23.12.2021 • News

50th laser anniversary for Trumpf

The idea of using light as a tool was still in its infancy when the Schramberg engineers used laser systems to spot-weld watch springs.

The facility in the Black Forest – the second-largest Trumpf location in Germany – now employs over 1,400 people including physicists, engineers and software architects. Together, they develop, manufacture and maintain laser systems that are used in numerous industries all over the world. “Schramberg is the hub of German industrial solid-state laser technology,” says the site’s managing director, Hagen Zimer. “We now supply state-of-the-art laser technology for global applications including e-mobility, display manufacturing, smartphones, and tablets.”

More than 1,400 Trumpf employees work in Schramberg (Source: Trumpf)

Clean room for the pre-assembly of the TruDisk disk laser (Source: Trumpf)

From its humble origins in the Black Forest, when the Schramberg engineers came up with the idea of building laser systems to spot-weld watch springs, the introduction of laser-based processes for cathode ray tube manufacturing and pacemakers swiftly followed, culminating in the company’s breakthrough use of solid-state laser technology in automotive production.

“Over the years, we have demonstrated time and again that we are an industry trendsetter that knows how to respond to change and meet its customers’ needs,” says Zimer. Development engineers in Schramberg played a key role in developing ultrashort-pulsed laser technology and ramping it up for industrial use. These systems are an efficient choice for processing hard materials such as glass and sapphire, as well as solar cells. In 2013, Trumpf received the prestigious German Future Prize together with representatives of Bosch and Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

At the heart of Schramberg's success is its expertise in disk lasers. Offering outstanding performance and reliable operation, this type of laser is the ideal choice for multiple applications, especially in automotive production. Soaring demand for e-mobility solutions helped swell Trumpf’s order books and fueled the need for greater production capacity in Schramberg. “We are determined to keep up with this growing demand for the laser technology that this site specializes in. That’s why we invested eighty million euros in new development facilities, clean rooms and production facilities at the site over the past five years,” says Zimer.

He believes Schramberg is perfectly positioned to tackle the challenges that lie ahead: “We’ve spent decades accumulating expertise and always been open to adopting new technologies. That’s given us the agility we need to adapt to new requirements and respond quickly to our customers’ needs. And our flexibility is enhanced still further by our truly exceptional research and development capabilities.”

Further reading: Strategic partnership to address display industry, WileyIndustryNews.com, 24 November 2021