Weekly Lasers Wrap Up – Week of December 19, 2016

Posted on December 23, 2016 by Steven Glover

The Laser Institute of America LasersToday.com Weekly Wrap-Up aggregates industry news, conference updates, and LIA happenings. Here is the latest:

Laser Industry News

Scientists at Cern are using lasers to unlock the secrets of antimatter. The physicists shone a laser on trapped anti-atoms to see if they react differently than atoms. Using a uniquely-designed magnetic trap, the researchers were able to study the effects of anti-hydrogen. To learn more about the team’s findings, check out the original article from BBC here.

A Scottsdale, Alabama church is planned to be repurposed into a commercial office and retail space. The key difference between this and other forms of redevelopment? A 3D laser scanner is being used to measure the space. The company heading the project, Eco3d, used a FARO Focus X330 laser scanner, capable of scanning over 900,000 points per second. A full scan of the building took half a day, which is fractional compared to traditional scanning methods. Learn more about the project here.

LIA Updates

The latest issue of LIA Today is now available. The November/December edition is a year-end review on the state of laser applications, including global laser sales. Also featured are articles on using lasers to increase car efficiency, ICALEO® 2016, Industrial Laser Conference 2016, and more! Find the digital edition of LIA Today here.

Conference News

The Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM®) will take place February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. LAM® 2017 will feature a brand new set of workshop chairs, with a focus on leading additive processes. Milan Brandt (RMIT University) will serve as the General Chair, with Minlin Zhong (Tsinghua University) and John Hunter (LPW Technology, Inc.) serving as co-chairs.

LAM® will feature presentations from companies influencing the international marketplace in additive processes. New to LAM® 2017 is a new session on the emerging area of micro/nano manufacturing. For more information, find the full press release here.

To register for LAM® 2017, please visit the registration page, here.

Don’t miss a single laser industry update! Sign up today to receive the latest in lasers delivered straight to your inbox. Be sure to follow LIA on Facebook and Twitter for even more laser news.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide. Find us at www.lia.org

Laser Institute of America’s LAM 2017: Keeping up with Laser Additive Manufacturing

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Steven Glover

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ORLANDO, FL (PRWEB) DECEMBER 21, 2016

Laser Institute of America (LIA) will host its annual Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM®) February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. As LAM returns to Houston, a brand new set of Workshop Chairs will drive LAM’s focus on leading edge additive processes and their process chain integration by telling success stories of real world industrial applications.

Milan Brandt of RMIT University will lead LAM 2017 as the General Chair, with John Hunter of LPW Technology, Inc. and Minlin Zhong of Tsinghua University serving as the Workshop’s Co-chairs.

As the economy grows so does the need for additive manufacturing and LAM aims to facilitate this growth by encouraging networking and educational opportunities in various industries for anyone interested in utilizing this new laser technology.

“Laser additive manufacturing is now the fastest growing sector of manufacturing globally because of the many benefits the technology offers compared to the traditional subtractive methods,” said Brandt. “LAM 2017 will provide an opportunity for national and international practitioners to discuss and explore challenges and progress in additive technology and applications from design to manufacture in the context of defense, aerospace and medical applications.”

LAM focuses on a significant number of additive manufacturing applications, with representation from over a dozen industries involved with this technology. You will hear from companies like Siemens, Stryker and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that maintain marketplace influence internationally in countries like Australia, China and Germany.

A rapidly rising area of laser manufacturing is micro/nano laser additive manufacturing. The 2017 workshop will introduce a new, can’t miss session covering the latest in this emerging area.

Other sessions include:

●    Trends in Laser Additive Manufacturing led by an invited keynote from GE
●    Additive Manufacturing Technology led by keynote presentation from Wayne King of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
●    Designs and Structures for Additive Manufacturing
●    Materials for Additive Manufacturing and more

Following presentations on day one, LIA will give attendees the opportunity to network with experienced laser-industry professionals at the Exhibitor Reception.

“This isn’t just a workshop,” said Jim Naugle, Marketing Director with LIA. “This is an opportunity to establish lifelong business relationships with experts in their respective fields. Our goal is for attendees to leave with more than business cards, we want them to leave with business partners.”

Alabama Laser returns as the Platinum Sponsor for LAM 2017. Other sponsors include Fraunhofer USA – CLA, IPG Photonics Corporation, Laserline Inc., LPW Technology, Inc., Optomec, OR Laser Technology, Inc. and TRUMPF Inc. A complete list of LAM 2017 Exhibitors can be found on the LAM website.

Registration for LAM is now open. For more information on LAM and to register, please visit https://www.lia.org/lam.

About LIA

Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the professional society for laser applications and safety serving industrial, educational, medical, research and government communities throughout the world since 1968. http://www.lia.org , 13501 Ingenuity Drive, Ste 128, Orlando, FL 32826, +1.407.380.1553

Weekly Lasers Wrap Up – Week of December 5, 2016

Posted on December 9, 2016 by Steven Glover

The Laser Institute of America LasersToday.com Weekly Wrap-Up aggregates industry news, conference updates, and LIA happenings. Here is the latest:

Laser Industry News

This week, Lasers Today featured a guest blog discussing additive manufacturing using hot wire and powder processes. The post gives an in-depth overview of laser cladding, powder cladding, hot & cold wire cladding, including processes and tools used for each. Find it here.

