Ultrashort pulse lasers for 3D micromachining nab innovation prize at AKL 2012
Aachen, Germany -- Stephan Brüning, responsible for R&D laser applications at Schepers GmbH & Co KG, has been awarded the €10,000 Innovation Award Laser Technology 2012, handed out at this week's International Laser Technology Congress (AKL). His team was recognized for their work in "3D micro-structuring of large-scale metal surfaces for embossing and printing applications with high-power ultrashort-pulse lasers." Brüning also has been awarded the title of Fellow of both AKL and the European Laser Institute (ELI).
The 2nd place for the award went to a team led by Coherent's Rainer Pätzel focused on excimer lasers for active-matrix LCD- and OLED-based flat-panel displays. Third prize went to a team led by Precitec Optronik's Markus Kogel-Hollacher for a 3D-capable co-axial laser brazing head with integrated seam tracking.
The Innovation Award Laser Technology is a European research prize awarded at two-year intervals by the associations Arbeitskreis Lasertechnik e.V. and the European Laser Institute (ELI), conferred on an individual researcher or on an entire project group, whose exceptional skills and dedicated work have led to an outstanding innovation in the field of laser technology. The scientific and technological projects in question must center on the use of laser light in materials processing and the methods of producing such light, and must furthermore be of demonstrable commercial value to industry. Jury decisions are based on several criteria:
- Proven commercial benefit
- Innovative quality of the resulting laser beam source, laser manufacturing process or laser system
- Scientific / technological quality of the underlying research
- Creative approach to technology demonstrated by the designated individual or project group
- Importance of the contribution of the applicant's work to the overall innovative process
More information about the awards and this year's winners can be viewed at www.innovation-award-laser.org.
3D surface of a leather and calotte embossing tool structured with picosecond lasers.
(Photo: Schepers GmbH & Co KG, Vreden, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Aachen)