By Ken Barat The researcher and Laser Safety Officer (LSO) in a research, commercial or academic setting, face many challenges and frustrations. One that they should not have to deal with is laser safety guidance that does not represent their work environment. To this end, a new ANSI standard has joined the Z136 laser safety […]
Laser Editorials
High-Power Laser Materials Processing
By Eckhard Beyer and Achim Mahrle The high power laser market has been remarkably influenced by the introduction of high-brightness lasers, i.e., laser sources offering a high optical output power in combination with a high beam quality or a low beam parameter product, respectively. These features are primarily exhibited by fiber and disk laser systems, […]
Impact of Lasers in Plastics Manufacturing
By Jerry Zybko As manufacturing has evolved over the years, the methods needed for assembly have expanded. Plastics have certainly gained more widespread acceptance in a variety of industries including automotive, medical, industrial and consumer applications. Depending on part geometry, material/part requirements and financial constraints, a variety of assembly methods are available.
Digital Photonic Production and Its Emerging Opportunities
By Christian Hinke Digital photonic production enables us to fabricate almost any component or product directly from digital data. Experts characterize the photon or the laser as the only tool that “works” as quickly as a computer “thinks.” An office laser printer functions according to this principle and reveals what will be possible in future […]
Consumer Goods Made by Manufacturing
By Bart Van der Schueren Since being founded in 1990, Materialise has been active in the field of 3D printing and over the years, has seen this technology evolve tremendously. 3D printing has gone from a young, relatively unknown technology suited to producing realistic yet fragile prototypes, to a technology capable of capturing the world’s […]