rus
TS_pub
technospheramag
technospheramag
ТЕХНОСФЕРА_РИЦ
DOI: 10.22184/1993-7296.FRos.2024.18.3.218.223
Domestic
Photonics Market
N. L. Istomina, L. V. Karyakina
A little more than a month has passed since closure of the exhibition “Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2024” during which the accompanying business program aroused rather similar great interest. “When face to face we cannot see the face: we should step back for better observation…”. At present, it is possible to take a look at the domestic photonics market, draw some conclusions, albeit superficial ones, about the state of the optoelectronic industry, laser machine tool engineering, laser equipment production, and pull back the curtain on the photonics industry products in China.
Thus, the 18th international specialized exhibition of laser, optical and optoelectronic equipment was held at Expocentre on March 26–29, 2024. The exhibition was arranged by Expocentre JSC together with the Laser Association under the sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. According to Expocentre [1], the PHOTONICS exhibition exposition was expanded by more than 50% compared to the last year and covered the area of 4,500 sq.m. More than 260 companies participated in the exhibition. The exhibitors demonstrated new products that aroused great interest and positive feedback from the visitors, the number of whom exceeded 8.3 thousand people. In addition to the conventional exhibitors who presented the laser radiation sources and laser equipment, fiber optic technological tools and instrumentation, optoelectronics and nanophotonics, the newcomers appeared. The Chinese companies were widely represented (almost half the number of exhibitors).
The domestic photonics market is shaped primarily by small enterprises, and the sectoral organizations offer mainly the products that are usually classified as the hardware components [2]. Among the major players in the laser and photonics market, the Rosatom State Corporation, Shvabe JSC, LASSARD Group, IRE-POLYUS Research and Technical Association, Inject R&D Enterprise, and the Perm Research and Production Instrument-Making Company demonstratedtheir products at the exhibition. The collective stands were presented by the Zelenograd Development Corporation and the Skolkovo Foundation. The leading trend in the field of scientific developments that are quickly implemented into the commercial products is the laser process units.
A lot of companies have flocked to the leader in the field of marking and engraving, namely the Laser Center. The Laser Center presented several new products, including the RX‑150 high-precision laser cutting system. The unit is designed for high-precision cutting of metals and semiconductors. The equipment can be used with any metals and alloys with the thickness of up to 3 mm. The competition between the catching up companies is determined by the marking velocity and the stroke application accuracy without any damage to the material substrate.
The high-quality grade level of optical fiber lasers produced by IRE-Polyus has turned them into the standard for use in the metal processing tools. However, there are many features in the interaction of laser radiation with metals in the form of microcracks, residual heat stresses, cooling conditions, and changes in the dielectric properties. Moreover, in order to solve the emerging technological issues, each company develops its own solutions that remain at the level of secrets, namely the pulse duration and frequency, the growth rate of the pulse leading edge, the power growth rate, the focal depth of the laser beam. Such solutions have been implemented in the laser equipment produced by Lasers and Equipment Group, LASSARD Group, Laser Systems JSC, Laser Center, LASERCUT.
New industrial digital technologies are rather important for profitable production. Therefore, the development of mobile laser robots, in which the mobile robots are combined with the robotic multi-stage manipulators and a laser head, is a new stage in the generation of laser tools. ThermoLaser has presented an innovative tool (a mobile laser robot) implementing the software-specified movement patterns of the laser spot along the objects with a comprehensive curved surface. The mobile laser robot allows to perform laser processing of the items with large dimensions that exceed the operating area of the manipulator, such as stamps and molds.
There is growing consumer interest in improving the surface properties due to various modifications, material build-up to impart the enhanced tribological properties, and surface hardening by laser radiation to extend the service life of mechanical tools. For such requests, Inject has released a range of high-power diode lasers. Moreover, the important issue of introducing radiation into an optical fiber has been resolved for the laser equipment integrator: this is a continuous laser diode module LDM44-976-300-CW with an output power of 300 W and radiation output into an optical fiber with a diameter of 200 microns.
The comprehensive 3D printing complexes for metal powders using the selective laser melting (SLM) method have been presented by Laser Systems (M250 and M350 serial selective laser melting units) and Lasers and Equipment (ML6 industrial 3D printer for metal powder printing). The robotic installations for direct laser growing have been demonstrated by ILWT of the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Technical University. This work is supported by the samples obtained using the arc growing technologies. Each type of additive technology has a number of advantages in solving certain issues. However, they can be turned into the disadvantages when used in other technical operating conditions: either the growth rate of large-sized parts, or the production accuracy of comprehensive parts of up to 20 microns.
