Two big LASER shows and a whole lot more

June 1, 2019
Editor in chief John Lewis celebrates recaps LASER World of PHOTONICS China, previews LASER World of PHOTONICS Munich, and introduces Laser Focus World’s June 2019 issue, which includes trends in photonics technologies, applications, and markets.
2105 Lfw Lpms Supp 9a

In March, I attended LASER World of PHOTONICS China in Shanghai, where many Laser Focus World readers helped fuel record attendance. With more than 65,705 visitors, 60,750 square meters of exhibition space, and 1177 exhibitors from 26 countries, the event is Asia’s largest trade fair for photonics professionals. This month I travel to Germany, where from June 24 to 27, many of us will visit LASER World of PHOTONICS Munich, the leading international gathering of manufacturers and customers of photonics products and technologies. This trade fair remains the most international of photonics exhibitions, with close to 32,000 attendees expected, almost 1300 exhibitors, and a World of Photonics Congress that covers all the major technology and application areas (see article).

Just as attendees of these two big shows should expect exposure to a great range of photonics technologies and applications, so should Laser Focus World readers expect a steady flow of photonics coverage in every issue. This issue is no exception, starting with our cover story about how laser texturing of piston skirts using chirped-pulse amplification femtosecond lasers improves automotive fuel efficiency and extends engine life (see article). Contributing editor Jeff Hecht gives an update on U.S. plans for laser weapon battlefield testing (see article).

If you want to know about the all-weather capability enhancements of frequency-modulated continuous-wave lidar in automotive applications, see this article. In biophotonics, a new type of light source that is needed for the small-diameter fiber-based illumination systems enabling leading-edge biomedical applications is described (see article). We also cover how free-license software removes trial and error in metamaterial design (see article), how plasma source monitoring stabilizes optical coating processes (see article), using photometric stereo techniques to analyze reflections and improve image contrast (see article), ultrafast laser applications in medical device manufacturing (see article), optics replicating human vision in AR/VR display testing (see article), seeing the invisible with quantum-enhanced imaging (see article), and resolving damage ambiguity and laser-induced damage threshold complications (see article). As always, I hope you enjoy this issue.

About the Author

John Lewis | Editor in Chief (2018-2021)

John Lewis served as Editor in Chief of Laser Focus World from August 2018 through October 2021, after having served as the Editor in Chief of Vision Systems Design from 2016 to 2018. He has technical, industry, and journalistic qualifications, with more than 13 years of progressive content development experience working at Cognex Corporation. Prior to Cognex where his articles on machine vision were published in dozens of trade journals, he was a technical editor for Design News, covering automation, machine vision, and other engineering topics, for over six years.

Sponsored Recommendations

Ask the Expert: Building Better Laser Micromachining Systems

Dec. 8, 2023
Dr. Cliff Jolliffe, Head of Strategic Marketing, Industrial Automation, Physik Instrumente (PI), fields questions about integrating controls for different motion systems and lasers...

Video: December 8, 2023 Photonics Hot List

Dec. 8, 2023
In this episode, we cover a microscopy method that hits uncharted cell territory, drone-based imaging for solar farm inspection, soliton microcombs that boost conversion efficiency...

China’s industrial laser market shows steady growth in turbulent times

Dec. 8, 2023
This in-depth market update focuses on trends in laser processing and industrial lasers while touching on what to expect in the ultrafast laser, fiber laser, LiDAR, and handheld...

What does it take to land venture capital for photonics-driven startups?

Dec. 7, 2023
Capital to grow a startup company can come from many sources: contract and non-recurring engineering (NRE) funding, angels and friends, customer upfront payments, and venture ...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!