Technology11 September 2026
Why does a laser weld seam become porous?
In laser welding, pores have two origins: the component and the process. Separating the two means looking for the cause in the right place.
9–11 min
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Magazine for laser technology and surface processing.
Choosing a laser system takes more than reading a data sheet. In this magazine, we explain processes, materials and operating questions in a way that supports sound technical and commercial decisions — without exaggerated marketing claims or oversimplified rules.
Safety11 September 2026
Which laser safety eyewear suits which laser?
Dark lenses say nothing about protection. What counts is what is printed on the frame — and whether it matches the wavelength of your own machine.
10–12 min
Technology11 September 2026
When does laser welding with a robot or cobot pay off?
A robot repeats its path very consistently — but without sensors it cannot see the gap that the next component brings with it. What should be clarified before automating.
9–11 min
Technology11 September 2026
What power does a laser cleaner need for your own task?
More watts do not shorten every job. Which power class makes sense follows from the layer, area and material — and becomes apparent on the test part.
8–10 min
Technology11 September 2026
What cooling and power supply does a laser cleaning machine need?
Whether a machine can be put into operation at the intended location also depends on the socket, cooling water and room climate — and can be clarified before delivery.
10–12 min
Processes & comparisons11 September 2026
Laser welding or TIG welding: which process suits your metalworking?
Hand-held fibre lasers can weld quickly and with little distortion. Whether they replace TIG depends on the seam, material and laser protection — often they only complement it.
9–11 min
Safety11 September 2026
Laser classes 1 to 4: what the classification means for day-to-day operation
The laser class is not a verdict on quality but a hazard classification. It determines what a business has to have in place before the machine is switched on.
10–12 min
Technology11 September 2026
How should the protective window and optics on the laser head be properly cleaned and changed?
Dark spots, burn marks, declining effectiveness: the protective window shows early on that the optics need attention. What matters when changing and cleaning.
10–12 min
Cost-effectiveness11 September 2026
How much does a laser cleaning machine cost to buy?
The starting price is a point of departure, not the total. What the purchase ultimately costs depends on the version, accessories and the requirements for safe operation.
8–10 min
Technology11 September 2026
How do you calculate the peak power of a pulsed laser?
200 W of average power can, by calculation, become pulses of 100 kW. How the quantities are related — and where the simple formula becomes inaccurate.
8–10 min
Safety11 September 2026
Do I need a laser safety officer for a cleaning laser?
A cleaning laser falls into class 4. The question about the laser safety officer is therefore no longer whether, but who — and when.
10–12 min
Technology28 August 2026
The laser source determines what a cleaning system can achieve
The laser source is the most expensive assembly in a cleaning system and determines which tasks it can solve at all. Four characteristics decide the matter – and three of them rarely appear in the brochure.
9–11 min
Cost-effectiveness20 August 2026
Which costs belong in a robust unit-cost calculation?
Machine time is only one part of unit cost. Set-up, inspection, rework and ancillary processes can materially change the comparison between industrial surface treatments.
11–13 min
Cost-effectiveness20 August 2026
When does hiring pay off with fluctuating utilisation?
Three weeks of high demand followed by months of low use requires a different calculation from continuous series production. Project peaks can make temporary access more economical.
10–12 min
Cost-effectiveness20 August 2026
When does a laser system pay for itself in day-to-day operation?
Purchase price alone does not determine payback. Utilisation, labour, replaced process steps and avoided external costs can change the investment calculation substantially.
11–13 min
Processes & comparisons20 August 2026
Laser rust removal or sandblasting: which process costs really matter?
The machine price rarely decides the outcome on its own. Blasting media, set-up, rework, disposal and real area coverage reveal the true cost difference.
11–13 min
Cost-effectiveness20 August 2026
In-house or outsourced: what pays off with repeat orders?
A one-off job is easy to outsource. With recurring demand, utilisation, margin, lead time and in-house process knowledge change the make-or-buy calculation.
11–13 min
Cost-effectiveness20 August 2026
How does downtime affect the economics of maintenance work?
Ten minutes of processing can still lead to hours of production downtime. The relevant figure is the total time from shutdown to restart.
11–13 min
Processes & comparisons20 August 2026
Grinding or laser ablation: when does dimensional accuracy matter?
