Innovation on display at Laser Munich

Laura S. Marshall, laura.marshall@photonics.com

More than any other industry, photonics promotes both scientific excellence and global business success. So says Dr. Wilhelm Kaenders, CEO of Toptica Photonics AG and chairman of the technical advisory board for Laser World of Photonics Munich.

“This is particularly noticeable,” he added, “when it comes to the rapid implementation of research and development results to create new technologies and products for improved productivity, energy efficiency, environmental protection, health, communication and security.”

Designed to demonstrate this connection between research and industry, Laser Munich draws both segments together to encourage growth in each. The trade show, organized by Messe München GmbH, will be held May 23 to 26 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. This year, organizers are celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary.

The biannual show offers an in-depth look at the worldwide market for lasers, optics and photonics. Highlights include events that focus on innovative technology, industrial applications and research – and products, too, from systems to components. More than 1000 exhibitors from 36 countries showcased their newest advances in 2009 for more than 25,000 trade visitors from 69 countries.

Attendees bustle through the New Munich Trade Fair Centre during Laser World of Photonics 2009. This year, organizers are celebrating the show’s 20th anniversary. Photonics Media photo by Melinda Rose.

For the first time, security and defense products used for aerospace, transportation and traffic, defense technology, astronomy and other applications will be presented during the trade fair; technologies in the spotlight will be lasers, sensors, imaging, optics and optomechanics that enable a wide range of products and developments from biometrics and terahertz technology to thermal imaging cameras and night-vision systems.

Laser technology applications for manufacturing industries – from automobile construction to mechanical engineering, from toolmaking to the aerospace industry, and from photovoltaics to electronics and microproduction – will be prominently featured at the fair; green photonics for energy, the environment, photovoltaics, lighting, energy efficiency and climate protection also are special focus topics for this event.

In the realm of biophotonics and life sciences, exhibitors and research institutes will demonstrate how optical technologies help produce medical innovations. The Biophotonics Forum and the European Conferences on Biomedical Optics will show state-of-the-art applications and offer insights into future trends.

The World of Photonics Congress will integrate an application-oriented series of talks linking theory with practice, examining social mega-trends such as production optimization, energy, the environment, and health and safety. One application-oriented conference within the World of Photonics Congress will be titled “Lasers in Manufacturing,” organized by WLT, the German Scientific Laser Society, and will feature topics such as macro- and microprocessing.

This year’s events will include a CEO round-table discussion, which was a popular event at the 2009 show. Courtesy of Messe München GmbH.

Other on-site events include a roundtable discussion with selected CEOs, a special show on photonics for manufacturing, an exhibit showcasing new companies from Germany, business- and education-oriented events and a career center.