Abstract

Current industrial manufacturing of consumer electronics products is facing new challenges which require flexibility, speed and robust industrial processes due to smaller batch sizes, new product concepts, further personification of products, and rapid introduction followed by brisk volume ramp-up of new products. Laser technology is one of several technologies that has to prove its added value over-and-over again in this turbulent manufacturing arena. Further applications of advanced materials, function integration and miniaturization make that more-and-more the micro-laser is applied in micro-assembly of these products thanks to its inherent flexibility, speed and precision. In the paper an overview is given of the different technology requirements for different product groups, and the new opportunities for laser technology for processing, joining and micro-machining tasks.

© 2004 Optical Society of America