Network of Russian-German Laser Centers Expands

The Network of Laser Innovative-Technogical Centers (LITC) now has expanded its activities to five centers in Russia. The goal of the centers for the industrial use of laser technology in Russia under the leadership of the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) and the Bavarian Laser Center (BLZ) is to modernize manufacturing in Russia with the help of laser technology and know-how from Germany.

At the end of September, two new Testing, Consulting and Training Centers for the industrial use of laser technology opened in the regions Taganrog and Kaluga. The Network of Laser Innovative-Technogical Centers (LITC) now has expanded its activities to five centers in Russia.

The goal of the centers for the industrial use of laser technology in Russia under the leadership of the Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) and the Bavarian Laser Center (BLZ) is to modernize manufacturing in Russia with the help of laser technology and know-how from Germany. German enterprises, in return, hope to have easier access to the market in these economically interesting regions of Russia. The five laser centers of the network use modern laser equipment from leading German companies like Trumpf, LIMO Lissotschenko, Rofin Sinar, Jenoptik or the Maschinenfabrik Arnold. Depending on the available equipment, each site has specialized in certain areas of laser technology, for example cutting and welding of metals, plastics or other non-metal materials, or on surface treatment.

At the LITC's, especially the small and medium sized enterprises from the region, but also research institutes and universities have the possibility to use modern laser equipment to push process development and training and education, and to open new fields of application. Support in training and education for specialists in the fields of laser technology and laser safety are given by the staff of the German laser centers in Lower Saxony (LZH) or Bavaria (BLZ).

The Southern Laser Innovative Technology Center (SLITC) in Taganrog is located near one of the important centers of the Russian aeronautic industry. Obninsk, on the other hand, site of the Kaluga Laser Innovative Technology Center, is well-known for its automotive industry. These two new innovation centers are joining the centers already established in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Jekaterinburg. At the opening ceremonies in Taganrog and Obninsk, a number of representatives from regional companies, universities and organisations were present, along with German cooperation partners. Head of the Training and Education Group at the LZH, Markus Klemmt said, “The main advantage is in the networking. The consulting competencies and the training and education courses in the new centers will also be available for the whole network.”

By engaging local enterprises, for example the Beriev Aircraft Corp. und AviaOK International, the Southern Federal University, and the Laser Association Russia, and local government offices, the project initiators could form important cross-connections between industry, science and politics, even during the set-up phase. This regional networking plays an important role, not only for the successful establishment of laser technology in Russia, but also for the interregional cooperation between the five Russian-German laser centers.

The “Testing, Consulting and Training Centers for Laser Technology in Russia” project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in the framework of a programme to further scientific and technical cooperation between Russia and Germany. The project management is carried out by the VDI-Technologiezentrum GmbH.

Contact:
Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.
Michael Botts
Hollerithallee 8
D-30419 Hannover
Germany
Tel.: +49 511 2788-151
Fax: +49 511 2788-100
E-Mail: m.botts@lzh.de
The Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) carries out research and development in the field of laser technology and is supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport of the State of Lower Saxony (Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Verkehr).