Just looked at the calendar and realized summer starts in a week, with six months of 2015 almost gone. And here I am working on developing the editorial for the January/February issue of Industrial Laser Solutions, while we tie up the loose ends for production of the July/August issue you'll be reading in about a month.
I'm trying something a little different next year (2016) by issuing an open call for contributed articles. With an expanded number of pages in each issue, we are now able to publish additional features—so all budding writers are invited to join the ranks of the many dozens of ILS authors by sending me ideas for new features.
Here are the guidelines: ILS features are written for current and future users of lasers for industrial material processing. This includes lasers used for cutting, welding, drilling, surface treatment, additive manufacturing, and marking/engraving—being processed on either a macro- or micro-scale—in a production environment.
Readers' interests are in processes now being performed and those under development for near-term usage. Many ILS readers are in developing nations (we are read in 150 countries), so they may just now be considering lasers for an application new to them and they look to ILS for guidance on choices. Other readers in more advanced, industrialized regions are looking for advice on improving their processes or, if a new product is under consideration, choices of how to process it.
So, there’s the ball field and if you want to join us, all you have to do is send me ([email protected]) a short summary of the subject you want to contribute and, with the assistance of the Editorial Advisors, we will decide if the subject moves the laser technology forward. You should act promptly, as I am putting the editorial calendar for 2016 together now.