Micromachining with femtosecond lasers (also known as ultrafast or ultra-short pulse lasers) is gaining popularity due to several advantageous properties, including the nearly athermal, or “cold,” ablation process. For industries demanding smaller and more precise parts, this technology offers several benefits, including higher yields, tighter tolerances, little to no collateral damage, and no post processing.While femtosecond lasers have begun gaining significant attention in recent years, they were originally showcased 20 years ago at the Laser World of Photonics in Munich, Germany by Clark-MXR, a company founded in 1992 in Dexter, MI. With the help of few other collaborators, Clark-MXR presented the first live demonstration of industrial femtosecond laser micromachining during an exposition or conference.
The image above depicts a glass slide machined with femtosecond laser pulses from a CPA-Series laser from Clark-MXR. These proof-of-principal parts were machined in real time during the show in Munich and given to attendees for them to take home.
Since this pioneering feat at the 1997 Laser World of Photonics, Clark-MXR has remained a key player in femtosecond laser micromachining, continuing to develop innovative processes and equipment, as well as providing femtosecond laser-based micromachining services to numerous industries.
Please join Clark-MXR at Laser World of Photonics in Munich, booth B2-207, to celebrate the success and the 20th anniversary of commercial femtosecond laser-based micromachining.