LPKF Laser & Electronics
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG (LPKF ) is a publicly traded mid-sized technology company with headquarters in Garbsen near Hannover. Focus of business is the production of systems for the production of PCB prototypes and for laser micromachining. The company employs nearly 700 people at locations in Germany, Europe, USA and Asia. It is listed on the Nasdaq and NISAX20.
LPKF specializes in micro material processing with laser technologies. The company operates primarily in the markets of electronics, plastics processing and photovoltaics. In their respective segments, it is one of the three largest companies in the world.
History
1976 LPKF was founded as a limited company. The first products were board plotter for the structuring of printed circuit boards - the unit mills the head structure of a base material in a negative process out. The name was derived from the product LPKF PCB copy router. 1984 LPKF has been actively establishing a branch in the United States. Since 1989, the company engaged in the use of lasers in industrial production. In 1991, the development of drive and control systems of the newly founded subsidiary LPKF Motion & Control GmbH (located in Suhl ) is transmitted. 1993 presented with an LPKF StencilLaser an industrial application of laser technology. This solder paste stencils are made for the electronics industry ( SMT Stencils ). These stencils are needed for the mass production of SMT circuit board. 1998 was created by converting the GmbH, the joint stock company.
She founded in 2003 an application center for laser applications, which focused on new forms of use of laser technology: It has developed the 3D - MID technology for laser direct structuring for series production. The application center was transferred (services for micro material processing ) in the subsidiary LaserMicronics GmbH.
The year 2005 saw the merger with LaserQuipment AG Plastics Welding. This business has a patented hybrid welding processes developed (laser beam welding with the support of a thermal field) and a method for laser staking thermoplastic Nietpartner.
With the establishment of the subsidiary LPKF LPKF SolarQuipment in 2007 entered the market for thin -film solar cells production. The company produces laser systems that structure substrate materials in a three-stage process in solar modules.
LPKF has been awarded the 2010 Hermes Award for the laser system Fusion3D.
Divisions
In the history LPKF is a mechanical engineering company with precision technology. The current structure distinguishes between the following divisions:
- PCB Manufacture of PCB Prototypes; Structuring of printed circuit boards with circuit board plotters or laser systems, eco-friendly method for PCB through-hole plating, solder, solder paste and SMD assembly in the electronics laboratory.
- PCB Processing: Laser cutting rigid, rigid-flex and flexible circuit materials in industrial environments.
- SMT Stencil technologies: laser cutting of solder paste ( SMT Stencils ) for the electronics industry. Stencils are used for solder paste application in the industrial production process of printed circuit boards.
- Solar cell structure: systems for structuring of thin-film solar cells through its subsidiary LPKF SolarQuipment.
- MID - Molded Interconnect Devices ( Three-dimensional electronic components ): Components of single-component injection molding are structured with the laser (Laser Direct Structuring, LPKF - LDS process ), then metallized and fitted if required with electronic components. You assume mechanical and electronic functions.
- Laser plastic welding: A non-contact, gentle material joining technology that connects safely and hygienically two plastic components with high optical quality welds. Laser plastic welding is applied to consumer products in the automotive and medical technology.