Cover Picture: PhotonicsViews 5/2023
Editorial
Patricia Segonds (European Optical Society)
Contents
Technology Report
Ivan Nikitskiy (EPIC)
Europe has witnessed remarkable developments in quantum sensing technology in recent years. Various companies have entered the field from different perspectives and made significant strides in harnessing the power of quantum phenomena to create highly sensitive and precise sensors. These sensors have the potential to revolutionize a wide range of industries, including healthcare, telecommunications, navigation, and more.
Interviews
In the southwest of the Stuttgart region in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, the Quantum Village Ehningen has grown a lot over the past two years – this will continue in the future, with the development of completely new potential for industry, science, and society. On April 18, 2023, the Quantum AI Experience & Innovation Center “Q.AX” opened its doors during a ceremony at the former IBM site in Ehningen, attended by minister-president Winfried Kretschmann.
At Laser World of Photonics, Coherent presented new products for the automotive sector: an adjustable ring-mode laser to effectively weld materials with a propensity for cracking or spatter, dissimilar materials, and even copper, and a tactile seam-tracking process head for brazing and wire welding. PhotonicsViews spoke with the directors from Tampere, Finland, and Kleinmachnow, Germany.
Laser Welding
Björn Wedel (PT Photonic Tools)
For more than twenty years, tactile laser processing has been the state of the art for laser brazing and filler wire-assisted laser welding. The expectations of process efficiency, uptime and machine integration have been growing during this time. A new generation of processing heads is responding to that with a simplified optomechanical design and a monitoring system that continuously shows the status of all critical components.
Axel Luft (Scansonic), Pasquale Franciosa (WMG), Philip Marben (Scansonic)
Battery cases in modern electric vehicles must meet very demanding functional requirements. WMG – an independent research and development Institute at the University of Warwick – tested laser welding processes for optimizing aluminum battery cases on behalf of major automotive manufacturers. In extensive laboratory tests, WMG studied which production technology could produce the best results.
Product Feature
In recent years, kilowatt lasers have become standard products in the industrial laser market. The popularity of kilowatt lasers has greatly improved the efficiency and capabilities of industrial processing. Despite the performance improvements, the large size of these lasers has posed significant challenges in transportation and assembly. As a result, laser manufacturers have contemplated ways to reduce the overall size of these laser systems.
Product Report
Cooling Systems
Although effective thermal management is essential for temperature-intensive laser applications, it is far more than a necessary evil, because it makes a decisive contribution to safety, the quality of results and reproducibility. In view of innovative (further) developments in the laser sector, the importance of precise temperature control is growing. Users are demanding highly flexible cooling systems in the form of customized solutions, maximum precision and high reliability.
Additive Manufacturing
Founded in 2013, Femtika is a spinoff company of the Laser Research Center of Vilnius University, Lithuania. The experts there have many years of experience in the research and development of 3D laser precision micromachining, and they specialize in hybrid micromachining technology.
Spectroscopy
Mark Naples (Umicore Coating Services)
The global picture of emissions is more complex than it might appear – here is how laser absorption spectroscopy can untangle the many mysteries surrounding methane emissions.
Market Report
For a long time, agriculture was able to feed the world by cultivating more land and increasing input, fertilizer, and the use of pesticides. But it began to reach its limits in the 1980s. Since the 1990s, the only way to improve is to make use of precision farming. A joint study by Tematys, Spectaris and Messe München lays out the details.
Technology Feature
Innovative ideas and solutions emerge within the Nynomic group from the interaction of its various specialized companies, which range from component development and system integration to highly application-oriented implementation. Intensive cooperation with numerous external partners in the field is also extremely valuable.
Previews
Index & Masthead
