Machine Tools – Non-Traditional

A full line of OEM-quality drop-in replacement CO2 optics for lasers used in etching monuments, signs and other stone products is available from Laser Research Optics. Laser Research CO2 optics for popular monument and sign etching lasers are available in 0.75" and 1.5" dia. sizes and feature 4" to 7.5" focal lengths to provide deeper cuts.

Trotec is offering the MOPA fiber laser source as an option for its SpeedMarker galvo laser marking systems. MOPA technology opens up a new world of possibilities for marking metals and plastics because it allows the user to select pulse durations (between 4 and 200 ns), which provides a much wider range of laser parameters, more options for creating high-contrast, homogeneous markings, and the ability to mark colors on some metals.

A new Fiber to Fiber Coupler (FFC) from Coherent (formerly Optoskand AB) enables the use of replaceable, process fiber optic cables so that integral components of the fiber laser – most notably the feeding fiber – are not exposed to opto-mechanical damage, even in harsh industrial processes.

Coherent (formerly Optoskand AB) has introduced RQB Fiber Optic Cables – new air-cooled, beam delivery, fiber optic cables with a standard QBH interface, for use with fiber lasers operating at CW power levels up to 1.5 kW (and pulsed lasers as high as 1 MW).

Coherent says the AVIA LX 355-20 is an economical new q-switched, diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) laser offering substantially longer operating lifetime than competitive products at similar power levels.

A new 10 kW fiber laser from Coherent is a part of the HighLight product family. HighLight products are high-power fiber, direct diode and fiber-coupled diode lasers that combine innovation and reliability into solutions for industrial materials processing applications.

SCANLAB GmbH is introducing its high-dynamics excelliSHIFT z-scanner to the marketplace. Unlike conventional z-axes, the underlying patented concept fully eliminates use of transmissive elements.

Amada Miyachi America Inc. announces the availability of the updated LMWS pulsed fiber laser welding system, a highly configurable, compact unit designed for lean manufacturing. The system features a versatile high-power, high-speed laser, available in 20- to 70-watt (W) powers for welding metals and plastics.

OMAX says the GlobalMAX line brings value-priced abrasive waterjets to the global market. The new GlobalMAX line is available exclusively through international distribution and incorporates two and a half decades of waterjet industry R&D.

A new range of Thulium-doped fiber optic components from Coherent | Nufern enables construction of fiber lasers and oscillators operating at ~ 2 µm with higher output power than was previously possible. Specifically, advances in Thulium doping technology deliver significantly improved pumping efficiency, yielding higher power output (>1 kW) for gain fibers.

PhotoMachining, Inc. and LightFab GmbH announced a collaborative effort to promote selective laser etching using femtosecond lasers in the U.S. market.

Laser Institute of America (LIA), the professional society for laser applications and safety, announces its release of the LIA Guide to High Power Laser Cutting. In the guide, students, engineers and scientists alike will gain a more in-depth understanding of the science behind laser cutting.