At the recent Automotive Photonics technology conference in Ditzingen, where Trumpf is headquartered, auto industry representatives presented the very latest e-mobility technologies and manufacturing methods.
One of Trumpf’s key contributions was news about a laser that is better suited to welding copper than any other laser. Regarded as the most important material for conducting electricity, copper plays an essential role in the e-mobility sector.
The new laser offers a more efficient means of welding copper for applications such as the high power electronic systems used in electric cars. “The transition toward e-mobility offers some major opportunities for industry,” said Christian Schmitz, head of the Laser Technology division at Trumpf, at a press conference held during the technology conference. “The important thing now is to rapidly address the new areas of business and technology that are emerging from this structural transformation.”
Trumpf expects further growth for its own business as a result of the change in the automotive industry. The company’s sales of products and solutions that are channelled straight into e-mobility have doubled, compared to figures for the previous year. “Twenty percent of our order intake from the auto industry is now coming from e-mobility – that’s twice as much as last year,” Schmitz said.
As well as adapting part of its product and technology portfolio to the demands of e-mobility, Trumpf has also simultaneously embarked on a series of new development projects. “The fact that we have succeeded in shifting our focus to e-mobility in such a relatively short space of time is primarily due to our decades of experience in the high-tech sector and our specific expertise in the auto industry,” Schmitz offered. One example has been the company’s success in transferring its knowledge of battery pack technology and manufacturing from the medical devices sector to e-mobility.
