Automation Platforms For Laser Material Processing

Cutting, marking, micromachining, drilling or metal deposition – lasers are used in a wide variety of processes in many different industrial sectors to optimize manufacturing processes and to ensure the high quality of workpieces. This, for example, is how the electronics manufacturing, semiconductor industry, automotive industry, or medical device technology benefits from the advanced capabilities of laser material processing. Today, the laser performance is normally not a limiting factor for productivity.

Process, material, work cycle, ambient conditions, and criteria such as throughput, precision, geometry tolerances, size of the machining surface, and contours, all make different demands on the automation platforms. For example, when it comes to throughput and precision, it is possible to meet the different requirements when system components such as the mechanics, laser control, and laser beam steering complement each other and communicate via high-performance standard industrial networks.

The technological diversity and high vertical range of manufacturing enable PI to react flexibly to market developments in laser technology and offer automation platforms for high-precision and high-throughput laser processing that address the needs of OEMs, integrators, and end users. These platforms range from single and multi-axis systems without beam deflection to highly customized solutions where the motion of galvanometer scanners and the positioning systems have to be synchronized and run simultaneously.

ACS Motion Control, as part of the PI Group, allows the supply of highly sophisticated automation and motion controllers with a wide range of drive options and dedicated modules for the control of laser applications. The controllers and components are based on an industry standard EtherCAT® network. ACS Motion Control and PI motion systems are matched to each other to offer class-leading platforms for the laser engineer.

A solution from PI not only offers the machine builder advanced positioning technology and high-performance control solutions but also faster startup and high flexibility when implementing new requirements for laser processing systems.