CIVAN Advanced Technologies is developing a High Power, Coherent Beam Combined (CBC) laser product to disrupt the Industrial Materials Processing market. The CBCLASER is based on proprietary Optical Phased Array (OPA) CBC technology that is proven to support quality and robustness required by industry. Civan’s CBCLASER product represents the first time that this technology is deployed in an industrial laser product. The product will have extremely unique inherent capabilities such as digital, dynamic controls including: varying beam spot size, shape and beam parameter product, at MHz speeds; modulating laser power at MHz speeds, and fast beam steering at MHz speeds. These features are not available in any state of the art laser and will enable major breakthroughs in both the competitiveness of existing industrial processes (metal cutting, welding, 3D printing), as well as in new applications (eg high speed surface functionalization). The objective of the CBCLASER program is to scale-up the existing, lower Power OPA CBC that was already successfully demonstrated with potential end users into an OEM ready 5kW OPA CBC Laser for High Speed Materials Processing. In the last months Civan had received inputs that a 5kW output with all the mentioned features will be more than enough to achieve disruptive performance for many industrial applications. At that power level Civan shall be able to offer a very attractive price, to achieve wide market entry. The laser’s advantages are to be tested and optimized in pilot programs with three large EU based leaders from the OEM automotive, electronics automotive and aerospace industries. Within the CBCLASER program, CIVAN is to scale-up its manufacturing ability to meet industrial production standards, and drive forward its marketing efforts. CBCLASER will significantly impact Industrial Materials processing through laser beam digitization and other disruptive features that are key to realizing industry 4.0.

Digital servitisation of manufacturing allows to produce on-demand customised products, with high quality, flexibility and short lead time. Although this is a win-to-win situation, there is a lack of methodologies. To reverse this trend, the project Lasers4MaaS will spearhead innovations in manufacturing technologies and digital platforms with associated services. The ultimate goal is to enable a 6-point strategy (reconfigure, connect, control, predict, improve, comply) to operationalise the smart, decentralised and sustainable factories of the future. Lasers4MaaS is set to deliver breakthroughs that merge manufacturing technologies with cutting-edge digital innovations. It marks significant scientific and technical advancements in several areas: the latest advances in dynamic beam shaping and modular production schemes to maximise flexibility and reconfigurability; harmonized protocols and distributed/centralised ledgers for data interoperability across factory boundaries; IIoT solutions for remote monitoring/predictive maintenance; real-time AI-based decision support for improved product quality; advanced physics-based digital twins; life cycle-based tools for environmental impact and costing assessment. The Lasers4MaaS digital platform, with its comprehensive range of services and breakthroughs, will be demonstrated in automotive, fusion, food packaging, aerospace and hydrogen sectors, which are considered strategic sectors for reaching the Green Deal objectives. This consortium comprising 4 academic partners, 8 industrial partners and an industry advisory board, ensures a seamless progression from TRL 4 to 6 with well-defined exploitation routes, while supporting standardisation initiatives, such as digital product passport, and facilitating training initiatives and knowledge transfer.