Tag Archives: LIA Corporate Membership

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 IVAM Microtechnology Network – March’s Featured Corporate Member

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IVAM Microtechnology Network, a company based in Dortmund, Germany, is an international association with members in the fields of microtechnology, nanotechnology, advanced materials, MEMS and photonics. IVAM supports companies by pushing their clients’ innovative technologies and products to the forefront of the international marketplace with the goal of securing competitive advantages abroad. The association does this by creating synergies that support its members with exchanging knowledge, initiating joint projects and networking.

IVAM Microtechnology Network is LIA’s Featured Corporate Member for March 2017.

IVAM was founded in 1995 and has since offered a number of valuable services to their customers. Their services have included assistance with marketing, public affairs, networking opportunities and internationalization efforts.

The organization is made of four departments that include Membership Relations Management; Trade Fairs and Events; Publics Relations; and Economic Research. These departments work together to offer customers a variety of platforms that facilitate cooperation between companies that complement one another.

Exhibitors of the IVAM joint booth at MD&M West 2016

IVAM, an LIA corporate member, offers platforms at tradeshows and technical presentation forums, which they say creates visibility, and gets their members in touch with potential partners and clientele. Through large-scale communication efforts, they bridge the gap between companies that can work well together. In doing so they also allow intellectuals and experts to share numerous tech industry trends and ideas.

“Microtechnology, nanotechnology, photonics, MEMS and advanced materials have significantly accelerated innovation in the late 20th and early 21st century,” said Mona Okroy-Hellweg, Public Relations Manager at IVAM. “These key enabling technologies have affected, improved or fundamentally changed many areas of society, industry, and economy – either by improving existing products and processes or by triggering entirely new, previously unthought-of applications.”

IVAM INNO Magazine

With over two decades of experience and observation, the company has witnessed an increasing demand for international reach amongst tech companies. They have risen to this challenge and presently have members in 18 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

For more information about LIA’s March Featured Corporate Member, please visit: http://www.ivam.de. 

This Corporate Member Feature was written by Brandon Kalloo in collaboration with IVAM Microtechnology Network. 

Meet Glowforge™ – February’s Featured Corporate Member

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Glowforge is a 3D laser printer that can create amazing things from various materials at the push of a button. In 2014, Glowforge was founded in Seattle, Washington with the goal of making CNC laser cutter/engravers cheaper, more capable and easier to use through a low-cost desktop unit that comes equipped with cameras, accelerometers and modern cloud-based software.

Meet Glowforge, February 2017’s Featured Corporate Member.

In 2015, Glowforge launched a crowdfunding campaign at Maker Faire in New York where their 3-D laser printer made its world debut. Their booth had extremely long lines as they ran prints for hundreds of excited visitors. The campaign was intended to reach $2 million in pre-orders, which was enough to give them the confidence to mass-produce their machines.

According to Glowforge, which is an LIA Corporate Member, the product was a hit and they garnered positive feedback from small businesses, inventors and creatives alike.

“It turns out a lot of people saw Glowforge and decided it would change their lives,” said Bailey Nelson, the company’s Community Manager. “30 days after the launch, we had received nearly $28 million in pre-orders for the Glowforge 3D laser printer, making it the largest 30-day crowdfunding campaign in history.”

Today, Glowforge credits its online community for the brand’s continued success. The community offers ideas, advice, and wisdom about working with lasers and other fabrication tools and techniques. Customer contributions include feature ideas, material suggestions, and crowd-sourced tutorial developments.

A row of Glowforge printers, courtesy of the company.

Since the launch, their staff has grown from 14 to approximately 40 employees and they are not slowing down. Currently, Glowforge is looking to hire talent with a wide range of skills, including electrical engineers and manufacturing engineers.

The company is proud of the features they have pioneered. One innovation called a “trace” allows users to draw designs with a pen. The designs are then automatically converted into printable files. Precision preview is another user-friendly option that allows customers to preview their designs superimposed on a live camera view of their material so they can drag them for perfect positioning.

Products Made on a Glowforge printer, courtesy of the company.

Another feature, 3D Autofocus, allows the laser beam to automatically focus on both smooth and curved surfaces. The technology measures the height of materials placed on the bed in several places so it can maintain the laser’s focus on various surfaces.

