With the ‘laser light’ tool, manufacturing processes can be handled automatically and flexibly, producing components and products of extraordinary quality, and in a much ‘greener’ way in comparison to most other energy sources.

The trend towards customisation and the growing importance of industrial design, as observed most notably in consumer electronics, will require novel methods for proving new product properties and shapes, and bespoke production capabilities. The inherent flexibility of the laser tool makes it the ideal choice for meeting these requirements.

Further advantages of the laser as a working tool are that it does not wear out, it allows the integration of monitoring and control systems based on intelligent photonic sensing techniques, and it allows zero-fault production, even in single part production.

Optical techniques have become crucial in such diverse industries as semiconductor manufacturing, construction, and chemical production. Every semiconductor chip mass produced in the world today is manufactured using optical lithography. Just making the equipment for this business is a $1 billion industry, and it ultimately enables a $200 billion electronics business. Other applications include laser welding, cutting and micromachining, laser 3D model generation from rapid prototyping, laser repair of semiconductor displays, curing of epoxy resins, diagnostic probes for real-time monitoring and control of chemical processes, optical techniques for alignment and inspection, machine vision, metrology, and even laser guidance systems for building tunnels.

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