Apparatus and method for writing a pattern in a substrate

• Main Authors: Kogej, Peter, Babnik, Ales, Jezersek, Matija, Mozina, Janez
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.03.2020
• Subjects: ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVEREDIN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; CHEMISTRY; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; COLOUR PRINTING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUSMETALS OR ALLOYS; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT; LINING MACHINES; MACHINE TOOLS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE BY DECARBURISATION, TEMPERING OR OTHERTREATMENTS; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION,OR SHOCK; MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; METALLURGY; METALLURGY OF IRON; MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PRINTING; PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; STAMPS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; TYPEWRITERS; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

A method and apparatus are described for forming a pattern including one or more markings on a substrate. The method includes the step of forming each marking by locally heating the substrate, for example using a fibre laser. A step is also performed of monitoring the temperature of the substrate, e.g. using a temperature sensor, whilst each marking is being formed. The method may be used to form a magnetic encoder scale on a stainless steel substrate having a high content of martensitic material. The local heating causes the martensitic material to be transformed into austenitic material. An encoder scale made using the method is also described.