Category Archives: Corporate Member Features

Amplitude announces the acquisition of Fastlite

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Bordeaux, France – 19 décembre 2022. Amplitude, a leading manufacturer of ultrafast lasers, announces the acquisition of Fastlite, a French high-technology company specializing in ultrafast pulse shaping, characterization, and optical parametric amplifiers. The acquisition is expected to be completed in early 2023, pending regulatory consultations and approvals.

Amplitude and Fastlite have long-established ties and have worked together to bring advanced ultrafast technology to the market.

” We have worked with the Fastlite team for many years, and it is an honor to have them join the Amplitude family. The complementary expertise of the two companies will enable Amplitude to design and manufacture the next generation of ultrafast lasers.” says Eric Mottay, President, and C.E.O.

“ Fastlite shares the same passion for ultrafast laser technology as Amplitude, and I am looking forward to our teams working together. Amplitude’s world largest ultrafast laser portfolio constitutes an invaluable asset towards the offering of Ytterbium pumped OPA and OPCPA products and solutions. ” explains Pascal Tournois, CEO.

More information about Amplitude:
Amplitude is the international specialist and leader in femtosecond lasers for industrial, medical, and scientific applications. Combining research & innovation with industrial efficiency, Amplitude delivers advanced and reliable femtosecond lasers to a worldwide customer base. With Amplitude manufacturing sites and extensive support and application development facilities in Europe, Asia, and north America, Amplitude is committed to expand laser applications through product quality and proximity with its partners and customers.

More information about Fastlite:
Fastlite is a recognized leader in ultrafast scientific instrumentation and has since 2016 offered to the ultrafast scientific community customized ultrafast laser sources based on Ytterbium-pumped Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplifiers.

Press contact:
Agnès BUYS MAULEON – Global Communication Manager
agnes.mauleon[a]amplitude-laser.com

Meet Haas Laser Technologies Inc. – September’s Featured Corporate Member

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(Image courtesy of Haas Laser Technologies, Inc.)

Gilbert Haas founded Haas Laser Technologies Inc. in 1992. From its inception, he wanted the company to exemplify innovation, reliability and quality above all else. Additionally, he aimed at producing laser beam delivery components, which would define industry standards.

“Our products include laser beam delivery components, laser beam diagnostic equipment and custom laser systems,” said Gilbert Haas, president of Haas Laser Technologies.

Haas Laser Technologies facility in Flanders, NJ. (Photo courtesy of Haas Laser Technologies Inc.)

The company has approximately 20 employees who work out of three key locations: Florida, Washington and its main facility in New Jersey. International distributorships support the company’s products worldwide.

Haas mentioned that the corporation, which turns 25 this year, has witnessed sustained growth since its inception. As a result of this growth, their products are currently utilized around the world in all industrial laser applications.

Haas ensures his company is postured for innovation by remaining engaged within the laser manufacturing community. In fact, he was an integral part of the LIA Board of Directors from 2014-2016 and currently serves as the LIA Executive Committee Treasurer.

“Being a member of the LIA puts you on the cutting edge of technology,” said Haas. “Whether it be conferences at ICALEO, LAM, LME, or via proceedings, online courses and certifications, you can always be sure LIA has the information you need to succeed.”

Haas keeps a close eye on where industry trends are headed so that his organization can better adjust to customer needs.  The company is an innovator, was a Prism Award finalist several times, and holds several national and international patents.

TLC Optics (Image courtesy of Haas Laser Technologies Inc.)

“Many new efforts are being made in the laser field,” said Haas. “We have seen the evolution of Nd:Yag to Fiber Lasers and the advances in CO2 laser technology.  Being on the forefront of the

BWA-CAM (Image courtesy of Haas Laser Technologies Inc.)

technology keeps us energized. We are always challenged with developing new unique products that open new markets.”

According to Haas, the Laser Diagnostics and TLC product lines are the latest product offerings by Haas Laser Technologies Inc. today.

“Our BWA Laser Measurement System is the world’s fastest and most repeatable system for laser beam measurements,” stated Haas. “Our TLC optics mitigates thermal lensing experienced in optics in high power laser systems.”

For more details about Haas Laser Technologies Inc. please visit www.HAASLTI.com

This Corporate Member Feature was written by Brandon Kalloo in collaboration with Haas Laser Technologies Inc.

Meet PhotoMachining, Inc. – August’s Featured Corporate Member

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In 1997, John O’Connell and Ronald Schaeffer founded PhotoMachining, Inc., a world leader in precision micromachining applications.

