Increasingly, items such as aircraft parts, pressure vessels, seals, and pipes that have traditionally been made of metals are being replaced by carbon fiber-reinforced plastic material (CFRP). In a highly precise process, the diode laser efficiently heats and melts the tape material in the joining area. Laserline developed special homogenizing optics to heat the CFRP tapes as they are placed. These optics produce a rectangular laser focus with a very uniform energy distribution. Since over 15 years, diode lasers have been used in the production of CFRP components. Special homogenizing optics, 3 kW of laser power, and a high process efficiency result in tape layering speeds of several meters per minute. The small footprint of Laserline’s fiber-coupled diode laser module LDM 3000-100, coupled with its high efficiency, allowed the customer to build a robust, compact, class-1 welding cell, suitable for transport on roads.

• Users and Development partners for efficient and highly productive thermoplastic tape placement processes