After performing a few updates, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is back online. Over the last year, updates on LIGO’s lasers, electronics, and other assets have increased its sensitivity by 10 to 25 percent. Check out the interview with Peter Fritschel, the associate director of LIGO at MIT here.

Following the passage of the 21st Century Cures act, the National Photonics Initiative applauds House leaders for their decision. The bill provides $4.8 billion for advanced research on medicine initiatives. The involvement of optics and photonics in health care technology leads to less invasive, more cost-effective treatment for patients. Learn more about the bill here.

LIA Updates

Peter Baker is the first ever recipient of the LIA Leadership Award. This award focuses on “an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in an organization or a company and has significantly benefited the world laser community. The recipient may have also led to major global impacts in the advancement of laser science, technology, engineering, education or applications.” Baker has lead LIA for 28 years, playing an immeasurable part in LIA’s impact on the laser community. Read the full press release here.

Did you know that Student Membership with LIA is only $25? LIA members enjoy complimentary subscriptions to LIA publications, discounts on LIA courses, conferences, & seminars, networking opportunities, and more! Get the details here.

Conference News

Laser Additive Manufacturing Workshop (LAM) will take place February 21-22, 2017 in Houston, Texas. LAM features presentations from researchers and industry leaders pertaining to the use of additive manufacturing. This year will feature a new session on micro/nano laser additive manufacturing research. Register today here.

Weekly Lasers Wrap Up – Week of November 28, 2016

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Steven Glover

The Laser Institute of America LasersToday.com Weekly Wrap-Up aggregates industry news, conference updates, and LIA happenings. Here is the latest:

Laser Industry News

The Board of Laser Safety (BLS) released a new website, designed to create a user-friendly platform for laser safety officers to stay up-to-date with laser safety and certification news. The new site includes an easy-to-read news feed, a powerful cloud-based server, and an intuitive, responsive design, providing the best user experience for laser safety officers. The BLS website will continue to provide information on two certifications- Certified Laser Safety Officer (CLSO) and Certified Medical Laser Safety Officer (CMLSO). Find out more about the new website here.

Could Direct Metal Sintering be used to fight bacteria in medical implants? Researchers are currently researching the potential of adding layers of antibacterial agents, such as a novel phase-transited lysosome, in the creation of titanium implants. Despite the biocompatibility of Titanium, it is not uncommon for bacteria to find a home around an implant. This can lead to loosening, detachment, and even infection of the implant area. Learn more about the research here.

Science Alert reports that researchers have developed a laser using water and light. Overcoming the water wave oscillation that has proven to be a challenge in the past, the researchers used a small device which used “an optical fiber to deliver light” to a drop of octane and water. The light then interacted with the waves of water, moving back and forth until enough energy was built up for the light to emerge from the droplet. Find the original article here.

Conference News

Using Direct Metal Sintering to Fight Bacteria in Implants

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Steven Glover

Could adding antibacterial agents to the additive manufacturing process lead to safer medical implants?

Direct Metal Sintering is used to create titanium implants for dental and orthopedic use. 3D modeling allows manufacturers to determine the porosity and surface roughness of the implant for medical use. Titanium and titanium alloys are preferred in the medical field due to their biocompatibility and other properties that cause minimal disruptions within the body.

However, the rough surfaces can often lead to breeding grounds for bacteria, and by extension, biofilm in the implants. This can lead to infection or unwanted cell adhesion. These infections can cause implants to come loose or even detach. While measures are taken to prevent these infections, bacteria is still commonly present within an implant. Over time, bacterial colonization leads to the creation of a biofilm, which makes it more difficult to fight and remove the bacteria from within the implant.

To combat this, researchers determined that preventing the spread of bacteria would have to come from within the implant, or rather, with antibacterial coatings on the surface of the implant. This poses a unique challenge, as antibacterial agents used would have to be both compatible with the titanium and titanium alloys, and nontoxic to the patient receiving the implant. Utilizing a novel phase-transited lysosome, with a variable thickness, combined with three layers of negatively charged hyaluronic acid and positively charged chitosan, researchers believed they could prevent the formation of the biofilms by including these within the direct metal sintering process.

The results show that the method (phase transited lysosome-functionalized Direct Metal Laser Sintering Titanium, or PTL-DMLS-Ti) can help prevent the early onset of bacterial presence in the implant, while still retaining its function and compatibility with the body. The findings are expected to gain interest within the medical field, with potential for additional applications in the future. Check out the full report here, for more information.

Interested in learning more about direct metal sintering and other additive manufacturing practices? Be sure to register for LAM, taking place February 21-22, in Houston, Texas. Don’t miss a single laser industry update, visit Lasers Today and sign up to receive the latest in lasers delivered directly to your inbox.

The Laser Institute of America (LIA) is the international society for laser applications and safety. Our mission is to foster lasers, laser applications, and laser safety worldwide.

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