Dot peen marking machine - GIF

[Altair]

Dot peen marking machine.




Previously:

Laser engraving steel rule graduations - GIF
Engraving graduation marks - GIF
Hand engraving a copper printing plate - video
1891 and 1914 engraving machines - video
Engraving a watch - GIFs

[rgsparber]

Although slow, I expect that a CNC could be programmed to do this same operation. I would use a spring-loaded pin so Z-axis feed would not be critical. Alternately, the A-axis could be configured to turn a drive on and off. Then X and Y would just trace out the artwork.

Rick

[Frank S]

Rick wouldn't it be much easier to just clamp on a pneumatic engraver then the Z axis would only have to activate for spacing between the letters and words? That seems like it would allow for much faster writing.

[rgsparber]

Brilliant, Frank!

[hemmjo]

A friend and I built a pair of X-Y tables back before our schools could afford CNC, robots or 3-D printers, even if they HAD existed on a consumer level at that time. This was the early 80's . My friend had the idea and did the designed the electronics and did the programming for Apple IIe. I designed and built the mechanical parts using stepper motors and lead screws from old printers. This was back when printers were built SOLID. We added a Z - axis that was just up and down. We had our students enter x, y coordinates to do engraving etc. Used a ball point pen for testing their coordinate entry, then switched to an engraver for a finished product.

I will have to dust it off some day and see if the old Apple IIe still works.

[rgsparber]

I wonder how painful it would be to do this manually?

I just posted a new article. Some pain but the results show promise.

[Toolmaker51]

Dot peen markers go for as little as a few hundred bucks; the platen size and work envelope are main cost differences. They'll sit on a table, does need a decent sturdy foundation to deliver consistent impacts. A simple fixture secures part into place and hit go, runs while same operator packages, gets the next queued up on deck, or both.

Dot peen is a result of highly stressed parts exhibiting fractures emanating to and from standard hand stamp markings; whether hit or impressed. They simplify single marking, pairing, identifying set halves, or serialize sequentially items in either mode. The 'Z' is simple as a screw post on the column and controls depth of marks. Terrific for aircraft parts; indelible; great traceability. The non-automated version uses dotted figure hand stamps. BTW, the point is hemispherical, about .015, unlike a punch.

May be toolholder types that'll run in a CNC I think, dependent on bluetooth communication. Unsure how they get air to it and cycle a solenoid, might be electric instead.