Colour marking metal surfaces
Apparatus related to marking a metal surface are provided. The solution includes a bed for an object including a metal surface, the bed including a total marking area; a cover forming an airtight space over the bed; one or more laser marking units capable of directing a laser beam onto the metal surface located within a unit marking area, wherein the unit marking area is smaller than the total marking area. In the proposed solution control data including information on the marking of a pattern on the metal surface is received; the focus, bandwidth and movement of the one or more laser marking units is controlled on the basis of the control data to produce the pattern defined in the control data on the metal surface.
1. An apparatus for marking a metal surface, comprising:
a bed for an object comprising a metal surface, the bed comprising a total marking area;
a cover forming an airtight space over the bed;
one or more laser marking units capable of directing a laser beam onto the metal surface located within a unit marking area, wherein the unit marking area is smaller than the total marking area;
each marking unit comprising an optical sensor configured to determine the outline of the object to be marked and control the corresponding marking unit to follow the outlines of the object during marking;
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program code,
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
receive from a remote computer control data comprising parameters to create a pattern on the metal surface; and
control the focus, bandwidth and movement of the one or more laser marking units on the basis of the parameters and the respective optical sensors to produce the pattern on the metal surface,
wherein the apparatus further comprises a temperature control unit configured to control the temperature of the space under the cover in one or more time intervals, the temperature being independently controlled during each interval.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more movement control units configured to move the one or more marking units over the bed in such a manner that the unit marking areas of the marking units cover the total marking area.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more movement control units are integrated in the one or more marking units.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises more than one marking units located such that the unit marking areas of the marking units cover the total marking area.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a beam generator configured to generate a laser beam, the beam generator being connected to the one or more marking units.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising one or more beam generators configured to generate a laser beam, each beam generator being connected to a marking unit.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical sensors determine the surface of the object on the unit marking area,
wherein each marking units further comprises a rotating unit configured to rotate the respective marking unit, and
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, control the rotating unit of a marking unit to rotate the marking unit such that a laser beam is directed perpendicularly to the surface of the object on the unit marking area.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a gas unit for controlling the atmosphere of the space under the cover and configured to fill the space under the cover with a gas defined in the control data.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a coating unit for producing a coating on the metal surface and configured to spray a selected coating on the metal surface on the basis of the control data.
10. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a beam generator configured to generate a laser beam, the beam generator being connected to the one or more marking units.
11. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising a beam generator configured to generate a laser beam, the beam generator being connected to the one or more marking units.
12. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a beam generator configured to generate a laser beam, the beam generator being connected to the one or more marking units.
13. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising one or more beam generators configured to generate a laser beam, each beam generator being connected to a marking unit.
14. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising one or more beam generators configured to generate a laser beam, each beam generator being connected to a marking unit.
15. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising one or more beam generators configured to generate a laser beam, each beam generator being connected to a marking unit.
16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the optical sensors determine the surface of the object on the unit marking area,
wherein each marking units further comprises a rotating unit configured to rotate the respective marking unit, and
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, control the rotating unit of a marking unit to rotate the marking unit such that a laser beam is directed perpendicularly to the surface of the object on the unit marking area.
17. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the optical sensors determine the surface of the object on the unit marking area,
wherein each marking units further comprises a rotating unit configured to rotate the respective marking unit, and
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, control the rotating unit of a marking unit to rotate the marking unit such that a laser beam is directed perpendicularly to the surface of the object on the unit marking area.
18. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the optical sensors determine the surface of the object on the unit marking area,
wherein each marking units further comprises a rotating unit configured to rotate the respective marking unit, and
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, control the rotating unit of a marking unit to rotate the marking unit such that a laser beam is directed perpendicularly to the surface of the object on the unit marking area.
19. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the optical sensors determine the surface of the object on the unit respective marking area,
wherein each marking units further comprises a rotating unit configured to rotate the respective marking unit, and
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, control the rotating unit of a marking unit to rotate the marking unit such that a laser beam is directed perpendicularly to the surface of the object on the unit marking area.