Jenoptik Receives SPE Automotive Innovation Award

The automotive division of photonics group Jenoptik GmbH has received the Society of Plastic Engineers’ Automotive Innovation Award for its bumper processing machine concepts.

Together with the American automotive supplier Magna Exterior Inc. and the automotive manufacturer General Motors Co., Jenoptik received the award in the process, assembly and enabling technologies category during an official ceremony. The award honors the unique process for robotic laser cutting and welding of Class A exterior fascia, which came out top against five other award nominated innovations.

In order to meet the ever-increasing challenges of the automotive industry in terms of lightweight construction and material saving in the production process, Jenoptik has developed machine concepts specifically for the processing of bumpers. These concepts utilize 3D laser cutting and 3D laser welding. By combining one laser-cutting unit and one laser-welding unit, Jenoptik offers a high-flexibility solution both for complex processing of bumpers with a wide range of versions and also for different complex interior and exterior components. Jenoptik’s modern laser process, which can also be applied to other plastic exterior and interior components, allows for a higher flexibility as opposed to punching and ultrasonic welding technology.

Jenoptik develops photonic technology in optical systems, healthcare, automotive fields, traffic solutions and defense systems.