Laser Cutting

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.

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

Petring, D.:
Latest development in the CO2 versus fibre laser cutting debate
ILAS 2015, 4th UK Industrial Laser Applications Symposium,
March 17-18, 2015, Kenilworth, UK. (29 S.) (2015)

Pocorni, J., Petring, D., Powell, J., Deichsel, E., Kaplan, A.F. H.:
Measuring the melt flow on the laser cut front
Phys. Procedia (Online first)(11 S.) (2015)

Pocorni, J. K., Petring, D., Powell, J., Deichsel, E., Kaplan, A. F. H.:
Differences in cutting efficiency between CO₂ and Fiber Lasers when
cutting mild and stainless steels.
Proceedings 33rd Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO), October 19-23, 2014, San Diego/Ca., USA. Paper 905, 593-600 (2014) ISBN 9781940168029

Thombansen, U., Gatej, A., Pereira, M.:
Tracking the course of the manufacturing process in selective laser melting
Proc. SPIE 8963, 89630O (7 S.) (2014)

Thombansen, U., Hermanns, T.:
In-situ measurement of the focal position in one and ten micron laser cutting
Proceedings 33rd Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics (ICALEO), October 19-23, 2014, San Diego, USA,
Paper 179, ISBN 9781940168029 (4 S.) (2014)

Thombansen, U., Hermanns, T.: Molitor, T., Pereira, M., Schulz, W.:
Measurement of cut front properties in laser cutting
Physics Procedia  56, 885-891 (2014)

Thombansen, U., Hermanns, T., Stoyanov, S.:
Setup and maintenance of manufacturing quality in CO2 laser cutting
Procedia CIRP 20, 98 – 102 (2014)

Thombansen, U., Ungers, M.:
Illumination for process observation in laser material processing
Physics Procedia  56, 1286-1296 (2014)

Thombansen, U., Ungers, M.:
Cognition for robot scanner based remote welding
Proc. SPIE  8963, 89630N (8 S.) (2014)

Vossen, G., Hermann, T.:
On an optimal control problem in laser cutting with mixed finite-/infinite-dimensional constraints
J. Ind. Managem. Optim. 10 (2), 503-519 (2014)

Schneider, F., Wolf, N., Petring, D.:
High power laser cutting of fiber reinforced thermoplastic polymers with cw- and pulsed lasers
Physics Procedia  41, 408-413 (2013)

Thombansen, U., Purrio, M., Buchholz, G., Hermanns, T., Molitor, T., Willms, K., Schulz, W., Reisgen, U.:
Measurement of process variables in melt based manufacturing processes
In: ISMTII 2013 - The 11th International Symposium on Measurement Technology and Intelligent Instruments
Aachen /Braunschweig July 1st-5th 2013 (6 S.) (2013)

Vossen, G., Hermanns, T., Schüttler, J.:
Analysis and optimal control for free melt flow boundaries in laser cutting with distributed radiation
ZAMM Zs. Angew. Math. Mech. (Early view) 20 S. (2013)

Berlin, M., Rösner, A., Schneider, F.:
Laser radiation as all-round tool for composite parts
Kunststoffe 102, Nr. 5, 20-23. (2012)

Petring, D.:
Fundamental and practical aspects of fiber laser cutting sheet metal
IIW Commission I Intermediate Meeting 8th May 2012, Aachen, Germany, 26 S. (2012)

Petring, D., Molitor, F., Schneider, F., Wolf, N.:
Diagnostics, modeling and simulation: Three keys towards mastering the cutting process with fiber, disk and diode lasers
Physics Procedia, Volume 39, Pages 186-196 (2012)

Petring, D., Schneider, F., Wolf, N., Molitor, T., Nazery, V.:
Cutting with 1 micron wavelength lasers: An intermediate assessment of speculations, simulations, diagnostics and facts
Proc. of the 7th Stuttgart Laser Technology Forum SLT’12 (2012)

Petring, D., Schneider, F., Wolf, N.:
Some answers to frequently asked questions and open issues of laser beam cutting
Proc. of the 31st Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics, ICALEO September 23-27, 2012, Anaheim, CA, USA (2012)

Thombansen, U., Beckers, M., Buchholz, G., Hermanns, T., Molitor, T.,
Willms, K., Reisgen, U., Schulz, W.:
Signal processing for self-optimising manufacturing systems in
laser-cutting and gas-metal-arc-welding
1st Joint International Symposium on System-Integrated
Intelligence, 114-116 (2012)

Petring, D., Schneider, F., Dickler, H.:
Drei in einem Kopf
Laser Technik J. 8, Nr. 4, 28-32, (2011)

Petring, D.:
Laser cutting
LIA Today 19, Nr. 1, 6-7, (2011)

Petring, D.:
Schneller schneiden auf Maschinen mit fasergekoppelten Lasern
MM Maschinenmarkt Nr. 13, 32-34, (2011)

Petring, D.:
Un'applicazione "matura" che ha ancora qualcosa da dire
Lamiera 9 (Settembre), 86-88, (2011)

