This process can be used for joining common thermoplastics such as PP, PA, and ABS to wood materials, such as fiberboard (MDF, HDF), chipboard, or solid wood boarding. Bonding to wood fiberboards and natural fiber composite material boards was also investigated, for applications in the automotive industry. Depending on the materials to be joined, different joining mechanisms were investigated, in which the natural thermoplastic lignin, a main element of wood, appears to play an important role.
In his opening address to attendees of the 2008 Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar held Monday, January 26 at San Jose's Fairmont hotel in conjunction with Photonics West, Laser Focus World chief editor Steve Anderson said that the question is not how bad 2009 will be, but whether the laser industry will recover in 2010. To view a video recap of the seminar, click here.