Jenoptik receives innovation award for laser processing bumpers

JENA, GERMANY – At the 46th Annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Competition held in November 2016 in Livonia, MI, American automotive supplier Magna Exterior (Troy, MI), automotive manufacturer General Motors (GM; Detroit, MI), and Jenoptik received the SPE Automotive Innovation Award in the process, assembly, and enabling technologies category. The award honors the unique process for robotic laser cutting (FIGURE) and welding of class A exterior fascia, which came out top against five other award-nominated innovations.

As a global automotive supplier, Magna specializes in innovative products and processes with a good price-performance ratio. Therefore, the previous production technology for producing class A exterior bumpers was replaced by high-tech laser machines from Jenoptik, which manufactures production 3D laser systems. The modern laser process, which can also be applied to other plastic exterior and interior components, allows for a higher flexibility in production in contrast to the previously used punching and ultrasonic welding technology.

To meet the ever-increasing challenges of the automotive industry in terms of lightweight construction and material saving in the production process, Jenoptik developed machine concepts specifically for processing bumpers. By combining a 3D laser cutting unit and a 3D laser welding unit, the company offers a high-flexibility solution for complex processing of bumpers with a very wide range of versions, and also for different complex interior and exterior components.

For more information, please visit www.jenoptik.com.