Primera Technology, Inc., a manufacturer of specialty printers, has announced the availability of its LP130 Laser Marking System.

LP130 is a new version of the company’s previous DL500 Durable Label Printer. According to the company, LP130 has a number of significant improvements including up to 25% faster print speeds than DL500. It also is compatible with a wider variety of laser-markable tapes, labels and tags. In addition, the product’s new name more accurately describes the device as a “laser marking system,” making it more apparent that it utilizes a high-powered laser for marking instead of inkjet or thermal transfer inks which generally have less durability than laser-marked materials.

“LP130 enables fast and easy in-house production of labels and tags for use in a wide range of severe and harsh-duty applications, including the US Department of Defense’s IUID program labels, UDI labels for medical devices and healthcare equipment, automobile VIN and under-hood part number, warning and instruction labels, aerospace and solar panel labels, serial tags for outdoor equipment, automobile parts, building materials and much more,” the company says.

Text, graphics and linear or 2D bar codes can be marked onto special laser-ablateable substrates that can be up to 130mm (5.1”) wide. Finished labels and tags are extremely robust and do not require lamination to withstand extended exposure to UV light, chemicals, liquids and temperatures of up to 300C. As such, they also meet the requirements for UL and CSA rating plates and serial number tags and labels.

Instead of ink, LP130 utilizes a specially-designed laser diode along with high-precision, matched optics. Labels and tags produced with this technology are typically used to replace metal plates or labels produced by resin thermal transfer that are laminated in a secondary process but are still not durable enough for many applications.

Printer drivers are included for Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. Also included is label design and printing software from Seagull Scientific called BarTender Primera SE UltraLite for Windows.

Depending upon configuration, LP130 systems will be priced between $18,000 and $22,000 (USD) in the USA and Canada. LP130 is available from Primera’s Authorized Resellers and Distributors worldwide. Prices will vary in regions outside of North America.