INDUSTRIES – HIGH-TECH IN EVERY SECTOR

There is no other market where industrial standards, product and process safety, precision and reliability play such an important role as in medical technology.

Operations should be performed with minimum injury to healthy tissue. Consequently, the dimensions of products such as vascular supports can be in the micrometre range. Therefore, precision machining with the use of laser technology has developed into a basic technology for cutting, welding, drilling or structuring microscopically small metallic and non-metallic components.

In addition to the standards for product and process safety, the watch and jewellery industry has unique requirements for precision, aesthetics and variety of materials for the smallest components. 

This is where the laser can show its advantages over conventional processes. Very clean and parallel cutting edges as well as low surface roughness create a high optical value and quality. The flexibility of the laser allows the gentle processing of metals such as gold, platinum or durnico. In addition to cutting, drilling and structuring metallic materials, non-metallic materials such as ceramics or precious stones can also be processed.

The ongoing trend for miniaturisation is constantly challenging electronics manufacturing. In particular, trends such as the IoT (Internet of Things) ensure that products have to combine increasingly extensive functions in more and more compact spaces. And competition also demands maximum economic efficiency in the manufacturing of products.

This is where flexible laser technology can play to its strengths, because it allows the µ-precise machining of a wide range of materials and geometries. The sensitive components are not affected by thermal stress and remain dimensionally stable.

In this way, electrical connections can be welded, printed circuit boards and ceramic foils can be cut or contacts in multilayer structures can be removed by laser without damaging surrounding layers. The laser also allows alternative surface processing of silicon wafers and can complement classic etching processes.

In addition to medical technology, the automotive industry has the highest requirements in terms of compliance with industry standards as well as product and process safety. Furthermore, manufacturers and suppliers have to meet special requirements in terms of durability and service.

Due to the high complexity of modern vehicles, which continues to increase because of ongoing digitalisation, the possible applications of laser technology in the automotive sector are enormous. Whether it is injection nozzles for combustion engines or components for electric motors, lighting and electronics or the interior, laser micromachining is one of the central technologies for cutting, welding, drilling and structuring many different materials used in motor vehicles.