Bromsgrove-based TLM Laser (www.tlm-laser.com) has announced a further expansion of its laser technology portfolio to include the Universal Laser Systems (ULS) range.

This enables the company to offer laser-cutting solutions for a wide range of materials, including organics, plastics and metals. TLM’s philosophy is one of building a portfolio of world-class laser processing technologies that is available within the UK and Ireland from a single source.

Primarily based on CO₂ laser sources with a maximum laser power of 30W to 150W, the Universal Laser Systems product range offers working envelopes from 406 x 305 x 102mm to 1,016 x 610 x 305mm.

These lasers, with wavelengths of 10.6μm or 9.3 μm, are capable of cutting and marking a vast range of materials.

One of the latest developments from ULS is the XLS10 MultiWave Hybrid, which combines multiple laser wavelengths and power levels into a single coaxial beam focused to a common focal plane.

It accommodates a fixed fibre laser source and two different CO2 laser wavelength sources that can be independently or simultaneously controlled for an almost infinite number of wavelength and power combinations, providing material-processing capabilities that have never previously been possible.

As a result, the MultiWave Hybrid can process any material — even notoriously difficult multi-layered materials with conductive and non-conductive layers.

One example of an application using two wavelengths independently is stainless steel cutting.

In this application, a 1.06μm laser beam is used to heat the steel locally, thereby increasing its optical absorptivity.

Once the material is heated, the 1.06μm laser beam is switched off, and a 10.6μm laser, which is much less expensive to operate, is used to complete the operation.