Genetic Algorithm-Based Image Segmentation Strategy for Laser Rapid Processing of Bitmap Scanning

Due to its high precision and flexibility, laser marking bitmap is widely used in medical, food, packaging and building materials, etc. Traditional methods based on ablation time or multiple scanning to match the grayscale of each pixel are time consuming. A novel bitmap scanning and marking method is proposed for reducing the processing time of repeated scanning operations in order to match different gray levels. Genetic algorithm-based multi-threshold image segmentation algorithm was used to transform the target bitmap into blocks of different gray levels, and subsequently adjusts the input power by matching different scanning speeds within the blocks. This method was successfully integrated into a home-made laser oscillator control system and experimentally validated with a set of exemplary bitmaps. Compared with conventional spot scanning and filling strategy, the results show a reduction in processing time with the new algorithm of up to 68%. This finding indicates, that the new strategy is a promising approach for improvement of productivity for areal laser processing applications.