The laser is a key tool for material processing. It appears to be unbeatable when it comes to the cutting, welding, drilling, marking, and structuring of the most varied of materials. The innovative thinkers behind these laser processing systems will be present at LASYS 2010, the international forum for system solutions in laser material processing, from June 8 to 10. Taking place at the fair grounds in Stuttgart, approximately 200 exhibitors from 16 countries are expected to attend the event.
"Laser welding is becoming increasingly more efficient. This is contingent on, among other things, the superb quality and dimensional accuracy of the welded components with very little reworking," says Markus Krütten, head of the Laser Technology Division at Reis Robotics. The company will be presenting the laser welding robot RV16L-FT and its modular MWO welding design, developed by Reis. According to the manufacturer, this package is designed especially for laser welding with fiber-guided lasers.
"What makes this invention unique is the laser beam guide in the robot hand, which is used for the directed supply of process gases and additional wires, as well as the adaption of the light conducting cable in the compact robot arm structure. With this solution, the flexible 3D ability of the robot can be utilized to great benefit," explains Krütten.
"The development of a laser system tailored specifically to customer requirements is a complex process and requires plenty of technical expertise and, above all, experience," says Jens Bleher, managing director of TRUMPF Laser and System Technology. The universal spectrum of laser applications, according to Bleher, means that there are plenty of integrated applications out there to discover. Trumpf will be presenting the modular-designed TruLaser robot cell for 3D material processing. According to the manufacturer, it boasts a high level of flexibility when it comes to processes and provides users with the opportunity to switch between the applications of welding, cutting, remote, and build-up welding, as well as soldering.
"Machine systems for flexible manufacturing, in particular with fluctuating quantities and/or of great variety, are highly regarded by manufacturers in the automotive supplier industry as proven manufacturing concepts," explains Michael Lau, head of sales at SITEC Industrietechnologie. The company's LS Laserstation, designed for 3D processing and the integration of fiber-guided solid-state and direct-beam laser systems, will be shown.
BUND Automation will be presenting the newly developed LASER PIR 90-750 laser welding machines and their flexible modular design. "It is our aim, with a completely new design and the use of energy-saving components, to provide users with a solution that results in cost savings of up to 50 percent during both purchase and operation," says Wolfgang Wieland, project manager of laser welding at BUND Automation. And the special feature? A fixed laser source. By using a 6-axis industry robot, the system is extremely flexible despite the fixed laser. The most varied of components can be moved by the robot to the required position (welding, soldering).
The day before the trade fair starts, the 11th International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication (LPM) will be taking place to promote the exchange between research and industrial applications in the area of micro laser technologies. The LPM forum is organized by Messe Stuttgart together with the Japan Laser Processing Society (JLPS).
An additional event is the Stuttgart Laser Technology Forum (SLT' 10), which will be taking place for the second time at LASYS. It is organized by the Institut für Strahlwerkzeuge (IFS) Stuttgart. For the first time, SLT' 10 will be a three-day event with daily themes presented. This is also an event to promote the collaboration between research and field work.
