On January 28, 2025, at WMG (formerly known as the Warwick Manufacturing Group), University of Warwick in the UK, the Lasers4MaaS consortium officially launched with its Dynamic Beam Shaping for High-Power Laser Welding workshop. Funded by the European Union’s HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-03 (grant agreement 101178719), Lasers4MaaS—short for Lasers-as-a-Service—marks a leap toward revolutionizing the use of lasers for industrial servitization. The project’s goal is to bridge the gap between cutting-edge laser technologies and their widespread industrial adoption to promote smarter, decentralized, and more sustainable manufacturing.
The kickoff workshop brought together leading experts, researchers, and industry professionals, and showcased the transformative potential of dynamic beam lasers (DBLs) and set the foundation for collaborative research and development that will drive the project forward.
Vision of Lasers4MaaS
At its core, Lasers4MaaS aims to democratize access to advanced laser technologies and offer DBL-as-a-service to industries across various sectors, including automotive, aerospace, renewable energy, food packaging machines, and pharma. The project envisions a future where high-power laser welding is more adaptable, precise, and efficient to enable manufacturers to leverage DBL without the need for significant upfront investment.
By developing DBL solutions integrated with a digital platform and powered by artificial intelligence, Lasers4MaaS seeks to overcome the limitations of traditional laser systems. The project will make laser welding more versatile—capable of handling complex materials and geometries while optimizing energy consumption and improving overall manufacturing sustainability.
Kickoff workshop: Laying the groundwork for innovation
The kickoff event at WMG served as the starting point for what will be a multi-year, pan-European effort to advance the field of high-power laser welding. Chaired by Pasquale Franciosa, the Lasers4MaaS coordinator, the workshop emphasized the project’s mission: to create an ecosystem that fosters collaborative innovation, bringing together academic research, industrial expertise, and technological development.
Keynote presentations highlighted not only the technical possibilities of dynamic beam shaping but also the critical role Lasers4MaaS will play in facilitating real-world adoption of these technologies.
Collaborative effort across Europe
The success of the Lasers4MaaS project hinges on the strength of its diverse consortium, which brings together a dynamic mix of academic institutions, research centers, industry leaders, and technology developers from across Europe and beyond. Each participant plays a vital role in advancing the project’s mission to revolutionize high-power laser welding.
Key partners of Lasers4MaaS
WMG, The University of Warwick (U.K.): Provides project lead, process development using dynamic beam shaping and sensors, and hosts one demonstrator.
University of Stuttgart (IFSW; Germany): Contributes expertise in laser beam source development and machine learning integration for optimized laser processes.
Technical University Wien (Austria): Provides research into multiphysical and multiscale modelling of laser welding.
University of Leiden (The Netherlands): Focuses on sustainability, circularity, cost assessment, and digital product passport.
Civan Lasers (Israel): A pioneer in DBL technology, Civan Lasers is supplying cutting-edge laser systems that form the technological backbone of the project.
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA; U.K.): Specializes in design, build, and operation of robotics solutions for extreme industrial environments. Will lead the demonstrator on future power plants.
ECOR International SPA (Italy): Specializes in the welding and processing of pipes and components for packaging machines, aerospace and defense, advanced mechanics, and hydrogen sector. Host of five demonstrators.
IL Sentiero International Campus SRL (Italy): Focuses on advanced testing and characterization.
Officine Metallurgiche Cornaglia S.p.A. (Italy): Provides expertise in automotive manufacturing and e-mobility, as well as the stamped parts to produce the automotive demonstrator.
FFT Produktionssysteme GmbH & Co. KG (Germany): Specializes in intelligent production systems, robotics, system automation and integration.
Futurice GmbH: Leads efforts in design and development of the Lasers4MaaS’s digital platform.
European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC; Europe-wide): Leads the dissemination, communication, and exploitation tasks.
Driving industrial adoption
One of the main objectives of Lasers4MaaS is to bridge the gap between research advancements and industrial adoption. While DBL has proven its capabilities within controlled lab environments, the real challenge lies in scaling these innovations for practical use across diverse industries.
Lasers4MaaS addresses this challenge head-on by promoting a "Lasers-as-a-Service" model, in which manufacturers can access high-end laser technologies without the need for significant capital investments. This approach lowers barriers to entry and encourages companies of all sizes to explore dynamic beam shaping for their manufacturing needs.
The project also emphasizes the integration of digital tools and platforms, which enables manufacturers to monitor and optimize laser welding processes in real time. This data-driven approach enhances productivity, reduces waste, and supports the move toward more sustainable manufacturing practices.
Collaborative path forward
The Lasers4MaaS project is poised to reshape the landscape of high-power laser welding within the next several years. By fostering collaboration between industry leaders, academic institutions, and technology developers, the initiative is building a robust ecosystem that will support continuous innovation and real-world impact.
With DBL at its core, Lasers4MaaS is more than just a technology project—it’s a vision for the future of manufacturing servitisation, where precision, adaptability, and sustainability go hand in hand with production on-demand of customized products.
The successful kickoff workshop has set the stage for future research, industrial partnerships, and technological breakthroughs, bringing us one step closer to a world where advanced laser solutions are accessible to all manufacturers.
Pasquale Franciosa
Pasquale Franciosa is a reader and leads the Laser Beam Welding Group at WMG, the University of Warwick.