Jenoptik : presents new solutions for the automotive industry at K in Düsseldorf

At K, the largest international trade fair for processing plastics and rubber, Jenoptik presents new machine concepts with a clear focus on the automotive industry at booth C45, hall 11 from 19 to 26 October 2016.

The wide product portfolio of Jenoptik's Automotive division includes solutions for cutting, welding and perforating plastics as well as sensitive materials such as genuine leather, artificial leather or thin textile materials. One of the exhibits at Jenoptik´s booth 45C in hall 11 is a robot-guided laser welding head, the heart of the JENOPTIK-VOTAN W laser machine, for efficient welding of plastics with invisible welds. Another highlight will be new applications of the globally well-known serial system JENOPTIK-VOTAN A for the perforation of airbag systems.

Complex 3D processing of exterior parts with innovative machine concepts

In order to meet the ever-increasing challenges of the automotive industry in terms of lightweight construction and material saving in the production process, Jenoptik has developed machine concepts specifically for the processing of bumpers. These concepts utilize two technologies which have been successfully introduced into the market by Jenoptik: 3D laser cutting and 3D laser welding. By combining one laser cutting unit and one laser welding unit, Jenoptik presents a highly flexible solution for the processing of a vast variety of bumpers. Jenoptik offers a high-flexibility solution both for complex processing of bumpers with a very wide range of versions and also for different complex interior and exterior components.

The first step in the maximum-precision processing of bumpers in the predetermined cycle time is the 3D laser cutting of the bumper with JENOPTIK-VOTAN BIM. Laser cutting facilitates high-efficiency processing of complex 3D components - bumpers being a perfect example. The non-contact process protects materials and minimizes costs which would otherwise occur due to long set-up times or tool wear. Additionally, laser cutting ensures a high degree of edge quality irrespective of the design or complexity of the components.

In the second step, different components such as mounting brackets for parking sensors or the headlight cleaning system are welded onto the inside of the bumper in the welding unit. Laser welding creates high-strength welding connections without penetrating the substrate too deeply and potentially causing damage. The material thickness of the bumper can therefore be reduced from 3 mm today to 2.5 mm. The automotive manufacturer thus benefits from material savings and weight reduction.

New method for airbag perforation to be shown for the first time

Shown for the first time at K will be the innovative Jenoptik method that will be used for the production of premium and luxury cars in future. With the new technology the genuine leather cover of instrument panels can be perforated by laser flexibly and efficiently. The particular feature of the Jenoptik solution is that the perforation is obtained by so-called cold ablation by a femtosecond laser. The leather is not heated during laser perforation and its quality does not suffer. For the first time, invisible preweakened lines can be produced in natural leather without causing hardening or shrinking of the sensitive material. The laser beam movement is guided by a scanner and the process is diagnosed by a sensor matrix.

The JENOPTIK-VOTAN A Scan offers the customer the full technological functionality of the complete JENOPTIK-VOTAN A series. At the same time, the machine is now easier to operate and its footprint area and volume are reduced. In addition to genuine leather, the machine also processes artificial leather, thin textile materials, composites or multi-layer systems with high efficiency.

See the 3D processing of bumpers live from 19 to 26 October at the Jenoptik booth at the K trade fair in Düsseldorf: Hall 11, booth C45. Pictures for downloading are available in our picture database at Automotive/Laser Processing Systems.

About Jenoptik and the Automotive division

As an integrated photonics Group, Jenoptik divides its activities into the five divisions Optical Systems, Healthcare & Industry, Automotive, Traffic Solutions as well as Defense & Civil Systems.

With the Automotive division, Jenoptik ranks among the leading manufacturers of production metrology equipment and 3D laser systems. The Metrology portfolio includes high-precision contact and non-contact production metrology for the pneumatic, tactile or optical measurement of roughness, contour, form and dimensional measurements at any phase of the manufacturing process and in the metrology room. Jenoptik is the leading provider of optical wavelength measuring systems. Extensive services such as consultation, training and technical service, including long-term maintenance contracts round off the metrology range. In the Laser Processing portfolio, Jenoptik develops 3D laser machine which are integrated into production lines for customers as part of their process optimization and automation. These systems are used for processing plastics, metals and leather with maximum efficiency, precision and safety. The portfolio is complemented by energy efficient and environmentally friendly exhaust cleaning systems for residue-free removal of pollutants during laser material processing and other industrial processes.