Stuttgart, Germany – How efficient laser systems and equipment work is one of the themes of the upcoming LASYS 2012, International Trade Fair for laser material processing. It is opening its doors for the third time from June 12 to 14, 2012, at Stuttgart's trade fair grounds.
Using lasers is an advantage in today's world because it helps to meet growing demands on product manufacturing and optimize production processes.
"Here, the laser is a key competitive advantage because it allows the automated production of high-quality products, while simultaneously providing for efficient and sustainable energy and material use," said Dr. Jörg Lässig, managing director of SITEC.
LASYS 2012 is aimed specifically at users and suppliers of laser material processing.
"For SITEC as a laser system manufacturer, LASYS is an excellent platform to gain new customers. Here we meet partners with sophisticated laser tasks from a variety of industries," added Dr. Lässig.
The laser market
As for the laser market, "the pre-crisis peak results from 2008 from our member companies have still not been fully achieved, despite the sharp rise in production values in 2010 by a good 50 percent compared to in 2009," said Gerhard Hein, managing director of the Working Committee for Lasers and Laser Systems at the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau e.V. – German Engineering Federation), the new conceptual supporter of LASYS.
However, according to Hein, the level of incoming orders recorded in laser system manufacturing has developed much more dynamically than the production process and allows a continuing positive outlook for the year 2011 in the form of order backlog.
As a high-quality, general-purpose tool, the laser has found its way into a variety of fields, whether laser macro- or micromachining, for cutting, welding, drilling, marking or structuring all kinds of materials. "And new areas of application are constantly arising," said Hein.
When considering the efficiency and cost relationship of lasers or laser systems and equipment, Hein points out that here the entire manufacturing process must be taken into account: "When considered on its own, the electrical efficiency of the beam source is inferior to that of alternative methods. However, the resource-optimizsed use of materials or potential elimination of certain process steps due to enhanced component quality provide for competitive process efficiency levels and low total costs per part – besides high process speeds and flexibility, as well as new product designs that are only possible with a laser."
Small company participation
At LASYS 2012 for the first time, young innovative companies will have the opportunity to exhibit at a joint stand while being sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). LASYS has namely been included as an international trade fair in the aid program from BMWi. Up to 80 percent of the costs for stand rental and construction will be covered by BMWi, in order to allow even small companies to participate in the trade fair. The focus is on businesses that have less than 50 employees or make at most 10 million euros in annual sales and are less than 10 years old. More information is available at: www.bafa.de and www.foerderdatenbank.de.
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In 2010, 3,870 visitors and 186 exhibitors attended LASYS. The number of visitors has increased slightly compared to in 2008. Of the visitors, 71 percent were from the industrial sector, primarily from the mechanical engineering, automobile manufacture, metalworking, and metal processing sectors, as well as the plant and apparatus manufacture, electrical and electronics and medical technology sectors. Almost all sectors were present.
Synergy effects are expected in 2012, thanks to user-oriented parallel events. For the first time, LASYS 2012 is taking place simultaneously with the trade fairs European Automotive Components, Engine Expo, Automotive Interiors Expo, Vehicle Dynamics Expo, and Automotive Testing Expo from the British organizers UKIP Media & Events Ltd., along with the usual O&S, International Trade Fair for Surface Treatments and Coatings.
LASYS 2012's practice-oriented and high-profile supporting program will provide visitors with valuable additional information. This includes: the Stuttgart Laser Technology Forum (SLT), the "Lasers in Action" specialist forum, the short course "Basic knowledge of lasers and laser material processing," and the "Meet the experts" solution center.