NEWS IN BRIEF


Photonics Systems Group has signed an agreement for exclusive license rights to the circuit trim product portfolio of Electro Scientific Industries, a subsidiary of MKS Instruments.


Boeing’s 777x aircraft has flown for the first time, featuring two GE9X engines built with more than 300 additively manufactured parts, developed by GE Additive and GE Aviation.


Jenoptik has strengthened its automated manufacturing portfolio by acquiring Spanish company Interob, a manufacturer and integrator of automation solutions and robotics.


6-D Laser has come out of stealth mode, with a mission to integrate ultrafast laser processing with precision multi-axis motion systems (more information on page 25). The firm was formed in 2018 as an affiliate of nanometre- level motion control specialist ALIO Industries.


Fibre laser manufacture SPI Lasers is celebrating its 20th year, with the firm having deployed more than 50,000 laser units to date.


TWI achieves UK first with Hornet deal


Engineering consultancy firm TWI has acquired the UK’s first EHLA system from Hornet Laser Cladding. The system was be delivered to the


TWI Technology Centre, in Yorkshire, in February, after factory acceptance tests in The Netherlands. EHLA, also known as extreme high-speed


laser cladding, is capable of speeds 10 times faster than traditional laser metal deposition (LMD) in terms of surface coverage rate. The process has proven capable of


achieving coating speeds above 300m/ min and surface coverage rates of 250- 1,000cm2 for rotationally systematical components.


Rather than injecting metal powder into


a laser-induced melt pool on the substrate surface, as in conventional LMD, EHLA injects the metal powder into the laser beam, which melts it before reaching the substrate surface Not only does this dramatically speed up the cladding process, it reduces the energy absorbed by the substrate, resulting in a very small heat-affected zone and a low dilution depth. The short production cycle is also aided by the layer thickness of EHLA – between 25-400µm – compared to the 500µm layer thickness of conventional LMD.


EHLA can be used as an economically viable alternative to hard chrome plating and thermal spray technologies for corrosion and wear protection. It is metallurgically bonded via the fusion process to the base layers, meaning it will


not chip, peel or delaminate and, due to being non-porous, offers more efficient protection than competitive techniques. When compared to thermal spraying, EHLA has been found to save up to 90 per cent on feedstock material. This is due to it having a higher capture efficiency, as well as not requiring multiple layers to mitigate against porosity. EHLA was originally developed by


Fraunhofer ILT, with Hornet Laser Cladding being the first system integrator to successfully implement the process. The new system will be supplied to TWI with a 4kW diode laser from Laserline. Carl Hauser (second right, above)


TWI’s section manager for laser additive manufacturing, said the firm will use the new system for applications in disc and shaft coating, dissimilar materials joining and high-speed additive manufacturing.


The 26th iteration of the biennial international sheet metal working show EuroBLECH will feature an extra exhibition hall this year; from 27 to 30 October in Hannover, Germany. The additional space brings the number of halls up to nine for the first time in the show’s history, according to organiser Mack Brooks Exhibitions. Compared to last year's


event, which covered a total of 89,800m2, more than 95,000m2 of space has already been booked at this year’s event – an almost 6 per cent increase.


6 LASER SYSTEMS EUROPE SPRING 2020


EuroBLECH 2020 adds ninth hall for first time ‘The growth to a ninth


exhibition hall reflects the increasing demand for stand space at the leading industry event, and offers even more capacity for businesses to present their innovations to an international audience’, said Evelyn Warwick, exhibition director of EuroBLECH. The additional hall – Hall 26 – will host exhibitors of joining technology and fastening technology, as well as exhibitors of surface and tool technology, which were previously located in Hall


13. This hall will now feature exhibitors of separation technologies, flexible sheet metal working technologies, and machine elements and components. The biggest exhibiting


countries this year include Germany, Italy, Turkey, China,


Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Great Britain and USA. The latest industry trends, including smart sheet metal working and the automation and digitalisation of the manufacturing chain, will be the main topics of discussion at this year’s show. ‘For exhibiting companies in this industry sector, it is a vital time to present their machines, systems and solutions for networked manufacturing to an international audience,’ Mack Brooks says.


@LASERSYSTEMSMAG | WWW.LASERSYSTEMSEUROPE.COM


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