Among the unique elements of the Glowforge brand is their product’s ability to recognize materials. The onboard cameras automatically detect Proofgrade™ materials (a line of masked and prefinished materials designed specifically for laser processing) to automatically configure power, speed, and focus. With Proofgrade materials, users can choose variations like “cut” or “dark engrave” without having to determine speed and power settings.

“Our customers are the best in the world,” said CEO Dan Shapiro. “They tell us that Glowforge was just what they needed to help them scale their small business, prototype their latest invention from just a drawing, or level up the creative endeavors that had grown stale in their 9-5 jobs. We’re inspired every day when we see what they are doing with their Glowforge units, and we are honored to provide the tool that unlocks their creativity.”

For more information about LIA’s February Featured Corporate Member, please visit: http://glowforge.com.

This Corporate Member Feature was written by Brandon Kalloo in collaboration with Glowforge. 

October’s Featured Corporate Member – Buffalo Filter LLC

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A market leader, Buffalo Filter LLC, located in Lancaster, NY, produces technologies and solutions that are used to manage the hazards associated with surgical plume inhalation. Dedicated to eliminating the plumes, which contain harmful gases, respirable particles and biological matter that can transfer disease, Buffalo Filter works diligently to protect the individuals who care for others in surgical settings.

Buffalo Filter’s newest surgical smoke evacuator is the VisiClear system. Intuitive, ultra-quiet, and shelf/counter friendly are just a few of this system’s features.

Though now a wholly-owned business unit of the Texas-based Filtration Group, Buffalo Filter originally began in 1991 as a small, privately-owned company in Buffalo, NY, manufacturing its own brand of filters and smoke evacuation systems. When the Filtration Group acquired the company in 2013, Buffalo Filter joined the Group’s Life Sciences division. Since then, the company has continued to build upon its leadership role with the manufacture of hundreds of OEM, private label and co-labeled products. Along with this work, Buffalo Filter continues to provide the industry with its own brand of technologically-advanced evacuation equipment, filters and accessories, which are utilized in a wide range of medical specialties.

At the time of its inception, the small company was run by two engineers who originally made filters for the automotive industry. When Christopher Palmerton acquired the company in 1995, Buffalo Filter altered its course, beginning the manufacture of filters that eliminated the hazards medical professionals face in the field. Ever since, Buffalo Filter’s mission has been to ensure that healthcare workers across the globe remain safe amidst the dangers of surgical smoke. With a cancer-causing potency six times greater than that of a cigarette, surgical smoke has the ability to transmit bacteria and viruses and contains respirable particles that worsen respiratory ailments.

To protect medical professionals, Buffalo Filter provides the industry with numerous safety-related products for the operating environment, including: surgical smoke plume management systems, laparoscopic warming and defogging lens devices and electrosurgical accessories. In addition to its main work in the innovation and development of surgical smoke plume management devices and accessories, Buffalo Filter is also known for providing education about the harmful plumes and programs that aid organizations in the management of all aspects related to its exposure.

As awareness of surgical smoke plume hazards has grown in the past five years, more facilities have taken action to ensure the management of the plumes. When those facilities seek answers, Buffalo Filter continually responds by producing innovative solutions that meet the complex needs of each operating specialty. By doing so, the company has matched the delicate and precise nature of surgery with products that enhance, rather than inhibit, a surgical team’s ability to perform their work. Recognizing the differences in each operating environment, Buffalo Filter supplies the industry with specialized solutions by studying each environment’s needs and responding carefully and effectively to ensure the safety of the individuals in the field. Continuously working to improve solutions, Buffalo Filter has offered between two and three new innovations in the operating room safety and smoke evacuation space each year. The company will continue this tradition in early 2017 with the release of new products.

A member of Laser Institute of America (LIA) since 2006, Buffalo Filter strongly relates to the organization, as both entities remain dedicated to safety. Helping individuals avoid the long-term effects of surgical plume exposure is a source of pride for Buffalo Filter, and the company is proud to join LIA in meeting its safety goals in the field.

For more information, visit www.buffalofilter.com.