The longtime Laser Focus World and Industrial Laser Solutions audiences are well-aware of the gradual decline in use of lamp-pumped solid-state lasers over the years due to the encroachment of less-finicky, more-efficient technologies such as diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers and fiber lasers. Fully understanding this, starting in December 2013 the SPI Lasers facility in Rugby, England (formerly JK Lasers) began to wind down production of its CW lamp-pumped solid-state lasers (CW LPSSLs). The total market size for LPSSLs continues to decline, with alternative, more efficient, and lower operating cost technologies and products available, notes the company.
Now, SPI Lasers, which is owned by TRUMPF (Ditzingen, Germany) has announced the transition of its remaining pulsed LPSSL products to TRUMPF. (Pulsed lamp-pumped solid-state lasers remain useful for some important applications, such as holography and high-speed laser-based imaging, due to the high energy of their pulses.)
In 2004, SPI Lasers launched its first CW fiber laser, which was followed in 2006 by its first pulsed fiber laser. Since these first product introductions, and the acquisition of JK Lasers in 2015, SPI Lasers has continued to increase both the power and peak performance of its fiber lasers to the point where many LPSSL applications can be addressed, the company says.
For the LPSSL applications that cannot be addressed by SPI Lasers' fiber lasers, customers will be transitioned to TRUMPF's TruPulse LPSSL product line of LPSSL.
LPSSL timetable
The SPI LPSSL line has closed to new orders with immediate effect; existing purchase orders from customers will be fulfilled and supported. New inquiries to SPI Lasers for LPSSL will be assessed for suitability to SPI's fiber laser (pulsed and CW) portfolio.
SPI Lasers says that if it is unable to offer a fiber laser, the company can, with the customer's consent, link to TRUMPF for further detailed discussion. All existing LPSSL customers can contact the local TRUMPF sales facility to learn more about the technical capabilities of TruPulse lasers.
SPI Lasers will continue to offer a minimum of a seven-year non-warranty spare parts, service, and repair policy for all (CW and pulsed) LPSSL systems from date of purchase.
Source: SPI Lasers