Laser Cutting

Overview

Our range of services

Increasing demands on machining quality and efficiency as well as new materials and beam sources open up opportunities for laser cutting, but at the same time pose new challenges. Fraunhofer ILT provides its customers with tailor-made solutions for technically and economically optimized laser cutting processes and accompanies them from the first feasibility study to industrial implementation.

In the focus of its research and development, Fraunhofer ILT is expanding current process boundaries, such as increasing processing speed and improving cut edge quality, developing innovative processes for novel materials, such as those from the class of fiber composites, and tailoring process developments to customers’ specific applications.

High Speed Cutting.
© Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen, Germany.
High Speed Cutting.
CFRP cut edge.
© Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen, Germany.
CFRP cut edge.
Laser cutting of car body parts made of high-strength steel.
© Fraunhofer ILT, Aachen, Germany.
Laser cutting of car body parts made of high-strength steel.

For laser beam cutting, Fraunhofer ILT develops processes and process-specific components such as optics, cutting nozzles and control systems. The basis for this are process diagnostics and proprietary, simulative design tools, with which targeted beamforming and process-adapted controls generate high-quality cuts in efficient processes. In addition to high-performance processes such as high-speed cutting and thick section sheet metal cutting, the institute also focuses on integrated applications that combine cutting, welding and additive processes, making particularly advantageous use of the flexibility of the laser as a tool. The technological and economic advantages of combi processing open up new fields of application.

The range of services Fraunhofer ILT offers includes market-oriented R&D services in all areas of process chains that use laser-based cutting processes. This way, Fraunhofer ILT supports customers in developing industrial processes or components for laser cutting, in designing and simulating cutting processes as well as in carrying out market and feasibility studies.

Components for Laser Cutting

  • Development and qualification of customer-specific solutions
  • Cutting heads
  • Nozzle design, optimization of cutting gas flow by Schlieren diagnostics
  • Optic design for laser cutting tools
  • Combi-processing: cutting and welding with one tool
  • Simulation and analysis of cutting processes
  • Monitoring and control of cutting processes and components
  • Application-specific solutions
    • Feasibility studies
    • Prototype parts and process demonstrations
    • Process implementation

Process Development

  • Cutting processes for CO2 lasers, solid-state laser and new beam sources
  • High speed cutting
  • Remote / scanner cutting
  • Thick section cutting
  • Cutting of new materials

Markets

Laser technology can solve demanding tasks in many different industries. Whether as a tool in automotive production, as measuring equipment in the environmental sector, as a diagnostic or therapeutic instrument in medical technology or as a communication medium in space technology, the laser provides multiple uses with high productivity and high efficiency.

Read up about the innovations of the Fraunhofer ILT in a few selected industries and convince yourself!

 

Research with us!

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about general topics! Our contact persons are happy to get in touch with you.