Nevertheless, in any case, the heart of laser beam machines is the laser. The variety of problems solved with its assistance resonates with the corporate proposals. The effect of ultrashort laser pulses almost eliminates the linear dependence of the laser radiation absorption by the material on the incident beam intensity. The high electric field strength of the beam that exceeds the field strength holding the electron in the atom, forces the light electrons to leave the atoms. Therefore, almost any material is processed almost without its heating. It is interesting that at this year’s exhibition there have been more proposals for the lasers with picosecond pulses than femtosecond ones.
The solid-state pulsed lasers are capable of generating laser radiation with different pulse durations within a wide spectral range from UV to IR. Therefore, both the diode-pumped Nd : YAG lasers and optical fiber lasers fill the list of needs of the process unit developers, but give their place in the number of proposals to the semiconductor lasers. Due to their weight and size specifications, they are widely used in the compact laser equipment. At the exhibition, IRE-Polyus, Avesta, SLS Prime Technology, Nordlase, Pokkels, SOLAR LS, Polarus and LOTIS TII demonstrated their latest laser emitters.
Fiber lasers with an adjustable energy ratio in the beam profile between the central spot and the ring have appeared. They reduce the effects of splashes and porosity of the seam and allow bypassing the technological limitations of high-speed laser welding of metals.
According to the reviews from the Russian exhibitors, the most significant support for any developments in the area of laser industrial units is provided by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Until recently, the Russian laser equipment market was dominated by the American and European companies. Today, the subsidies and grants allow the enterprises to produce really competitive products. The programs arranged by the Ministry make it possible to perform R&D and bring the complex but in-demand solutions to the market. It is interesting how the things are going in the PRC in terms of organization and management of the scientific and technical developments and its implementation in the large-scale production (almost half of the exhibitors have been from China).
As judged by the expert conclusions [3], it is no longer so important for the PRC to copy foreign technologies as to protect and promote its own technologies, inventions and patents. There is a goal set, namely to provide science with the role of a tool for the state and society development. The science should help solve current industrial issues, while some of the technologies should be commercialized in the civic life. The State Council machinery has been reformed, and the Ministry of Science and Technology has become a direct participant in the new management system for the entire chain of scientific and technological innovation.
In 2023, a new party body was established: the Central Commission for Science and Technology (CCST). Its task is to establish direct control over the program for solving scientific and technological issues.
In the next issues of the magazine we will continue the story about the exhibitors and will pay attention to the equipment for photonic integrated circuits, optical elements and bulk photonics materials.
Photonics Market
N. L. Istomina, L. V. Karyakina
A little more than a month has passed since closure of the exhibition “Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2024” during which the accompanying business program aroused rather similar great interest. “When face to face we cannot see the face: we should step back for better observation…”. At present, it is possible to take a look at the domestic photonics market, draw some conclusions, albeit superficial ones, about the state of the optoelectronic industry, laser machine tool engineering, laser equipment production, and pull back the curtain on the photonics industry products in China.
Thus, the 18th international specialized exhibition of laser, optical and optoelectronic equipment was held at Expocentre on March 26–29, 2024. The exhibition was arranged by Expocentre JSC together with the Laser Association under the sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. According to Expocentre [1], the PHOTONICS exhibition exposition was expanded by more than 50% compared to the last year and covered the area of 4,500 sq.m. More than 260 companies participated in the exhibition. The exhibitors demonstrated new products that aroused great interest and positive feedback from the visitors, the number of whom exceeded 8.3 thousand people. In addition to the conventional exhibitors who presented the laser radiation sources and laser equipment, fiber optic technological tools and instrumentation, optoelectronics and nanophotonics, the newcomers appeared. The Chinese companies were widely represented (almost half the number of exhibitors).
The domestic photonics market is shaped primarily by small enterprises, and the sectoral organizations offer mainly the products that are usually classified as the hardware components [2]. Among the major players in the laser and photonics market, the Rosatom State Corporation, Shvabe JSC, LASSARD Group, IRE-POLYUS Research and Technical Association, Inject R&D Enterprise, and the Perm Research and Production Instrument-Making Company demonstratedtheir products at the exhibition. The collective stands were presented by the Zelenograd Development Corporation and the Skolkovo Foundation. The leading trend in the field of scientific developments that are quickly implemented into the commercial products is the laser process units.
A lot of companies have flocked to the leader in the field of marking and engraving, namely the Laser Center. The Laser Center presented several new products, including the RX‑150 high-precision laser cutting system. The unit is designed for high-precision cutting of metals and semiconductors. The equipment can be used with any metals and alloys with the thickness of up to 3 mm. The competition between the catching up companies is determined by the marking velocity and the stroke application accuracy without any damage to the material substrate.
