LANE 2016 – 9th Conference on Photonic Technologies

For the ninth time, LANE conference offered a platform for the international exchange of opinions, perspectives, results and solutions concerning photonic technologies. 307 participants from 33 countries – that means the highest number of participants in LANE history – got together in Fürth to discuss the potentials of light for production processes. Especially recent developments in the field of laser material processing were addressed.

Comprehensive and diversified conference program

The conference program consisted of 205 talks covering the following topics:

• Additive manufacturing
• Cutting & Drilling
• Dynamic laser beam shaping
• Hybrid processes
• Joining metals with polymers
• Laser beam welding
• Laser brazing
• Laser forming
• Processing of polymers
• Sensing & Control
• Short and ultrashort pulse processes
• Simulation & Modelling
• Surface treatment
• System engineering & Beam source

If you are interested in the detailed conference program, please see LANE 2016 Conference program & guide.

Top-class keynote speakers and award ceremonies

Highlights were the talks of LANE 2016’s six international top-class keynote speakers:

• Prof. Stephan Barcikowski (University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany)
  Nanomaterials synthesis and processing by laser – Fundamentals and perspectives
  
• Prof. Martin Booth (University of Oxford, United Kingdom)
  Dynamic optics for precision laser material processing
• Prof. Milan Brandt (RMIT University, Australia)
  Just-in-time design and additive manufacture of patient-specific medical implants (Link)
  
• Dr. Alberto Piqué (Naval Research Laboratory, USA)
  Application of LIFT in 3D micro-fabrication
  
• Prof. Dr. -Ing. Michael Rethmeier (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Germany)
  Welding with high-power lasers: Trends and Developments (Link)
  
• Prof. Wolfgang Schulz (Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, Germany)
  Meta Modelling and visualization of multi-dimensional data for virtual production intelligence

Lane 2016's award ceremonies

Another highlight in the schedule of LANE 2016 was for sure the ceremony for the Award of the Scientific Society for Laser Technology (WLT e.V.). It took place during the plenary session on the first conference day. The laureate was Dr. Peter Stritt who received the award for his dissertation on remote laser beam welding of Aluminium AA 6016.

Against the background of our continuous ambition to improve the quality of the LANE talks, all participants had the chance to vote for the “LANE Best Presentation Award”, for the first time. The winners were announced in the closing plenary session. For more information on the award and the prize winners, please follow this link.

Closing plenary session: Looking northwards

The closing plenary session of LANE 2016 was devoted to Finnish laser science and technology. Laser processing research has a long tradition in this Nordic country. Different perspectives from science and industrial research were examined during this session. LANE organizers would like to thank Prof. Veli Kujanpää from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland for his support in planning the closing plenary session.

Accompanying exhibition and social events

In addition to the talks, the accompanying exhibition offered a perfect opportunity to catch up on the work as well as the innovative products and services of different companies and institutes. Moreover, the conference was embedded in a diverse social program (Photonics Pub Games Night, Conference Banquet with the ennoblement of Prof. Frank Vollertsen as the new Knight of Laser Technology and Lab-Tour & Cocktail Session), which the participants actively used for networking.

Forecast: LANE 2018

LANE 2018 – 10th CIRP Conference on Photonic Technologies will take part from September 03 until September 06, 2018 (Call for Papers from October 2017 until January 2018, further information will be given at a later date). We would be very happy to welcome you in Fürth, then. The whole LANE team is looking forward to you.