Laser joining

As early as the 1970s, lasers were being employed in applications such as mounting springs in mechanical timepieces by means of small spot welds. Since then, the uses and areas of application have expanded rapidly. Today, lasers are capable of welding not only metals, but also fusible plastic materials. In some automobiles, the length of all laser welds added together may reach an impressive 60 meters. On cellular phones, display covers are welded in place by lasers. In medical technology, lasers are used to weld endoscopes and other equipment. ...

Laser cutting

The lasers employed at the time were CO₂ lasers with a power of 200 to 500 watts. In the decades that followed, the process became established in industrial manufacturing. Today, lasers are capable of carrying out extremely varied cutting tasks. They range from micrometer cuts in wafer-thin semiconductor chips all the way to quality cuts in 30-millimeter thick steel plate. ...

Surface treatment

To increase the component’s resistance to stresses, its surface is treated. Alongside the many conventional methods for surface treatment, laser processes also exist. They include laser hardening, remelting, and coating. Laser marking as well as structuring and ablating with micro processing lasers can also be used to change the surface of a workpiece. ...

Micro processing

Lasers are being used increasingly often in micro production technology. Short pulse lasers find applications wherever controlled, highly precise and repeatable ablating of material is required. They are used for structuring cylinder bearing surfaces, for edge insulation on solar cells or for drilling holes with few micrometers in diameter. ...

Laser marking

Markings are required on workpieces in all branches of industry. The attachment of numbers, texts or identity codes has become a part of the added value process. The laser has established itself as a progressive marking tool for all these tasks because it fulfills the requirements to a special degree. The laser beam allows non-contact marking and is free of wear and tear, making it ideal for marking any product shapes, even at hard-to-reach locations. ...