In the rapidly evolving arena of high-power laser technology, precision and reliability are becoming increasingly important. The increasing powers in laser applications into the 10’s of kW and, in some cases, 100’s of kW, present additional challenges when applied to internal laser system components. For Precitec, respected globally for their advanced laser processing heads, delivering consistent performance to customers is both a challenge and a necessity. This case study explores how Precitec’s U.S. operation has integrated laser measurement technology into its workflow; a non-contact beam characterization system significantly elevates the company’s service, quality assurance, and development processes for high-power laser applications.
Precitec US: A Customer-Centric Approach
Precitec’s U.S. division, headquartered in Wixom, Michigan, has over 30 years of experience serving the American market. With a staff of over 20 professionals, the operation is continuously and proactively focused on customer needs, emphasizing sales, service, and application support. Nearly every team member engages directly with customers, reinforcing a mission centered on solving daily and future challenges through hands-on collaboration.
The U.S. branch supports customers nationwide, particularly for the repair and servicing of cutting, welding, and brazing heads for kW-level laser systems. Minimizing lead times and maximizing operational uptime are crucial. As the market and application requirements have grown more sophisticated, so has Precitec’s commitment to adopting advanced tools for ensuring the highest levels of quality and process insight.
The Challenge: Ensuring Precision and Consistency in Laser Head Repairs
Industrially-applied laser heads are subject to considerable wear and tear, especially in demanding environments such as automotive welding and heavy industry. With most lasers utilizing the 1-micron wavelength, repairs and refurbishments require meticulous attention to detail and strict quality control to ensure that serviced heads perform as well as, or better than, a new unit. Critical key performance indicators that Precitec considers during maintenance include power transmission through the head, laser spot size, focus position, and Rayleigh length.
Historically, Precitec US employed a combination of beam analysis tools, including solutions like those which use a spinning needle technique. While these systems provided valuable data, they were limited by their contact-based approach, relatively slower setup, and the complexity of multi-plane measurements. The need for a faster and more user-friendly alternative became increasingly clear, especially as laser systems pushed towards higher power levels and tighter tolerances.
The Solution: Integrating a Non-Contact Beam Profiling System
A unique non-contact beam monitoring system from MKS, Ophir BeamWatch, was an attractive solution for Precitec. Since it is a non-contact beam profiling product, its ability to deliver real-time, industry-standard measurements of laser beam characteristics, including spot size, focus position, and Rayleigh length, made it particularly well-suited for the challenging environment of high-power laser head refurbishment and application testing.
Eric Stiles, a key member of the Precitec US team with prior experience at IPG Photonics (where he was involved in early system evaluations), played a central role in advocating for the system at Precitec US to then incoming-president, Sebastian Moser. Eric said, “I knew about BeamWatch from my time at IPG. There are a lot of benefits and advantages and the system fits very well with what we do here at Precitec.”
The decision to adopt this innovative, non-contact beam profiling system was bolstered by positive experiences and feedback from both U.S. and German operations, as well as the tool’s proven reliability at high power levels.
Workflow Transformation: From Repair to Quality Assurance
The integration of the non-contact measurement system transformed several aspects of Precitec’s operations:
- Enhanced Repair Process: As part of the standard repair workflow, every refurbished cutting head undergoes beam analysis. This includes precise measurement of power transmission to confirm minimal losses through the head and thorough characterization of the beam’s spot size, focus location, and Rayleigh length to ensure performance according to designed specifications. The system’s ability to deliver instant feedback on focus shift and other critical parameters allows technicians to identify issues, such as contaminated or misaligned optics or misalignment, before the head is returned to the customer.
- Data-Driven Quality Assurance: The U.S. team maintains strict internal benchmarks for head types, often relying on the system for consistent measurement and validation. While detailed inspection reports are not routinely shared with every customer, data can be provided upon request or for customers with specialized requirements. For new heads assembled in Germany or built modularly in the U.S., the system is used to ensure conformity to factory specifications.
- Real-Time Diagnostic Insights: During both standard repairs and challenging troubleshooting scenarios, real-time feedback has proven invaluable. For instance, if a customer reports process instability, the team can more quickly trace the issue to a faulty or damaged optic, something that would be immediately apparent with the system’s live focus shift monitoring. The ability to rapidly rule out or confirm optical issues has reduced diagnostic times and made customer communications more effective. Sebastian recalls, “When running heads at 40, 50, 60 kW of laser power, focus shift is a big topic. It is amazing to see 30kW coming from a head shooting into a black box, ramping it up from 8 to 10 to 15kW, and to see real-time if something has changed. Luckily, our optics are good, so nothing much changed, but it is phenomenal to get that instant feedback because you can right away see if something has overheated excessively.”
- Support for High-Power and Next-Generation Applications: As Precitec expands into higher power ranges worldwide, non-contact design and high-power handling capability (currently up to 85 kW in some applications, and increasing in the future) have become crucial. The ability to monitor beams in real time without the risk of damaging the measurement equipment is especially important for development projects and extreme-use cases.
Benefits Realized
With the Ophir BeamWatch in place, Precitec US has realized several key advantages. First, because of the way the non-contact beam profiler is designed, the ease of setup and rapid measurement capabilities have accelerated the repair and quality inspection process. Real-time visualizations and data collections allow for faster identification of problems, minimizing costly trial-and-error troubleshooting. Because of this, when challenges arise, the non-contact beam profiling system enables Precitec to demonstrate beam quality and performance transparently, whether on-site with a customer or at their facility, bolstering customer trust and satisfaction.
On-site visits for problems like this are rare for Precitec, but Eric Stiles recalls an issue for a customer with an 8 kW welding application and the troubleshooting had to be made at higher powers. Using the new system in this case was paramount for them. It was compact and easy to travel with, and it measured the focus shift in real-time. Sebastian adds, “Sometimes our suppliers will make a mistake. A test with the unit allows us to determine right away where the problem comes from and it is super easy for us to fix -- the fix took 5 minutes. But it would be very difficult to identify without the focus shift feedback.”
In addition, from standard welding and cutting heads to emerging markets like additive manufacturing (where precise energy distribution is crucial), the system couples with complementary Ophir tools to support a broad range of use cases. Continued use of the measurement system in Precitec’s U.S. and German facilities ensures that lessons learned and performance standards are maintained globally.
Key Takeaways: Advancing Beyond Legacy Tools
While legacy tools remain in use for certain specialized tasks, Ophir BeamWatch has become the primary tool of choice for most Precitec head inspections in the U.S. Its non-contact measurement technology, user-friendly operation, and precision at high powers offer a clear advantage, especially as market demands evolve. The ability to benchmark repaired heads against factory specifications, deliver data-driven assurances to customers, and rapidly resolve challenging service issues marks a significant leap forward in Precitec’s quality assurance strategy.
Looking ahead, Precitec US plans to continue leveraging the non-contact beam profiling and related technologies as both customer requirements and laser applications advance. Whether supporting the transition to higher-power automotive solutions or exploring diagnostic tools for additive manufacturing heads, the team values its collaborative relationship with MKS and the mutual drive for innovation.
Conclusion
The integration of non-contact beam profiling into Precitec US’s workflow illustrates how the right diagnostic tools can transform service operations, elevate quality assurance, and build lasting customer trust. By embracing real-time, non-contact beam analysis, Precitec is well-positioned to meet the demands of an increasingly sophisticated and high-performance market, delivering proven quality, reliability, and innovation to customers across the U.S. and the world.
This article was written by John McCauley, Principal Sales Territory Manager and High-Power Laser Applications Specialist, MKS Ophir (Andover, MA). For more information, visit www.mks.com .
