AKL'26 Digital Press Kit

With its planar, highly integrated XY scanner for industrial use (PIXIE), an upcoming spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen aims to set new performance standards. The 2D laser deflection system is faster and much more compact than today's galvanometer scanners. This makes it ideal for parallelized material processing with multi-scanner systems and high-power lasers, whose beam is divided into many independently scanned beams for this purpose. The multidisciplinary, diverse quartet of founders behind PIXIE has its sights set on further application markets.

Laser technology is breaking into new dimensions: Ultrashort-pulse and continuous-wave lasers with average powers in the multi-kilowatt (kW) range promise to boost efficiency for material processing and pave the way for entirely new fields of applications. At the AKL’26 - International Laser Technology Congress, taking place from April 22 to 24, 2026, in Aachen, several sessions will focus on multi-kW lasers.

Fraunhofer ILT and Cailabs are entering a development partnership to advance wire-based laser material deposition for demanding industrial applications. Cailabs contributes a new, particularly compact process head based on its MPLC beam-shaping technology. The head weighs less than five kilograms and allows the use of laser powers above twelve kilowatts. This combination of compact size, high available laser power and precise beam shaping has not been available in this form before. Based on this, Fraunhofer ILT develops and qualifies suitable process parameters for different component geometries and use cases.

State Secretary Matthias Hauer presents funding approval for the InnoWaerm project at Fraunhofer ILT. The project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) with approximately 1.5 million euros, develops high-temperature-resistant lightweight reactors made from titanium aluminide that can be manufactured using additive manufacturing. They are intended to generate hydrogen directly on board aircraft, agricultural machinery, or heavy-duty vehicles.

Industrial manufacturing is under increasing pressure. Sales markets that were considered secure for decades are becoming unstable. Robust supply chains are being threatened. Energy and material costs are rising, markets demand a growing number of variants, and new products must reach production readiness ever faster. In this environment, the laser has established itself as a reliable manufacturing tool. Its physical principles are well understood, and many laser-based processes are mature and proven in industrial use. As a result, the focus of research is clearly shifting. The key question is no longer whether a process can be realized with a laser, but how efficiently, robustly, and economically it can be operated in everyday production.

Two world-leading research institutions are joining forces and their laser design and simulation expertise – to successfully transition laser-ignited inertial fusion from the experimental stage to industrial application. In the project ICONIC-FL (International Cooperation on Next-gen Inertial Confinement Fusion Lasers), the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT Aachen, Germany, are diligently collating their sophisticated laser simulation models. The shared aim is the development of high-energy lasers that can ignite a fusion reaction and will run at maximum efficiency in 24/7 power plant operation. This requires precise and highly accurate predictions of laser performance, which is why powerful computer simulations play a central role in the development of laser architecture.

From April 22 to 24, 2026, the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT is hosting the 15th "AKL – International Laser Technology Congress". For three days, Aachen will once again become the center of the international laser and photonics industry. The congress program has been significantly expanded and is aimed at laser users, manufacturers, and developers, focusing on the latest research results, industrial trends, and practical solutions. Thanks to over 500 participants, more than 80 presentations, and 53 exhibitor stands, AKL has established itself as the leading European platform for applied laser technology.

From April 22 to 24, 2026, Aachen will once again become the meeting place for the international laser world: The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT will host the 15th AKL – International Laser Technology Congress. Users, manufacturers, and developers will be meeting at AKL'26 to discuss the latest trends and practical solutions in applied laser technology for production. Thanks to over 500 participants, more than 80 specialist presentations, and around 50 exhibitors from industry and the supply sector, the congress is considered by many to be the leading forum for applied laser technology in Europe.