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LIA Executive Chairman’s
hydrogen. Metals provide much more energy
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per kilogramme and are safer to store. In a
car, for instance, it would be possible to ride
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By Peter Baker
around for many miles then just go to a store
Orlando, FL 32826, USA
for a fresh magnesium pack. Dr Yabe then
ALAW 2009 – Laser
showed how the combustion residue, MgO,
+1 407.380.1553
applications, the enabler for
can be reduced back to Mg using a solar
green car body production
lia@laserinstitute.org
powered laser, thereby achieving a clean,
ALAW has
renewable cycle.
www.laserinstitute.org
provided a forum
Year by year the range of laser applications
for success
in automobiles and other applications grows
stories of lasers
and grows. In addition, new lasers and
in automobile
delivery systems are developed, offering
manufacturing
even greater effi ciency and utility. This
for the past 17
progress over almost 50 years since the fi rst
years. During
laser lased has, in my opinion, brought us to
this time our
the ankle of a hockey stick growth curve
presenters have
(see Figure 1).
demonstrated
ALAW 2009 will be held from 12 to 14
improvements in quality and throughput in
May in Plymouth, MI, USA and promises to
a variety of body, transmission and other
deliver once again. Starting with a keynote
applications – together with savings from
speech on energy-effi cient car body
ILSC 2009
reduction in scrap and factory footprint. In
production, ALAW will feature sessions on
recent years, with the emphasis on fuel
Tier 1 success stories with laser applications,
effi ciency, we have learned how lasers have The world’s leading
laser manufacturer reports, new
contributed to the reduction in vehicle
developments in fuel cells and batteries, and
weight through welding of aluminium and conference on laser
laser processing of high-performance
by cutting, welding and trimming
materials. You can fi nd more information at
lightweight high strength steel. safety will be held
www.alawlaser.org.
Improvements in the range and
Just as the semiconductor industry grew
performance of hybrid vehicles are critically 23-26 March 2009
from single transistors through integrated
dependent on laser technology for the
circuits to the geometric growth of Moore’s
processing of higher energy-density batteries. in Reno, Nevada
law, I believe that we are on the threshold of
Even greater performance is needed to
a similar rapid and substantial growth
ensure the viability of battery-powered
perhaps driven by ‘Maiman’s Law’. I look
Presented by LIA, the International Laser Safety
automobiles and, again, this will not happen
forward to seeing you at ALAW this year.
Conference (ILSC) is a comprehensive four-day
without laser processing. The next great hope
conference covering all aspects of laser safety
is for vehicles powered by fuel cells and, of
practice and hazard control. Laser safety experts
course, lasers play a critical role here as well.
from around the world will descend on Reno to
This year’s ALAW has a session on new
discuss and define the latest changes to
developments in fuel cells and batteries.
regulations, and also common practices in the
At LIA’s International Congress on the
fi eld.
Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics
‘ILSC 2009 is a knowledge-packed week of
(ICALEO) last October, Takashi Yabe of the
networking and learning about what’s new in
Tokyo Institute of Technology and CEO of
laser safety. This conference combines the best
Electra, discussed the intriguing possibility
of hands-on learning of everyday habits of laser
of using fuel cells powered by magnesium,
safety offi cers to presentations of cutting-edge
lithium and other metals instead of Figure 1: The hockey stick growth curve
scientifi c research supporting changes to the
common community of practice,’ said ➤
www.lasersystemseurope.com ISSUE 2• LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE 23
LSEspr09 pp22-28 LIA pages.indd 23 3/3/09 10:53:20
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