New introduction of SMAART

A selection of 1658 Europe-wide proposals were submitted to the EU SME Instrument-Program. GFH, together with the company neoLASE, was able to prevail as one of the 63 funded projects with the so-called SMAART project - SMAART = Smart modular all-in-one robust laser machining tool.
The GFH GmbH, in cooperation with the company neoLASE, has set itself the goal of minimizing investment risks of prospective customer with regard to laser technology and reducing the complexity so that the ultrashort pulse laser technology becomes a key technology for the future success of Europe.

The project, funded under the European Union's Horizon 2020, extends over a period of 24 months and consists of 70% EU funding and 30% equity. The basic idea of the project came from the UKPL network, in which the two project partners GFH GmbH and neoLASE participate. In the regular meetings novelties, ideas and innovations of the laser industry are discussed, so also the Smart modular all-in-one robust laser machining tool, which offers numerous technical and commercial advantages. For example, production costs are reduced, handling simplified and process times improved. At the press of a button, the pulse duration can be adjusted and, when the respective requirements are entered, validated process parameters are provided. The benefits of this integrated "intelligence" allow the operator immediate implementation.

With the presentation of the SMAART project, the most important feature of the UKP lasers should be emphasized, namely the non-contact treatment with pulses that are so short that no significant heat conduction takes place. This opens up a large field of application for the production of micro components for various industries, such as medical, textile and watch industry, and the technology also has the potential to replace energy-intensive, ecologically questionable processes. Another major advantage of the USP technology is the high compatibility with a plant automation. The laser parameters required for the machining process can be checked from the NC control and synchronized with it.

Decisive for the success of the SMAART project are the competitiveness of investment costs, running costs and unit costs as well as the reliability of the machinery. These factors have to be treated with special consideration in the implementation of the SMAART project.

With the introduction of the laser machines in the course of the SMAART project, GFH GmbH hopes to create new jobs, an industry-wide spread of the innovative laser technology as well as an increasing investment security in house and for customers.