New solutions for process monitoring
As the demand for precision and efficiency in laser processing grows, manufacturers struggle to maintain quality assurance with outdated methods. Manual inspections and conventional monitoring systems often lead to high error rates, increased scrap, production downtimes, and inefficient workflows. Common production challenges include unstable processes, high scrap rates, undetected process deviations, or lack of traceability. Automated, intelligent, and real-time monitoring systems are essential for improving process reliability, reducing waste, and ensuring traceable, high-quality production.
The world of process monitoring sensors based on photonics has seen dramatic advances of improved sensitivity and higher sampling rates. For example, the company 4D Photonics developed a 4D.TWO sensor, a highly efficient, software-adjustable solution for laser process monitoring with minimal on-site setup. This sensor captures the full spectral range in visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) light, using 16 channels each, along with three broadband channels for VIS, NIR, and back reflection. These are recorded at sampling rates of up to 100 kHz to enable detailed real-time analysis of laser processes and detection of anomalies such as cracks, pores, and spatter.
4D Photonics’ “lossless technology” enables seamless, continuous data acquisition using two alternating evaluation units. This design eliminates dead times and ensures no monitoring blind spots—even at high welding speeds (≥1 m/s for bipolar plate welding). Despite operating at a lower sampling rate, the system detects even minor deviations with precision and significantly reduces data volume without compromising accuracy. The 4D.TWO sensor features a 9-axis motion tracker to detect path deviations in robotic systems and also records temperature, humidity, and air pressure. Combined with the 4D.watcher software, users can classify fault types by creating multiple “combi channels” linked to different root causes. This streamlines fault identification and shortens recovery time after production issues.
Laser welding as a service
The Manufacturing as a Service (MaaS) concept allows companies to access advanced manufacturing capabilities on demand. MaaS platforms leverage cloud-based systems, digital twins, and distributed production networks to offer flexible, scalable, and location-independent manufacturing solutions. Laser welding, with its high precision, automation compatibility, and versatility across materials, fits seamlessly into this model. Service providers can offer remote programming, real-time monitoring, and quality control of laser welding operations through digital interfaces, which makes it possible to deploy complex joining processes in a highly efficient, pay-per-use manner. This democratization of access to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies like laser welding supports rapid prototyping, customization, and just-in-time production to align perfectly with the needs of agile, modern supply chains.
The EU project Lasers4MaaS (https://lasers4maas.eu) is at the forefront of transforming modern manufacturing. By leveraging dynamic laser beam shaping and AI-driven manufacturing, their cutting-edge digital manufacturing platform enables on-demand, sustainable, and cost-effective production. The workflow starts with seamless integration of design and production data via a digital platform to ensure all systems are aligned. Once the data exchange is finished, the dynamic beam shaping technology customizes laser operations in real time to deliver precise and efficient material processing tailored to specific applications. During production, AI continuously monitors key parameters to provide immediate feedback and optimize process performance, and digital twins and predictive analytics ensure products meet stringent quality standards, while life cycle assessments evaluate environmental impact. Different insights from production data will be fed back into the system for ongoing refinement and enhanced efficiency for future operations.
Lasers4MaaS is poised to revolutionize industries, such as the automotive sector, where flexibility and productivity drive innovation in laser welding; aerospace, which benefits from high-precision custom manufacturing; food packaging, where product quality is paramount; and renewable energy sectors, like hydrogen and fusion energy, where advanced laser solutions support the transition to a cleaner and greener future. By addressing the unique challenges of each industry, Lasers4MaaS will accelerate the adoption of smart, sustainable, and decentralized manufacturing practices. Its offering of on-demand access to advanced laser systems enables flexible and scalable manufacturing solutions without the need for large upfront investment.