Lasers & Sources

Coherent buys OR Laser for AM systems, expands in Lübeck

May 29, 2018

The additive manufacturing tools include both DMD and SLM.

Coherent (Santa Clara, CA; NASDAQ: COHR) has expanded its portfolio of industrial laser-based machine tools with the acquisition of O.R. Lasertechnologie (OR Laser; Dieburg, Germany), which produces a range of compact, high precision tools for laser additive manufacturing. The additive manufacturing tools include both direct metal deposition (DMD) and selective layer melting (SLM) technologies, as well as systems for cutting, welding, marking and engraving.

“The acquisition of Rofin-Sinar made Coherent into a major force in laser machine tools, and O.R. Lasertechnologie now gives us a complementary product line that specifically increases our solutions portfolio in additive manufacturing,” noted Thomas Merk, Coherent Executive Vice President and General Manager, Industrial Lasers and Systems.

“Additionally, their products will seamlessly integrate with our current offering because the O.R. Lasertechnologie approach is congruent with the Coherent philosophy: provide high performance, precision systems which deliver unmatched value and ease of use. We see this as key to enabling lasers to displace other legacy manufacturing technologies in a variety of industries. For example, these advantages have already allowed O.R. Lasertechnologie to enjoy success with their solutions for dental and medical device manufacturing.”

Also in Germany, Coherent announced that it is investing €50 million to relocate its operations in Lübeck from Seelandstraße to the Genin commercial area by 2021. Plans call for a five-story office building and a two- to three-story production hall to be built, almost doubling the size available floor space to 13,000 m². The original facility was established in 1986 by Adlas, which was acquired by Coherent in 1995.

Source: Coherent

About the Author

Conard Holton | Editor at Large

Conard Holton has 25 years of science and technology editing and writing experience. He was formerly a staff member and consultant for government agencies such as the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and the International Atomic Energy Agency, and engineering companies such as Bechtel. He joined Laser Focus World in 1997 as senior editor, becoming editor in chief of WDM Solutions, which he founded in 1999. In 2003 he joined Vision Systems Design as editor in chief, while continuing as contributing editor at Laser Focus World. Conard became editor in chief of Laser Focus World in August 2011, a role in which he served through August 2018. He then served as Editor at Large for Laser Focus World and Co-Chair of the Lasers & Photonics Marketplace Seminar from August 2018 through January 2022. He received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, with additional studies at the Colorado School of Mines and Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.