The company specializes in the use of Ultraviolet (UV) and Ultra Short Pulse (USP) lasers. Their lasers come in

3 wavelength femtosecond laser micromachining system

a wide variety of wavelengths, which enables them to provide the laser industry with laser micromachining, contract manufacturing, and laser micro machining systems for industrial applications specific to customer requests.

“The development of laser technology has occurred to a great extent over the last 20 years and we have always tried to have the newest lasers available,” said Dr. Ronald Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer with PhotoMachining. “We were at the forefront of developing novel laser techniques using high pulse rate USP lasers with both fixed optics and galvo scanners.”

Their team of approximately 25 employees make up two divisions: the Systems Division and the Job Shop Division. Both divisions work together to create innovative systems for their customers’ unique industry needs. The company’s services reach a large variety of markets, which include medical devices, microelectronics, and semiconductors. They have even collaborated on projects related to aerospace and defense.

Laser process development engineer micromachining a novel medical device

“We are proud to deliver products to our customers that give them a competitive edge,” said Schaeffer. “We are particularly proud of the processes we have specifically developed for some of the leading medical device manufacturers, which have greatly reduced costs and downtime for our clients.” PhotoMachining, Inc. is continuously trying to innovate and grow. “Our staff is highly motivated to tackle some of the most difficult manufacturing processes regarding precision and economic viability in a production environment,” Schaeffer said. “It requires multiple talents in laser material interaction, systems integration, automation and software to produce highly reliable laser machining systems.”

Based out of Pelham, New Hampshire, the company is looking forward to exploring new initiatives. According to Schaeffer, one such initiative is, “3D printing in optically clear materials through Selective Laser Etching (SLE) with LightFab.”

“The SLE process involves exposing hard brittle and otherwise transparent materials like

Examples of micron-scale machining in soft (plastics) to hard (diamond) materials

Quartz and Fused Silica to USP laser light and then chemically etching the exposed area away, where etching selectivity after laser exposure is enhanced over a thousand times,” Schaeffer said. “This method makes 3D precision parts by essentially 3D printing the pattern inside the bulk of the material. SLE is expected to play a major role in many manufacturing processes such as microfluidics.”

PhotoMachining Inc., an LIA corporate member since 2005, actively participates in a number of networking opportunities, allowing them to rub elbows with industry leaders, scientists, and investors from around the world.

“We are active participants at ICALEO and LME conferences and find that LIA is a great place to meet others involved in the laser industry,” Schaeffer said. “LIA is like home.”

The company is always looking towards the future by working alongside new companies with fresh ideas. “Although we work with Fortune 500 corporations,” said O’Connell. “It is gratifying to help startups by producing a handful of prototypes and developing economically viable full production volumes.”

Ron Schaeffer is an active educator within the laser community and has given countless seminars on laser technology and laser materials processing.  For an example of his work, here is a short video on “How Lasers Work”. For more information about PhotoMachining Inc., please visit http://www.photomachining.com/

This corporate member feature was written by Brandon Kalloo in collaboration with PhotoMachining, Inc.

Meet Precision Laser Scanning, LLC – July’s Featured Corporate Member

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By Lindsay Weaver

A company known for its high-speed polygon scanners and expertise, Precision Laser Scanning, LLC was founded by George Helser in 2015. Helser has more than 25 years of experience in optics, including one patent, and 11 years of experience with high-speed polygon scanners.

Meet Precision Laser Scanning – LIA’s Featured Corporate Member for July 2017

Precision Laser Scanning is focused on high-speed laser scanning up to hundreds of meters per second. The company most notably provides polygon scanners and related optics. With today’s fastest Ultrafast / Ultra-Short-Pulse lasers, polygon scanners are the solution for reaching the full potential of the lasers. The company also manufactures advanced controllers and SOS detection systems. They import the highest-quality beam shapers, compact beam expanders, and F-Theta lenses from Germany and Japan to supply along with their polygon scanners.

Recently, the company introduced a unique IR detection glass (HI POWER – IR VIEWER), which is a virtual visualization tool useful to anyone who works with high-power 1064 nm beams. With a damage threshold of 100 W/mm2, it converts 900-1070 nm to green visible light. Since the glass contains imbedded nanocrystals, it is very durable and passes 80 percent of the beam. It can therefore be permanently installed in an operating system to verify operation, and it is superior to opaque laser-detection cards.

Recently, the company introduced a unique IR detection glass (HI POWER – IR VIEWER), which is a virtual visualization tool useful to anyone who works with high-power 1064 nm beams.

Located in Scottsdale, AZ, Precision Laser Scanning is comprised of five employees with more than 40 years of combined experience in laser scanning. Helser compares their business model to that of Apple in that they invent new technology, design products, and market them.

