Last year, the United Nations—through UNESCO—proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies. Here in the US, various scientific organizations stated they would "promote improved public and political understanding of the central role of light in the modern world"—and they did. With their support, we—the technical press—also participated. At Industrial Laser Solutions, it has been our mission for more than 30 years to educate manufacturing professionals on the advantages of laser processing.
In retrospect, I am coming to the conclusion that, despite these efforts, manufacturing in the US is not fully aware of the use of light (lasers) to process industrial materials. My compatriots in Europe tell me—and I have hands-on knowledge—that it is just the opposite there, as laser processing (a result of major government funding) is a common and familiar alternate choice for a wide variety of industrial processes. Make It With Lasers was a 1990s initiative in Germany and the UK, today both heavy users of industrial laser processing.
In the US, the Laser Institute of America (LIA) continues to advance the knowledge base by shifting their Lasers for Manufacturing Event (LME) from the Midwest to Atlanta to bring professionals in the Southeast the opportunity to attend, in one venue, a laser-only tradeshow with an education track focused exclusively on industrial laser material processing. At LME, every exhibitor is focused exclusively on their lasers' use in industrial operations. As the LIA says, "LME is the place to see the latest in laser technology, network with the industry's elite, and find solutions to current and future manufacturing needs. Our mission is to provide a one-stop event for companies interested in integrating laser technology into their production."
As the LIA has done its part, now it is up to companies in the Southeast to send their best and brightest to Atlanta on April 26-27, 2016, to learn about lasers for additive manufacturing, medical device applications, sheet metal cutting, automotive body welding, marking for traceability, and dozens of other processes made more profitable through the use of lasers. The experts are there ready to answer your most perplexing processing problems.
In addition, for C-suite and other top executives who want to hear first-hand expert intelligence on how to use these powerful tools most profitably in a variety of high-value manufacturing applications, the LIA is offering the Lasers for Manufacturing Summit on April 25th that provides a comprehensive market perspective that is unobtainable elsewhere, with market data segmented by applications and laser technology from the laser industry's leading resources.