Customer Visits ZiXu for 100W MOPA Deep Engraving Test on Automotive Molds
A customer from the automotive manufacturing sector recently visited ZiXu (CNMarking) for an on-site laser sample test. The application focused on deep engraving identification on casting and forging molds using a 100W MOPA fiber laser.
Unlike a standard surface marking job, mold engraving requires controlled material removal. The mark must be recessed into the metal, remain legible on a hard working surface, and fit within a defined area without affecting the surrounding mold geometry. The visit allowed the customer and ZiXu engineers to evaluate the process directly on the supplied workpiece and discuss the requirements for a repeatable production solution.
Customer Requirement: Clear Recessed Identification on Mold Steel
Automotive casting and forging molds often require permanent identifiers such as part codes, cavity references, batch information, maintenance marks, or traceability characters. These marks may be applied to mold inserts, replaceable identification blocks, or other designated surfaces where ordinary ink or shallow marking is not sufficient.
For this test, the team positioned the mold under the laser head and prepared a character pattern for engraving. The work focused on three practical questions: whether the 100W MOPA laser could create a clearly recessed mark, whether the character edges would remain readable, and which parameters should be refined before moving toward a production process.
Why a 100W MOPA Fiber Laser Was Used
A MOPA fiber laser gives the process engineer a wider parameter window than a conventional fixed-pulse configuration. Pulse width, frequency, scanning speed, hatch spacing, power, and the number of passes can be coordinated to balance removal rate, edge quality, heat input, and surface finish.
The 100W power level provides useful capacity for metal removal while still allowing the process to be tuned for the actual mold material and engraving geometry. The final settings cannot be selected by power alone. Material grade, hardness, coating condition, target depth, character size, focal position, and required cycle time all affect the process window.
On-Site Test Workflow
The team first confirmed the target area and aligned the marking content with the mold surface. After focus and position checks, the engineer ran controlled engraving passes and inspected the character formation. Parameter adjustments can then be made around the real result rather than relying only on a theoretical setting.
The photos show a clearly visible recessed character sample with defined boundaries on the selected mold area. This confirms the direction of the process test. Measured depth, engraving cycle, metallurgical effect, and long-term mold performance still need to be validated against the customer’s production standard before a final configuration is approved.
From Sample Test to a Repeatable Production Process
A successful mold engraving project depends on more than the laser source. For batch production, the complete solution may also need a stable fixture, controlled focus height, extraction for engraving debris, a defined layer strategy, parameter recipes for different materials, and inspection criteria for depth and character quality.
Before recommending a final machine configuration, ZiXu normally reviews the mold material, hardness, target depth, marking size, available working area, expected cycle time, and loading method. For large or heavy molds, the lifting range, positioning method, and operator workflow are especially important.
Talk to ZiXu About Mold Deep Engraving
For another 100W application reference, see our 100W fiber laser batch delivery for notebook manufacturing.
If you need laser deep engraving for casting dies, forging dies, mold inserts, tooling, or other hardened metal parts, send ZiXu your workpiece photos, material and hardness information, target engraving depth, mark dimensions, and required cycle time. A sample test can help determine whether a 100W MOPA system or another configuration is the better fit for the application.
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