Patent ID: 8168921

Claim:
A laser marking system for marking a material, comprising: a laser configured to emit a laser beam; a speed sensing system configured to detect a movement of the material through the speed sensing system on-the fly and responsively provide a speed signal indicative of a rate of movement of the material through the speed sensing system, the speed sensing system including a rotating speed idler positioned to contact the material as the material passes through the speed sensing system; a distance sensing system configured to provide a distance signal, on the fly, indicative of a length of the material that has passed through the distance sensing system, the distance sensing system including a rotating distance idler positioned to contact the material as the material passes through the distance sensing system, and the rotating distance idler being coupled to either an encoder or a trigger disk, which is configured to generate the distance signal based on rotation of the distance idler; a marking station, wherein the material passes through the speed sensing system, the marking station, and the distance sensing system; a motor feed system configured to move the material through the laser marking system; a laser controller coupled to the speed sensing system and configured to receive the speed signal indicative of the rate of movement of the material through the speed sensing system; and a controller coupled to the laser controller, the distance sensing system, and the motor feed system, the controller operable to direct a rate at which the motor feed system is configured to move the material through the laser marking system, the controller responsive to the distance signal configured to instruct the laser controller to operate the laser so as to direct the laser beam onto the material in a predetermined pattern while the material is in the marking station.