Primera launches new laser marking system

The LP130e is an optimized version of the company’s previous DL500e durable label printer, but now offering 25 percent faster print speeds. It also is compatible with a wider variety of laser markable tapes, labels and tags.

It is designed to enable fast in-house production of labels and tags for use in a wide range of severe and harsh-duty applications, including the US Department of Defense’s IUID program labels, UDI labels for medical devices and healthcare equipment, automobile VIN and under-hood part number plates, warning and instruction labels, aerospace and solar panel labels, serial tags for outdoor equipment, automobile parts, building materials and others.

Text, graphics and linear or 2D bar codes can be marked onto special laser-ablateable substrates that can be up to 130mm (5.1in) wide.

It uses a high-powered laser for marking instead of inkjet or thermal transfer inks, which generally have less durability than laser-marked materials, Primera said. The based for the marking system is a specially-designed laser diode along with high-precision, matched optics.

Labels and tags produced with this technology are typically used to replace metal plates or labels produced by resin thermal transfer that are laminated in a secondary process but are still not durable enough for many applications.

As such, finished labels and tags are extremely robust and do not require lamination to withstand extended exposure to UV light, chemicals, liquids and temperatures of up to 300 degrees C.

Printer drivers are included for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. Also included is label design and printing software from Seagull Scientific called BarTender Primera SE UltraLite for Windows.

Depending upon configuration, LP130e systems will be priced between €18,000 and €22,000 in Europe, although the LP130e is available from Primera’s authorized resellers and distributors in more than 179 countries.