LaserWay project aims to bring high-speed laser technology to the manufacturing industry

July 15, 2024

The European collaborative project LaserWay aims to revolutionise the manufacturing industry with high-speed laser technology (Courtesy ModuleWorks GmbH)
The European collaborative project LaserWay aims to revolutionise the manufacturing industry with high-speed laser technology (Courtesy ModuleWorks GmbH)

ModuleWorks GmbH, based in Aachen, Germany, has reported on the progress of the European collaborative project LaserWay. The project aims to revolutionise the manufacturing industry by replacing conventional, inefficient, and environmentally harmful methods with flexible production lines based on high-speed laser technology.

The LaserWay project is a consortium of sixteen partners and is coordinated by IDEKO in Gipuzkoa, Spain. The partners have identified extreme high-speed laser material deposition (EHLA) – a form of a laser-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED), laser blanking and laser micro-drilling, as the three laser-based manufacturing technologies offering the potential to create more sustainable manufacturing processes and products.

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The project focuses on developing WayFASTER machines to improve the performance of laser technologies through lightweight designs, vibration control techniques, and programme optimisations tailored for high-speed laser applications. WayBETTER Photonics aims to ensure precise delivery of the laser beam at extreme speeds, targeting the three laser technologies with unique demands. The WaySTRONGER integration concept sims to enhance the sustainability, resilience, and flexibility of current manufacturing processes by integrating new technologies mechanically and digitally.

List of participants (Courtesy ModuleWorks GmbH)
List of participants (Courtesy ModuleWorks GmbH)

The project’s success is expected to provide a competitive edge for industries such as automotive and aerospace by reducing processing times, improving material usage, and enhancing end-product quality. The advancements made through the LaserWay project are aimed at driving innovation in high-speed laser processing, strengthening Europe’s position in advanced manufacturing technologies.

Within the LaserWay project, ModuleWorks is developing a software solution for ultra-high-speed laser processes. This includes the integration of process-specific variables into CAM planning for optimised processes and results. It also involves contributions to physics-based digital twin that is cooperatively developed across the partners with the aim of further improvements. Additionally, algorithmic solutions for high-speed laser processes with multiple laser heads will be developed, while the combination of artificial intelligence and nesting algorithms will help to reduce scrap parts.

The LaserWay project is a European project funded under Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON).

www.moduleworks.com

www.laserway.eu

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