Grinding is widely available and proven. On functional surfaces, however, the amount of base material removed and the effect on edges can become decisive.
11–13 min
Processes & comparisons20 August 2026
Glass bead blasting or laser: how does each process affect the surface?
Both processes can visibly change metal, but in different ways. The right choice depends on the required roughness, finish and subsequent process.
11–13 min
Processes & comparisons20 August 2026
Dry ice blasting or laser: which process suits which residues?
Both are dry processes, but they solve different cleaning tasks. The type and adhesion of the residue matter more than the label “dry cleaning”.
11–13 min
Processes & comparisons20 August 2026
Chemical paint stripping or laser ablation: which secondary processes matter?
Removing the coating is only one step. Chemical handling, rinsing, drying, extraction and disposal can determine the total process effort.
11–13 min
Technology19 August 2026
Which factors determine process time in laser paint removal?
The same coating can take very different amounts of time on different components. Layer structure, substrate, geometry and target surface condition determine the real process time.
11–13 min
Technology19 August 2026
Pulsed laser or CW laser: which energy input suits the component?
A 300 W pulsed laser cannot be compared directly with a 2,000 W CW system. Pulse characteristics, thermal input, surface quality and throughput determine the right choice.
11–13 min
Laser cleaning19 August 2026
Laser cleaning: how does the process work and when is it worthwhile?
How laser cleaning removes rust, paint and oxides, how pulsed and CW systems differ, and when an in-house machine can make commercial sense.
10–12 min
Technology19 August 2026
How does laser ablation work on metal?
Pulse energy, focal position, scan width and processing speed all influence removal. Wattage alone does not describe the process.
11–13 min
Technology19 August 2026
How do scan patterns influence results at edges and contours?
Flat surfaces are relatively straightforward. Edges, radii and grooves show why the right scan strategy and working distance matter.
11–13 min
Technology19 August 2026
How can a stable process window be maintained in series production?
A successful test is only the starting point. Documented parameters, reference samples and quality checks are what make a process reproducible over time.
12–14 min
What this magazine is about
Selecting a laser system is rarely just a product decision. Whether a machine makes sense in operation depends on the material, the layer to be removed, the area, frequency of use and the required final surface condition. These relationships can be difficult to cover in a sales conversation, but they can be explained properly in a technical article.
Which questions the articles address
The articles focus on the questions that arise before an investment: how a process works physically and why wattage alone is not a sufficient comparison; how to assess material suitability; how extraction, risk assessment and protective measures affect day-to-day operation; and when buying, hiring or outsourcing is the more economical option.
Why publish our own magazine?
Online information about laser technology often falls into two extremes: sales material that understates limitations, and forum posts that turn a single experience into a general rule. Neither is ideal for a company preparing an investment decision or replacing an established process step. Our aim is the middle ground: sound fundamentals, named sources and clear qualification wherever the answer depends on the specific application.
A recurring theme is the difference between what is technically possible and what is economically sensible. A process can solve a task very well and still be too slow for series production. Conversely, a lower-power system may be exactly right for a specific job. This distinction runs through the magazine because it is one of the most common sources of poor equipment selection.
We deliberately avoid overstatement. Laser technology can do a great deal, but it is not the fastest or cheapest solution for every application. Where another process may be more suitable, the articles say so. Technical terms are defined once in the glossary with 190 technical terms rather than repeatedly interrupting the articles with definitions.
Who the articles are for
The magazine is written for companies that manufacture, maintain or further process components — including production, maintenance, tool and mould making, metalworking, restoration and specialist surface-processing providers. No prior knowledge of laser technology is assumed. When a technical term first appears, the glossary provides a concise definition.
The articles do not replace a test on the actual component. Their purpose is to sharpen the questions a business should ask and identify the process data that matter. The suitability of any surface process depends on the material, the layer and the required final condition — not on a single number in a data sheet.
For specific applications, see the Applications overview. For machine classes and performance data, see the Products page. If your application is not covered clearly, send us details or a sample component; the real workpiece usually gives a more reliable answer than a generic table.
A question from the workshop?
Send us a photo of your component. We will tell you whether laser technology is likely to be suitable and what information is needed to estimate the process time.