Livestream of Multiflex Machine during UKP Workshop virtual LabTour
26th June 2023
As part of the virtual LabTour at Fraunhofer ILT during the UKP workshop, we presented the assembled Multiflex machine to the laser community.
Assembly at ITL
17th May 2023
The impressive Multiflex machine has finally arrived and final assembly has begun at the Fraunhofer ILT.
After 3 days of unpacking everything and craning it into place, we started putting everything back together.
This process is still ongoing. Thanks to all the partners for their great support in making this possible.
Hopefully, the final operational state of the machine can be established by the end of summer 2023. Consequently, the technology will be presented in the framework of a joint application lab at Fraunhofer ILT and be available for feasibility studies.
Packing up the machine
10th May 2023
The Multiflex machine was disassembled and packed for transport from Lasea to Fraunhofer ILT.
Now that we are entering the final phase of the project, the machine will be relocated to Fraunhofer ILT. There we will do the final demonstration with all 64 beams.
Demonstration of a laser ablation process with flexible 1×8 beampattern
10th May 2023
For the first time, we demonstrated a fully automated USP-Laser ablation process with a flexible 1×8 beampattern. The entire Multiflex consortium has gone through a lot of headaches and sweat to implement and synchronize all the individual components together into a commercial machine.
The resulting demonstration of the parallel processing with 8 individually switched beamlets is just an appetizer for the final 64 multibeam machine. This machine will hopefully be presented and accessible for the laser community in form of joint application lab at Fraunhofer ILT by the end of summer 2023.
4th Project Meeting
19th January 2021
The MultiFlex Consortium had it’s 4th project meeting on January 14th – due to the ongoing Covid pandemic again through a video conference.
Despite of Covid 19, the project progesses significantly. The manufacturing of the AOMs by AA is finished now, and the machine is starting to take form in the lab of Lasea – the basic structure for the housing has been manufactured and the marble is already mounted.
Furthermore, many parts of the optical system are now available and have been tested – seperately as well as together. We are pleased to report that they all work together as designed and thus verify large parts of the complicated optical design.
However, we were sadly not able to finish the demonstrator machine in 2020, since shortly after our last project meeting in July 2020, Covid 19 worsened again in some countries, and thus restrictions were tightened again. We are now working on doing as much of the component integration as possible without the need for travel and hope that at least limited travel will be possible again in the second half of 2021 to finish the integration.
Concept explanation video!
23rd July 2020
After the conceptual phase of the project was concluded in spring 2020, we can now give a peek inside our project and the machine concept for the MultiFlex approach on laser processing.
Join us on journey starting with the idea behind MultiFlex, following the laser beam through the machine and highlighting some of the many possible applications!
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As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like to join our vision of future laser processing with your application!
Project Meeting @ Home
15th July 2020
The MultiFlex Consortium had it’s 3rd project meeting on July 7th – not as planned at AA OPTO-ELECTRONIC in Orsay near Paris, but as a remote meeting through videochat.
In times of Covid 19 everybody gets more and more used to webmeetings and we all agree that it is not the same as meeting in person, but all in all it works very well.
Covid 19 affects also the progress of the MultiFlex project: The focus of the meeting was the first demonstrator machine, which is currently a couple of months delayed due to problems in the supply chain and restrictions in the manufacturing at some project partners.
Now that restrictions are lifting all around europe, we are optimistic to finish the demonstrator machine in fall of 2020 and can then start testing the interaction of all components and our processing approach as a whole.
Press Release via Photonics21
6th February 2020
Photonics21 published a press release about the MultiFlex project on Monday, 03. February 2020. The press release is highlighting possible future applications that might be enabled by the ground-breaking developments of the MultiFlex project.
We are always looking for partners for future exciting collaborations and are open for inquiries to advance this new technology into many different fields! If you want to collaborate with us, do not hesitate to contact us: https://multiflex-project.eu/contact/
The Phtotonics21 press release: Link, PDF Download
Project and Review Meeting in Brussels
2nd January 2020
The MultiFlex project had a first interim review meeting end of November in Brussels.
We combined this with a regular project meeting to discuss the next steps towards our first demonstrators mid of 2020. We are making good progress and are optimistic to finish the demonstrator machine in time and start to tests all developed components.
During the review meeting with the EC we got fair and helpful comments and advices about our work. This helps to steer our activities in the right direction.
We all are looking forward to the next months with excitement and confidence.
Project Meeting in Bordeaux
20th August 2019
On July 4th, the MultiFlex consortium met at Amplitude Systèmes in Pessac near the beautiful city of Bordeaux
At the concentrated, goal-oriented and pleasant meeting different aspects of the project were discussed in detail. Special attention was paid to the concept for the optical system.
After the meeting, the consortium had the chance to take a look at the production facilities at Amplitude.
MultiFlex on the LASER World of PHOTONICS 2019
21st June 2019
At the LASER World of PHOTONICS, one of the largest trade fairs for components, systems and applications in the field of photonics, the MultiFlex project will be represented this year.
Alexander Meyer (Fraunhofer ILT) presents the MultiFlex project at the accompanying conference “Laser in Manufacturing” in his talk “Selective Multibeam micro processing of metal with a 1×8 beam array” as the next big step in scaling-up ultrafast laser processing.
At the forum “Intelligent Laser-Based Manufacturing in Europe” Johannes Finger (Fraunhofer ILT) talks about the role of digitalization within and the perspective of artificial intelligence for the MultiFlex project.
Come and meet the MultiFlex consortium at the LASER World of PHOTONICS from June 24th to June 27th in Munich.
EVENTS
LIM 2019
System Technology and Process Control – Micro, Laser Safety
“Selective Multibeam micro processing of metal with a 1×8 beam array”
June 25th, 14:00-15:30
ICM Room 22b
Intelligent Laser-Based Manufacturing in Europe
“MultiFlex – Ultrashort Pulsed Laser Processing at 1 Kilowatt Using a Flexible Multi Beam Approach “
June 27th, 10:00-12:20
Photonics Forum “Laser & Optics” Hall B3, B3.361.
MultiFlex on the UKP Workshop 2019
21st June 2019
For the fifth time, specialists from laser development, process engineering and industry met in Aachen to discuss innovative topics in the field of Ultrashort Pulse Lasers and their applications.
With over 170 participants from 14 countries it was a great forum to introduce the MultiFlex project to experts and end-users of ultrafast laser technology.
In the talks fo Oscar Hofmann (RWTH TOS) entiteld “Design of Multibeam Optics for High Throughput Parallel Processing” and Dr. Jose Antonio Ramos de Campos (LASEA) about “Advanced Beam Management: Combination of Beam Shaping and Splitting for High-Power fs Laser Cutting and Drilling Applications” MultiFlex was made a subject of disucssion for the present laser technology experts.
Multiflex Project Start – Kick Off in Aachen
30th January 2019
The Multiflex project launched in January, 2019. This press release contains all the information about the project goals, roadmap, involved partners and funding. Feel free to contact us for more information!
For the full press release see: Press Release