IPG Photonics Corporation (NASDAQ:IPGP) has acquired Kingston, Ontario based Laser Depth Dynamics (LDD). Financial terms were not disclosed.
LDD is an innovative provider of in-process quality monitoring and control solutions for laser-based welding applications.
LDD’s proprietary inline coherent imaging (ICI) technology is the first industrial solution to enable direct measurement of weld penetration depth with high precision and in real time by adding a near-infrared measurement beam to the welding head. ICI technology offers superior accuracy, speed, and cost-performance, compared with today’s commonly-used indirect measurement techniques such as destructive sectioning. LDD’s solutions also support advanced monitoring features including seam tracking, height following and 3D volume imaging in a single tool. LDD’s flagship imaging systems can be integrated with leading welding head technologies, including IPG’s revolutionary wobble welding heads, which provide unmatched process consistency and ultra-high-power welding heads for deep penetration welding.
LDD was founded in 2012 by Paul Webster, CTO, who initially developed ICI technology as a Ph.D. candidate in engineering physics at Queen’s University at Kingston. LDD’s major shareholders also include President & CEO Roger Bowes. LDD has 16 employees, and its operation in Kingston, Ontario will become IPG’s new center of product development for weld monitoring solutions. IPG will support and honor all existing customer commitments.
“LDD’s weld monitoring systems and accessories significantly enhance IPG’s portfolio of industry-leading beam delivery products and laser welding solutions,” said Felix Stukalin, IPG’s Senior Vice President of North American Operations. “LDD’s ability to monitor weld quality in real time and ensure process consistency is increasingly important within automated production environments. We believe this technology, when combined with IPG’s expanding portfolio of welding solutions, will help drive adoption of laser-based welding within the automotive, medical, consumer products and aerospace industries.”
Oxford, Massachusetts based IPG Photonics Corporation is the world leader in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers. Founded in 1990, IPG pioneered the development and commercialization of optical fiber-based lasers for use in diverse applications, primarily materials processing. Fiber lasers have revolutionized the industry by delivering superior performance, reliability and usability at a lower total cost of ownership compared with conventional lasers, allowing end users to increase productivity and decrease operating costs.