The Laser Institute of America will hold its fourth annual Lasers for Manufacturing Event (LME) Sept. 23-24 at the Schaumburg Convention Center in Illinois.

New names will join familiar faces teaching the basic and master courses, and four keynote speakers will offer big-picture analysis of how and where incorporating lasers can improve profitability for manufacturers. David Belforte, past LIA president, will kick off the keynote addresses with a discussion of the current industrial market for lasers and applications. Fellow keynote presenters Mitch Van Zuiden of Bystronic will address advances in laser metal cutting; Ingomar Kelbassa of Fraunhofer ILT will cover additive manufacturing and 3-D printing; and job shop founder Ron Schaeffer of PhotoMachining will discuss ultrafast lasers.

The event will include coverage of the right lasers to buy, the proper way to incorporate them into efficient manufacturing systems, how to realize maximum return on the investment, and what applications are best suited for the technology. LME’s Laser Technology Showcase theater on the exhibit floor will host short presentations and case studies from industry experts.

Other highlights include presentations by Tom Kugler of Laser Mechanisms, who will offer a comprehensive review of laser systems for the most common manufacturing applications; Geoff Shannon of Miyachi America, who will give an overview of laser welding; LIA’s education director, Gus Anibarro, who will talk about best practices for the safe use of industrial laser systems; and Patrick Grace of Trumpf, who will expand on his 2013 presentation on the economic justification for laser applications. For more information on LME 2014 or to register as an attendee, visit www.laserevent.org.