At Hitachi Metals Automotive Components USA LLC (HMAC), suspensions, exhaust manifolds and other components are assembled every day for all of the world’s leading automakers.
Microsecond fiber lasers have been used successfully to cut hypotubes and stents for many years. While these lasers are precise and fast, they have a downside. Parts cut with them require several post-processing operations, which add cost and can damage delicate parts.
The wave of automotive recalls this year underscores the importance of putting identification codes on products. Without such codes, consumers would not know if their vehicles were safe, and automakers would not know where or when problem parts were made.
Lasers are used extensively by medical professionals to surgically remove tumors or repair skin, eyes and hair. Interestingly, these types of lasers are also being used by medical device manufacturers to mark codes directly on their products as a way to improve traceability.
