Additive laser barcode printing on high reflective stainless steel

In this paper, the process of an additive laser marking on stainless steel parts for barcode printing is presented. It is based on the use of one transition metal oxide chemically-well bonded to the stainless steel substrate, without a usage of any additional materials and cleaning substances. The resulting additive coatings, produced from initial MoO3 powder by irradiation with a laser beam, reveal strong adhesion, high hardness, long durability and high optical contrast, which make the process suitable for barcode printing on materials such as high reflective stainless steel, which was always a challenge for the classical laser marking technologies. The obtained bar patterns are in a compliance with the requirements of the existing standards.