Molitor, T., Schneider, F., Bußkamp, T., Thombansen, U., Eppelt, U., Petring, D., Schulz, W.:
Self-Optimizing Focus Technique (SOFT) - a new approach on the way to next generation cognitive laser cutting machines
ICALEO 2010. 29th International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro Optics, Anaheim/Ca., September 26-30, 2010. Paper 702
(2010)

Petring, D., Nazery Goneghany, V.:
Learning more about laser beam welding by applying it to copper and copper alloys ICALEO 2010.
29th International Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro Optics, Anaheim/Ca., September 26-30, 2010. Paper 1602, (2010)

D. Petring:
Calculable laser cutting
Proc.of the 5th Int. WLT-Conf. on Lasers in Manufacturing 2009, Munich, June 15 -18, 2009 Ed. by A. Ostendorf [u.a.]
Stuttgart: AT Fachverl, 6 S., (2009)

D. Petring, F. Schneider, N. Wolf, V. Nazery Goneghany:
How beam quality, power and wavelength influence laser cutting and welding processes
Proc. of LAMP 2009 - 5th Int. Congr. on Laser Advanced Materials Processing, Kobe, Japan, 8 S., (2009)

Petring, D.:
More productivity, flexibility as well as energy efficiency in laser cutting and welding
AKL'10 - International Laser Technology Congress, Aachen, 37 S., (2010)

Petring, D., Schneider, F., Dickler, H.:
Progress in cutting and welding of sheet metal assemblies in one machine with the laser combi-head
PICALO 2010, March 23-25, 2010. 4th Pacific International Conference on Applications of Lasers and Optics. Wuhan, Peoples Republic of China. Paper 1001, (2010)

J. Powell, D. Petring, R.V. Kumar, S.O. Al-Mashikhi, A.F.H. Kaplan, K. T. Voisey:
Laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel: the thermodynamics of the oxidation reaction
J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 42, 015504, 11 S., (2009)

D. Petring, F. Schneider:
One machine does it all for laser beam welding and cutting
Welding J. March, 38-41, (2009)

F. Schneider, D. Petring, V. Nazery, C. Nuesser:
2D and 3D laser cutting and welding with the combi-head: Efficient production by flexible process changes
Proc. 5th Int. Conf. WLT-Conf. on Lasers in Manufacturing 2009, Munich, June 15 -18, 2009. Ed. by A. Ostendorf [u.a.]
Stuttgart: AT-Fachverlag, pp. 245-249, (2009)

D. Petring u.a.:
3D-Laserschneiden und -schweißen in einer Maschine
MM MaschinenMarkt Nr. 23, 20-23, (2009)

J. Powell, D. Petring, V. Kumar, S. Al-Mashikhi, A. Kaplan, K. Voisey:
Energy input from oxidation in laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel
The Laser User Issue 53, 32-35, (2008)

F. Schneider, D. Petring:
Flexible 3-D – laser cutting and welding with the combi-head
Proc. of the 27th Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics 2008, ICALEO, Temecula, CA, USA, October 20-23, 2008
Laser Materials Processing Conference, Paper 1305, 582-588, (2008)

J. Powell, D. Petring, R.V. Kumar, S.O. Al-Mashikhi, A.F.H. Kaplan, K.T. Voisey:
The energy generated by the oxidation reaction during laser-oxygen cutting of mild steel
Proc. of the 27th Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics 2008, ICALEO, Temecula, CA, USA, October 20-23, 2008
Laser Materials Processing Conference, Paper 1504, 628-636, (2008)

D. Petring, F. Schneider, N. Wolf, V. Nazery:
The relevance of brightness for high power laser cutting and welding
Proc. of the 27th Int. Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-Optics 2008, ICALEO, Laser Materials Processing Conference, Paper 206, 95-103, (2008)

D. Petring:
Integriertes Laserstrahlschneiden und -schweißen: Reduzierung von Nebenzeiten und Systemaufwand
EALA 2007, Bad Nauheim, 15 S., (2007)

D. Petring, H. Dickler:
Multifunktionaler Laserbearbeitungskopf
MM Maschinenmarkt 22, 34-36, (2007)

D. Petring:
Combined cutting and welding: Laser beam quality enhances process efficiency and flexibility
Tagungsband-CD zum 2. Internationalen Workshop "Faserlaser" in Dresden, 34 Seiten, (2006)

D. Petring:
Flexibles Laserschneiden und -schweißen von Blechbaugruppen ohne Werkzeugwechsel
Tagungsband-CD zum Aachener Kolloquium für Lasertechnik AKL'06
22 Seiten, (2006)

D. Petring:
Laserschneiden und -schweissen im fliegenden Wechsel
Technische Rundschau 16
38-41, (2006)

D. Petring:
Lasers in European Automotive Manufacturing: Historical Review and Recent Trends
Proceedings of ALAW 2006, 16 S., (2006)

Our services cover a wide range of topics. Related topics to laser cutting and further research and development focuses can be found under the following links.