CONTENTS LASERSYSTEMS EUROPE CONTENTS Lasers in action
Automotive welding boosted by OCT l improves welding high-strength steel l buys Amphos l
revenue News from Photonics West
Greg Blackman reports from a metal 3D printing panel discussion at the show in San Francisco
Additive manufacturing 10
Gemma Church on how 3D printing is transforming lives through advanced implants and guides for surgeons
Robot-assisted processing 14
Matthew Dale looks at what can be achieved by combining robots with lasers, including a novel tool for repairing jet engines from Rolls-Royce
Diode lasers 18
Blue diode lasers are becoming available that are more efficient than infrared sources at machining metals. Greg Blackman investigates
AILU news 22
Dave MacLellan writes about the International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, which will be held in Edinburgh in June
Products
Laser equipment for material processing LIA news
24 29
An introduction to the Laser Institute of America’s new executive director, Nat Quick, as well as a preview of the Laser Additive Manufacturing conference at the end of March
Suppliers’ directory Find the suppliers you need 34 18 14 IPG exceeds $1.4bn annual 8 4
Research Trumpf
ISSUE 38 • SPRING 2018 10
MADE TO MACHINE
Welding copper with a blue laser can be 10 times faster than with an infrared beam, according to feasibility studies conducted with industrial blue diode lasers that are now being released. Two companies were exhibiting blue direct diode lasers operating at power levels of hundreds of watts at the trade fair Photonics West in San Francisco earlier in the year, while other laser firms gave scientific presentations on work they were doing building high-power blue laser sources. Te rise of the blue diode laser for material
processing has come about because of improvements in gallium nitride wafers from which the diodes are made. Te benefit for material processing is that metals absorb blue wavelengths better than they do infrared; in the case of copper, 13 times higher absorption. Te article on page 18 examines the new blue diode laser technology and where it will first be used. Photonics West also hosted a round-table
discussion on metal additive manufacturing, with panellists from Trumpf and GE Additive, among others, giving their views on how the technology is progressing. A report can be found on page 8. Gemma Church, in her article on page 10, explores the medical uses for 3D printing for making surgical implants, while this issue also has additive manufacturing updates from the Laser Institute of America, in its regular section starting on page 29.
Greg Blackman, editor @lasersystemsmag
Editorial and administrative team
Editor: Greg Blackman
greg.blackman@
europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221042
Deputy editor: Jessica Rowbury
jessica.rowbury@
europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221043 Technical writer: Matthew Dale
matthew.dale@europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221047
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Free registrations available to qualifying individuals. Subscriptions £120 per year for 4 issues to readers outside registration requirements. Enquiries to Europa Science, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge CB5 8LA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 221030. Fax: +44 (0)1223 213385. ©2018 Europa Science Ltd. Whilst every care has been taken in the compilation of this magazine, errors or omissions are not the responsibility of the publishers or of the editorial staff. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or editorial staff. All rights reserved. Unless specifically stated, goods or services mentioned are not formally endorsed by Europa Science Ltd, which does not guarantee or endorse or accept any liability for any goods and/or services featured in this publication. US copies: Laser Systems Europe is published by Europa Science Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. POSTMASTER: Send US address changes to Laser Systems Europe, PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437.
Supported by the LIA
Circulation/readership enquiries: Ellie Starreveld
ellie.starreveld@
europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221030 Advertising team
Advertising manager: Stephen Russell
stephen.russell@
europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221044
Production manager: David Houghton
production@europascience.com Tel: +44 (0)1223 221034
Cover: Nuburu
Corporate team Managing director: Warren Clark
warren.clark@
europascience.com
Subscribe for FREE online at
www.lasersystemseurope.com/subscribe www.lasersystemseurope.com | @lasersystemsmag
Laser Systems Europe is published by Europa Science Ltd, 4 Signet Court, Cambridge, CB5 8LA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1223 221030 Fax: +44 (0)1223 213385 Web:
www.europascience.com ISSN: 1759-0752
ISSUE 38 • SPRING 2018 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36