The high-quality grade level of optical fiber lasers produced by IRE-Polyus has turned them into the standard for use in the metal processing tools. However, there are many features in the interaction of laser radiation with metals in the form of microcracks, residual heat stresses, cooling conditions, and changes in the dielectric properties. Moreover, in order to solve the emerging technological issues, each company develops its own solutions that remain at the level of secrets, namely the pulse duration and frequency, the growth rate of the pulse leading edge, the power growth rate, the focal depth of the laser beam. Such solutions have been implemented in the laser equipment produced by Lasers and Equipment Group, LASSARD Group, Laser Systems JSC, Laser Center, LASERCUT.
New industrial digital technologies are rather important for profitable production. Therefore, the development of mobile laser robots, in which the mobile robots are combined with the robotic multi-stage manipulators and a laser head, is a new stage in the generation of laser tools. ThermoLaser has presented an innovative tool (a mobile laser robot) implementing the software-specified movement patterns of the laser spot along the objects with a comprehensive curved surface. The mobile laser robot allows to perform laser processing of the items with large dimensions that exceed the operating area of the manipulator, such as stamps and molds.
There is growing consumer interest in improving the surface properties due to various modifications, material build-up to impart the enhanced tribological properties, and surface hardening by laser radiation to extend the service life of mechanical tools. For such requests, Inject has released a range of high-power diode lasers. Moreover, the important issue of introducing radiation into an optical fiber has been resolved for the laser equipment integrator: this is a continuous laser diode module LDM44-976-300-CW with an output power of 300 W and radiation output into an optical fiber with a diameter of 200 microns.
The comprehensive 3D printing complexes for metal powders using the selective laser melting (SLM) method have been presented by Laser Systems (M250 and M350 serial selective laser melting units) and Lasers and Equipment (ML6 industrial 3D printer for metal powder printing). The robotic installations for direct laser growing have been demonstrated by ILWT of the Saint-Petersburg State Marine Technical University. This work is supported by the samples obtained using the arc growing technologies. Each type of additive technology has a number of advantages in solving certain issues. However, they can be turned into the disadvantages when used in other technical operating conditions: either the growth rate of large-sized parts, or the production accuracy of comprehensive parts of up to 20 microns.
Nevertheless, in any case, the heart of laser beam machines is the laser. The variety of problems solved with its assistance resonates with the corporate proposals. The effect of ultrashort laser pulses almost eliminates the linear dependence of the laser radiation absorption by the material on the incident beam intensity. The high electric field strength of the beam that exceeds the field strength holding the electron in the atom, forces the light electrons to leave the atoms. Therefore, almost any material is processed almost without its heating. It is interesting that at this year’s exhibition there have been more proposals for the lasers with picosecond pulses than femtosecond ones.
The solid-state pulsed lasers are capable of generating laser radiation with different pulse durations within a wide spectral range from UV to IR. Therefore, both the diode-pumped Nd : YAG lasers and optical fiber lasers fill the list of needs of the process unit developers, but give their place in the number of proposals to the semiconductor lasers. Due to their weight and size specifications, they are widely used in the compact laser equipment. At the exhibition, IRE-Polyus, Avesta, SLS Prime Technology, Nordlase, Pokkels, SOLAR LS, Polarus and LOTIS TII demonstrated their latest laser emitters.
Fiber lasers with an adjustable energy ratio in the beam profile between the central spot and the ring have appeared. They reduce the effects of splashes and porosity of the seam and allow bypassing the technological limitations of high-speed laser welding of metals.
According to the reviews from the Russian exhibitors, the most significant support for any developments in the area of laser industrial units is provided by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation. Until recently, the Russian laser equipment market was dominated by the American and European companies. Today, the subsidies and grants allow the enterprises to produce really competitive products. The programs arranged by the Ministry make it possible to perform R&D and bring the complex but in-demand solutions to the market. It is interesting how the things are going in the PRC in terms of organization and management of the scientific and technical developments and its implementation in the large-scale production (almost half of the exhibitors have been from China).
As judged by the expert conclusions [3], it is no longer so important for the PRC to copy foreign technologies as to protect and promote its own technologies, inventions and patents. There is a goal set, namely to provide science with the role of a tool for the state and society development. The science should help solve current industrial issues, while some of the technologies should be commercialized in the civic life. The State Council machinery has been reformed, and the Ministry of Science and Technology has become a direct participant in the new management system for the entire chain of scientific and technological innovation.
In 2023, a new party body was established: the Central Commission for Science and Technology (CCST). Its task is to establish direct control over the program for solving scientific and technological issues.
In the next issues of the magazine we will continue the story about the exhibitors and will pay attention to the equipment for photonic integrated circuits, optical elements and bulk photonics materials.
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