A dot peen marking doesn't look precise, does it?
This week, the question was again put to Sander van der Valk, Sales Engineer at Automator: A dot peen marker doesn't make a precise mark, does it? This was not the first time Sander heard this question, and I’m sure it won't be the last. This is a great question for Sander to answer here.
Dot peen marking
Sander has been in the business for quite a few years. Specialising in marking on metal, he has seen many dot peen markings on many different materials. How precise is such a marking?
“The beauty of a dot peen marker is that you can make different markings. From a precise line to the more familiar marking consisting of all dots,” Sander explains.
“What many people don’t know is that you can make a very precise line with a dot peen marker with the right settings. This does come at the expense of the speed at which the marking is done. So it is always a matter of testing on the material whether a dot peen marker is the best solution.”
Benefits of dot peen marking
A major benefit of the dot peen marker is that it is one of the cheaper and, therefore, budget-friendly ways of marking. “In addition, with a dot peen marker, it is possible to mark on a lot of hard materials,” adds Sander. “And as mentioned earlier, you can set the marker to suit the marking demand. For some, a 'dot peen marker' will be fine, while others opt for higher resolution and more precise marking in line form. The dot peen marker offers that flexibility.”
Disadvantages of dot peen marking
Although it was mentioned earlier that the dot peen marker can mark on a lot of hard materials, we should mention here among the disadvantages that the dot marker cannot mark on wood.
“If you want precise line marking, you will not be able to mark as fast. For most applications, the speed is still fine, but in some cases, you will need another solution that can make precise markings faster. Often you will then end up with the somewhat more expensive solutions,” Sander explains.
Types of dot peen marker
There are portable and integrated versions of the dot peen marker. The portable dot peen marker is often used to mark large objects, as the marker can move to the object. We generally see the integrated variant in the somewhat smaller parts, such as nameplates and in CNC machines.
SIC Marking
Automator is a supplier of laser, scratch and dot peen markers from SIC Marking. SIC Marking is a specialist in the field of metal marking. We have found that their high-quality, robust machines require little maintenance and are easy to operate. “Ultimately, that's what it's all about: you want a marker that places a high-quality mark without breakdowns and too much fuss,” Sander knows how to succinctly describe what is most important to his customer.
More information
You can read more about the dot peen marker and the different types on our Dot Marker website page. Prefer to discuss the possibilities with one of our Sales Engineers? Call +31 (0)10 415 64 00 or email info@automator.nl. Please fill in the contact form and we will contact you within one working day.