The most valuable service the company offers is the ability to educate customers on the implementation of high-speed polygon scanner technology to achieve up to hundreds of meters per second. Since polygon scanning operates much differently than traditional galvanometer scanning, customers benefit from the experience offered by the company and are therefore able to bring high-speed Polygon Scan Heads to market quickly.

Helser says the company as a whole is most proud of its worldwide reputation in the industry. As subject-matter experts in polygon scanner design and implementation, he truly believes their customers receive the most competent advice during the design, implementation, and production of their Polygon Scan Heads. Polygon scanners were originally developed for laser printers and copiers 40 years ago, but Precision Laser Scanning is re-inventing them for material processing and equipping customers with the knowledge to implement the improved technology.

Eagle Eye Polygon Scanner

Because of the company’s focus on high-speed laser scanning for material processing, Helser appreciates the focus that the Laser Institute of America (LIA) places on material processing as well. He notes that LIA excels at laser safety training and regularly brings together like-minded individuals at the conferences. As a member of LIA since 2012, Precision Laser Scanning has participated in every ICALEO conference held since joining. ICALEO is the leading international event to attend for learning about the latest research in the field and networking with experts from all over the world.

“Anyone interested in the latest advances in material processing will find it very worthwhile to attend the annual ICALEO conference,” Helser said. “As President of Precision Laser Scanning, ICALEO helps me to guide our customers doing material science and to position our company to provide solutions for the latest applications.”

For more information about Precision Laser Scanning, visit www.precisionlaserscanning.com.

This Corporate Member Profile was written by LIA Writer Lindsay Weaver in cooperation with Precision Laser Scanning. 

 

Meet LASEA – June’s Featured Corporate Member

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Known worldwide for its ultra-speed and accuracy, LASEA is a precision laser solution provider that manufactures highly efficient and reliable laser machines for the industry.

Headquartered in Liege, Belgium, LASEA was founded in 1999 by Axel Kupisiewicz. Well-acquainted with the space industry, the founder created the company to respond to the growing needs of precision laser processes. Right from the start, LASEA specialized in automatic and high-precision machines that operate using short and ultrashort pulsed lasers.

The company provides laser systems and industrial production lines for coating removal on glass and plastic using these short-pulsed lasers. As its most popular product, the high-selling and ultrafast pulsed laser machine is known as the LS5. It includes vision capabilities, a dual laser option, and the brand-new Precession module for zero-taper cutting and drilling.

Thanks to a team of experts and strong R&D programs, LASEA has remained at the forefront of technology and innovation in the laser industry. The company will soon be releasing a high-productivity machine for micromachining that contains a femtosecond 100W laser power. Since 2003, LASEA has been a pioneer in the world of femtosecond laser machines. It was the first company to introduce an industrial laser machine using a femtosecond laser at Laser Munich in 2011. As a part of these innovations, LASEA had developed unique and patented processes such as intra-volume marking within transparent materials for traceability and anti-counterfeiting.

LASEA’s reach extends into markets as diverse as medical devices, luxury jewelry and watches, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace applications. The company offers a range of laser machines and OEM beam management modules for applications such as marking, micromachining, engraving, cutting, drilling, selective ablation, and texturing.

Comprised of approximately 70 employees collectively, LASEA has three subsidiaries in addition to its headquarters. The U.S. subsidiary of the company, LASEA, Inc., is based out of El Cajon, CA. Overall, the company is primarily made up of technical personnel, of which 40 percent are engineers. It’s further organized into individual departments for R&D, Application, Machine Conception, Optical Components, and Production. It also houses its own electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and automation groups.

LASEA’s flexible approach is based on customer satisfaction and allows the company to conceive and manufacture turnkey, customized solutions for many world-class companies in the med-tech, pharmaceutical, and watch manufacturing industries.

Some of the most notable achievements include delivering world-premiere machines for cochlear implants and intra-ocular implants. To give an idea of the company’s vast scope, LASEA has also installed many high-end systems in production lines that run automatically 24 hours per day within the watch industry. These systems have unparalleled processing capabilities, as well as ultra-high precision systems of up to 0.2 microns on each axis. LASEA is proud to have developed and installed so many unique and advanced systems.

As a Laser Institute of America (LIA) member since 2016, LASEA, Inc. General Manager Robert Braunschweig said he appreciates LIA as being the centerpiece of the world of laser processing. He credits the conferences and networking with advancing and promoting new technologies and ideas. As a pioneer in ultrafast laser micromachining, he believes LASEA serves an essential role in this promotion and simultaneously benefits from the reach and knowledge of LIA.

For more information about LASEA, Inc., visit www.lasea.us.