Yes, it is fast, but while fast-cutting speeds open up the potential, there are still the upstream and downstream manufacturing processes to consider. By Oliver Hergt, corporate communications, Bystronic

The TruLaser 3030 fibre processes a wide range of material types and thicknesses including brass, copper, titanium, and even tube profiles with the RotoLas option.

Dublin, Ireland: With an estimated CAGR of 6.18 percent from 2014-2020, the global laser processing market is set to reach US$17.36 billion by 2020. Revealed in a report by Research and Markets, much of this impetus is driven by the increasing adoption of fibre lasers in the medical sector, as well as the growing need for advanced processing tools and techniques in industries such as oil & gas, automotive, and machine tooling.

Marking and engraving applications for ICs (Integrated Circuits) and chips in the semiconductor and electronics industry is also driving the market for laser processing. The different laser technologies include gas lasers, solid-state lasers, fibre lasers, and semiconductor laser. Amongst these, gas & fibre lasers are the most common type of lasers used for laser processing and marking, due to their high output power capabilities.

Demand has been rising for different types of lasers used in material laser processing that have a drastically reduced laser size, high wall plug efficiency, low power consumption, and less cost. Due to technological advancements pertaining to semiconductors, fibre laser materials, and mounting technologies, it is anticipated that the laser processing market would continue to expand at a steady rate, in the next seven years. 

Fibre lasers and disk lasers would continue to play a significant role in energy storage for pulsed systems. Meanwhile, emerging new optical combination schemes are also expected to boost the market further. All these types of laser technologies provide high precision cutting, welding, and drilling with less damage to the material. This has encouraged manufacturers in different industries including automotive, aerospace, and original equipment manufacturers (OEM), among others, to utilise laser technology in material processing. 

Instead of the alphorn, the Swiss sheet metalworking machine tool producer has tooted the optimising horn at Euroblech. By Joson Ng

Laser marking has significant advantages in terms of productivity and costs. It does not hurt when it produces good quality as well. Contributed by Petrina Heng, sales manager, Laser Division of Trumpf Asia Pacific

We see how fibre laser cutting technology is a meaningful extension to existing CO2 laser cutting systems. By Oliver Hergt, editor corporate communications, Bystronic Group

Adding versatility and the ability to produce better parts to a fibre laser cutting machine have made it competent in cutting both thick and thin sheet metal while producing a level of quality that was difficult to achieve in the past. By Joson Ng

We take a look at how a sheet metal machine tool builder worked with a laser OEM to build a fibre laser machine. By Andy Sandford of Sticklebacks Communication, for LVD