http://spie.org/pw

From the LASE plenary session at SPIE Photonics West 2012

Abstract:
The success of the laser as a manufacturing tool in nearly all industry sectors is driven by the increasing availability of different technologies to create and amplify laser light. Different strategies and philosophies are pursued to succeed in the field of laser development for the manufacturing industry. The main approaches are to either focus on as few different technologies as possible to address the demands of many applications or to provide dedicated laser systems for specific applications based on multiple technologies.
This talk will give a comparison of these two different approaches and will point out the core aspects of a long-term successful development road map for laser systems in manufacturing.

Biography:
Dr.-Ing. E.h. Peter Leibinger was born in 1967 in Stuttgart and studied mechanical engineering at the RWTH University in Aachen, Germany. From 1997 to 1999, he was a Development Engineer at Ingersoll Milling Machine Company, Rockford, IL, USA. From 1999 to 2003, he was Chairman and CEO, TRUMPF, Inc., Farmington, CT, USA. Since 2000 Managing Director, TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG. Since July 2003, he is the President of the Laser Technology Business Division and from 2003 to 2005, he is CEO, TRUMPF Laser GmbH + Co. KG. In November 2005 Leibinger was appointed Vice Chairman of the TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG. He is Head of the Laser Technology and Electronics Division and responsible for group-wide research and development and for new business fields. Leibinger serves in several honorary functions. In February 2011 a honorary doctorate was awarded to Leibinger by the Technical University of Dresden.