ModuLase · Project

One Laser Head That Welds, Cuts, and Coats — No More Swapping Equipment

manufacturingPilotedTRL 7

Imagine you have a power drill that could also saw and sand — without changing the tool. That's what ModuLase did for industrial lasers. Right now, factories need separate laser heads for welding, cutting, and coating, which means stopping production every time they switch jobs. ModuLase built a single modular system with swappable end-pieces and built-in sensors that handles all three processes, so the laser keeps working while the factory floor keeps moving.

By the numbers

modular end-effectors (welding, cladding, cutting)

laser processes demonstrated live to industrial audience

EUR 2,184,565

EU contribution for development and pilot validation

consortium partners across 6 countries

62%

industry ratio in consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Manufacturers using fibre-delivered lasers today are stuck with single-purpose processing heads. Every time they need to switch from welding to cutting or coating, production stops for equipment changeover. This kills utilisation rates, inflates capital costs (buying separate systems for each process), and makes high-variety, small-batch production economically painful.

The solution

What was built

A re-configurable modular laser process head with 3 swappable end-effectors for welding, cladding, and cutting, equipped with intelligent sensor monitoring and semi-automated process parameter configuration. The system was validated on a pilot line with live industrial demonstrations covering at least 5 laser processes.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers running mixed laser processes on the same production lineAerospace component manufacturers needing certified laser welding, cutting, and coating with in-process quality monitoringMetal fabrication job shops serving small-batch, high-variety orders across multiple laser processesLaser system integrators looking to offer flexible multi-process solutions to their customersIndustrial automation companies building re-configurable manufacturing cells

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Car body and chassis manufacturers

If you are an automotive manufacturer dealing with frequent production line stops every time you switch between laser welding body panels and cutting trim pieces — ModuLase developed a modular laser head with 3 swappable end-effectors covering welding, cladding, and cutting. This eliminates equipment changeover downtime and lets one laser system handle your mixed production runs without capital investment in separate machines.

Aerospace component fabrication

mid-size

Target: Turbine blade and structural part manufacturers

If you are an aerospace parts supplier struggling with low equipment utilisation because your laser welder sits idle while your cutting system runs — ModuLase built a re-configurable process head validated in pilot line conditions across at least 5 laser processes. The integrated sensor monitoring gives you in-process quality assurance, which matters when every turbine blade must meet strict certification standards.

Metal fabrication and job shops

SME

Target: Contract metal fabricators and laser job shops

If you run a job shop handling small-batch orders that constantly switch between cutting, welding, and surface coating — ModuLase's modular system with semi-automated process parameter configuration reduces setup time and operator skill requirements. Instead of investing in 3 separate laser systems, one re-configurable head covers your full process range, cutting capital costs for operations serving a high variety of product mixes.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt this modular laser system?

The project received EUR 2,184,565 in EU funding across 8 partners to develop and validate the system. Individual unit pricing is not published in available project data. Contact the coordinator for licensing or purchase terms.

Can this handle full-scale industrial production volumes?

ModuLase was validated on a pilot production line with live demonstrations to an industrial audience. The system was designed specifically to maximise equipment utilisation rates and support high-variety product mixes in real manufacturing environments.

Who owns the IP and how can I license it?

The project was coordinated by TWI Limited (UK), a major welding and joining technology centre, with 5 industrial partners in the consortium. IP arrangements would be governed by the consortium agreement. Contact TWI as the starting point for licensing discussions.

What laser processes does it actually cover?

The system covers welding, cladding, and cutting through 3 modular end-effectors. Live demonstrations validated at least 5 laser processes in an industrial setting at CRF's facility.

Does it include quality monitoring or is that separate?

Quality monitoring is built in. The system includes intelligent sensor technologies for in-process monitoring, adaptive process control, and semi-automated process parameter configuration — no separate quality system needed.

Is this compatible with existing fibre-delivered laser sources?

Yes, the entire concept is designed around standard fibre-delivered laser sources. The modular head attaches to existing laser infrastructure, which means you do not need to replace your laser source to use the system.

Consortium

Who built it

The ModuLase consortium is strongly industry-oriented: 5 out of 8 partners are industrial companies (62%), with 3 SMEs bringing agility and 2 research organisations providing the science backbone. The coordinator, TWI Limited (UK), is one of Europe's leading independent research and technology organisations for welding, joining, and related engineering. The consortium spans 6 countries (BE, DE, ES, IT, NL, UK), giving it broad European manufacturing coverage. The absence of universities and the high industry ratio signal this was built for real factory floors, not labs. For a business buyer, TWI's coordination means there is an established technology transfer partner behind this, not just an academic team.

TWI LIMITEDCoordinator · UK
EUROPEAN FEDERATION FOR WELDING JOINING AND CUTTINGparticipant · BE
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTEparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

TWI Limited (UK) — Europe's leading welding and joining technology centre. Reach their business development team through twi-global.com.

Order a report on this consortium See TWI LIMITED profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want a warm introduction to the ModuLase team? SciTransfer can connect you with the right people and prepare a tailored briefing for your manufacturing setup.

Order a report on this topic More in Manufacturing & Industry 4.0