cleaning means for projecting a laser cleaning beam, having an energy density lower than an energy density of the marking beam, and scanning the desired cleaning area determined by said cleaning area determining device with the laser cleaning beam.

An apparatus for marking a desired pattern of at least one of a character, symbol, and figure on a surface of a workpiece by laser beam scanning, said apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting data of an image and position of the pattern to said apparatus;
• cleaning portion determining means for determining, from the data input by said inputting device, a desired portion corresponding to the pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• marking means for projecting a laser marking beam and scanning the surface of the workpiece with the laser marking beam so as to mark the desired pattern on the surface of the workpiece;
• and
• cleaning means for projecting a laser cleaning beam, having an energy density lower than an energy density of the marking beam, and scanning the desired portion on the surface of the workpiece determined by said cleaning portion determining device with the laser cleaning beam.