Patented MultiWave Hybrid technology pays off for job shops

Targeting laser job shops called on to process small batches of material that may or may not respond to the wavelengths of the lasers they use, laser material processing systems maker Universal Laser Systems (ULS; Scottsdale, AZ) has received a patent (US Patent No. 9,346,122) for its MultiWave Hybrid technology that combines multiple wavelengths of laser energy into a single beam, which can produce reactions from materials not seen or possible when only one wavelength is used.

The MultiWave Hybrid technology combines beams from multiple lasers into a single, hybrid laser beam. Users can leverage this technology to combine a number of different laser power levels and wavelengths. Additionally, users can dynamically and individually control the lasers. For example, 1.06, 9.3, and 10.6µm laser beams can be combined in any proportion to create a number of desired effects on various materials at the same focal plane. For example, a 10.6µm laser could strip polyimide insulation from flat cable and sequentially drill holes in the metal conductor.

The technology offers enhanced laser material processing flexibility and adaptability by providing users compatibility with a broad range of materials within one system, and benefits job shops faced with processing many materials (such as plastic films, industrial films, engineering plastics, laminating adhesives, and composite materials) in a business day. Several users claim a very short ROI time facilitated by this new approach to flexible material processing.

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