1. LMN: What do you think of the “Global Laser and Intelligent Manufacturing Development Trend Summit Forum” today?

Mr. Ullmann: Han´s Laser, who organized the Laser summit, is one of the leading laser manufacturers in the world and it is impressive to see how fast they grow within 20 years since they were founded. This summit demonstrates how Han´s laser is connected with the laser manufacturing in China. All relevant players in the Chinese market came here. Therefore, it is a very good conference to improve relationship into the Chinese laser community. Furthermore, the conference shows the Chinese laser capability and the future goals very nicely.
 

2. LMN: Could you please talk about the progress that Laserline achieved in 2016?

Mr. Ullmann: Laserline is the leading manufacturer of multi kW high power diode lasers. This diode laser technology is getting more and more common in industrial applications such as steel and aluminum welding and brazing in automotive car body, cladding for mining industry or hardening. The Chinese market recognizes the big advantages and capabilities of high power diode lasers and therefore in 2016 Laserline grew significantly in the this market.

3. LMN: Why do you attach such importance to the development of diode laser? What are the advantages of diode lasers?

Mr. Ullmann: The diode laser is the most efficient solution to directly transfer electrical energy into light. The diode laser is therefore a key technology for the development of almost all new laser generations. Disk laser, fiber laser and all other solid-state lasers use diode laser as pumping source. What diode lasers do is to eliminate the beam improving components in fiber and disk lasers. So the diode laser is the best solution. The advantage of this approach is the highest electrical efficiency with up to 50 % and the lowest cost. This in combination with high reliability makes the multi kW diode laser as an ideal tool for advanced manufacturing.

4. LMN: Laserline is expanding the team in China. What are the main applications of Laserline’s products in China?

Mr. Ullmann: In China, our lasers are often used in the automotive industry, for example in brazing of body-in-white and also some welding and cutting applications related to the car body. There are more upcoming applications in the field of cladding and additive manufacturing, for the mining industry as well as the oil industry. New opportunities are also coming up in welding technology Our diode lasers are very suitable for a lot of welding applications in China.

5. LMN: As for high power processing, it seems that fiber coupled diode lasers are better than direct diode lasers. Is it possible that they might completely replace the direct diode lasers?

Mr. Ullmann: All of our products are fiber coupled diode lasers. We have a direct diode laser, bring the beam into the fiber and then the fiber transports the light to the working piece. Actually, 95% percent of our diode laser applications use the fiber.

6. LMN: Laserline has introduced LDF series high power diode lasers. What will be the technological direction in the future?

Mr. Ullmann: Future would be high output power in the multi-kilowatts range and an improvement of beam quality. Today our diode lasers are available up to 50.000 W.

7. LMN: What fields of market in China will Laserline take as the greatest importance in the following future?

Mr. Ullmann: At the moment the biggest laser market is the cutting market which is dominated by fiber laser. We expect the biggest growth in the future in the joining markets even if this is at the moment a small market. But this market has the highest potential in China because Chinese customers requesting high quality products and this can be achieved with diode laser technology.

 Samantha