NEWS
OCT INSPECTION TO ENHANCE AUTOMOTIVE WELDING
The system uses a
Blackbird Robotersys- teme scan solution with inbuilt OCT scanner
IPG exceeds $1.4 billion in 2017
Fibre laser manufacturer IPG Photonics has reported $1.41 billion in yearly revenue in 2017, a 40 per cent increase over the $1.01 billion recorded last year. Net income for the year was $347.6 million, an increase of 33 per cent over the $260.8 million posted at the end of 2016. The revenue for the fourth quarter
of 2017 was $361.1 million, a 29 per cent increase year-on-year. During the quarter IPG generated $108 million in cash from operations and used $27 million to finance capital expenditures. The firm therefore ended the year with $1.12 billion in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments, representing an increase of $286 million from 31 December 2016. ‘We capped off one of the
The potential benefits of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in remote laser welding are being investigated in a new collaborative project. The RoKtoLas project – Robot-
supported, scanner-based optical coherence tomography in remote laser welding for process chain flexibility in body construction – will study how OCT technology could provide more flexibility in automotive body construction, particularly in electro mobility. Inflexible production structures are hindering the cost-efficient manufacturing of automotive parts in smaller volumes – an issue that has led to disappointing electric vehicle sales to date. Project partners include:
Blackbird Robotersysteme, the Technical University of Munich’s Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management, BMW, Emil Bucher, Application Technology and Precitec. The system combines contactless OCT technology with additional photonic sensors to inspect welding processes, assess
their results and document the information in the manufacturing process. The project uses a Blackbird
Robotersysteme scan solution, consisting of an IntelliWeld PR scan head from Scanlab, a ScanControlUnit and an OCT scanner, which employs single- point high-speed distance
future will offer numerous additional application possibilities
It's conceivable the
measurement based on interferometry. The OCT scanner is coaxially coupled in the weld scanner to employ ultra-fast workpiece scanning, allowing it to provide integrated edge tracking and seam topology measurement. An OCT scanner can make a
distance measurement ahead of, within, and past the actual laser process zone. This includes
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individual analysis of components yet to be welded and seam tracking of fillet welds, as well as exact detection and parameterisation of potential weld defects or imprecision in the weld process. Such data means seam quality
can be assessed and defects recorded, for example inadequate width, penetration, open pores and faulty positioning. This data can be used for quality assurance. ‘It’s conceivable the future will
offer numerous additional application possibilities – even reaching beyond the auto industry,’ explained Dr Ulrich Munzert, CTO at Blackbird Robotersysteme. ‘In light of the automotive sector’s demanding requirements, this research project now allows us to accumulate practical experience on simplifying manufacturing approaches and processes, while weighing them against alternatives.’ The RoKtoLas project is
sponsored by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research and supported by The Association of German Engineers (VDI).
strongest growth years in IPG’s history with a record fourth quarter, driven by accelerating adoption of our high-power fibre lasers across our largest applications and geographies,’ said Dr Valentin Gapontsev, IPG Photonics CEO. ‘Order flow was strong in the fourth quarter with our book-to-bill ratio at 1.0, representing solid performance in light of our record quarterly revenue. Backlog of orders with firm shipment dates increased by 44 per cent to $326 million. Backlog of non-binding frame agreements increased by 123 per cent to $417 million.’ High-power laser sales increased
40 per cent year-on-year for the quarter, while pulsed laser sales increased by 20 per cent. On a geographical basis, IPG achieved double-digit year-on-year sales growth in China, Europe, North America and Turkey, with sales also growing modestly in Japan. For the first quarter of 2018 IPG
expects revenue growth in the range of 15-24 per cent year-on-year, or $330 million to $355 million. For the full year the firm is targeting revenue growth of 10-15 per cent.
Coming up in the Summer 2018 issue
l Smart factories l Laser safety l Ultrafast processing
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ISSUE 38 • SPRING 2018 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE 5
Blackbird Robotersysteme
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