PowerPhotonic’s Light Tunnel Generator (LTG) can adapt existing, sheet-metal, laser-cutting equipment to deliver industry-leading performance, using 40% less power. This energy saving breakthrough made the LTG a highlight of the Munich, Laser World of Photonics trade show, last month, generating interest from many equipment manufacturers. The specialist designer and manufacturer of precision, freeform, wafer-scale optics, had established this significant increase in efficiency during independent tests carried out by Fraunhofer IWS Dresden, which it announced shortly before the show.

Dr. Stephen Kidd, Head of Sales and Marketing at PowerPhotonic, said, “PowerPhotonic’s Light Tunnel Generator offers unrivalled performance and productivity gains for sheet metal, laser-cutting equipment producers and the facilities they are used in. Fraunhofer IWS Dresden clearly demonstrated that when 20mm thick, stainless-steel sheet is cut using PowerPhotonic’s LTG optics, the cutting speed and edge roughness match those of industry leaders, whilst using 40% less power and providing a wider process window.

“This level of energy saving is unprecedented in the sheet-metal fabrication industry, with significant operational and capital equipment, cost-saving implications. Operationally, less power is needed for the same laser performance and, with less heat generated, the power consumption of factory and equipment cooling systems is also reduced. In capital terms, a 6kW laser using LTG optics now performs like a 10kW laser, when cutting 20mm stainless steel, significantly impacting capital equipment, investment costs.”

PowerPhotonic’s Light Tunnel Generators offer huge performance and productivity gains in laser cutting, welding and drilling and can be customised for different equipment types and circustances.