"Light at Work' is the theme of LASER 2007. World of Photonics, the largest photonics event in Europe, and its exhibition, workshops, conference and special show promise to cover every facet of laser manufacturing, with many opportunities for attendees to see, inspect and discuss the latest technology from top manufacturers when it takes place June 18-21 at the Munich Trade Centre. From systems for the analysis of LEDs and other optical components, through instruments for transmission and reflection testing of optical systems and up to measurement platforms for research and development, it all can be seen at Laser 2007.World of Photonics, billed as the only event that presents the industry's entire range of products and applications. The biannual fair brings together more than 1000 exhibiting companies of all sizes and from all segments of the industry, from established market leaders to the latest start-up ventures, to represent the global market. More than 23,000 visitors are expected to attend. A major highlight of the event will be World of Photonics Congress, the leading international congress for optical technologies in Europe, being held June 17-22 at the International Congress Centre (ICM) in Munich. It is organized by Munich International Trade Fairs and supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Held in conjunction with LASER 2007.World of Photonics, World of Photonics Congress is a unique event that covers the entire photonics industry, and is the meeting place of choice for international specialists from numerous application areas within photonics. Topics range from the latest research and development results -- including basic research, medical applications, lasers in manufacturing, sensors and industrial image processing -- to discussions about physical processes in new light sources. Themes are selected and discussed based on their scientific relevance and industrial impact. New this year to World of Photonics Congress will be a comprehensive slate of industry workshops with a practical focus. In keeping with the trade show's "Light at Work" theme, the June 19-21 workshops will concentrate on the practical use of lasers to build a bridge between research and application and are designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of attendees, from laser professionals who use lasers for quality assurance, production automation and process optimization to sales staff members. The workshops, all conducted in English, will explore such topics as "Laser Technology ABC's," "Micro Material Processing," "Lasers for Manufacturing Photovoltaics," "Medical Device Manufacturing" and "Optimizing Welding Processes," and are led by industry specialists from leading companies. Among the specialists chairing workshops this year are: Christof Lehner and Alexander Knitsch of Trumpf Laser, Herbert Gross of Carl Zeiss, Ulrich Hefter of Rofin-Sinar, Tobias Damm of Coherent Lambda Physik, Fraunhofer ILT's Axel Bauer and Toptica Photonics' Thomas Renner. The participation fee is €200 (about $266) per workshop. The individual conferences of industry associations and organizations are also held as part of The World of Photonics Congress. This year's event will feature: CLEO/IQEC, Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and International Quantum Electronics Conference, organized by the European Physical Society (EPS) EOS conferences on Frontiers in Electronic Imaging & Trends in Optoelectronics, organized by the European Optical Society (EOS) Lasers in Manufacturing (LIM 2007), organized by the German Scientific Laser Society (WLT) European Conference on Biomedical Optics (ECBO 2007), organized by SPIE and the Optical Society of America (OSA) Optical Metrology, organized by SPIE Medical Laser Applications, organized by the German Association for Laser Medicine (DGLM)The industrial laser market, applications, and new technologies are the topics of the 8th International Laser Marketplace conference June 20 at the ICM. From 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., international laser experts will be presenting their latest research results on such topics as the employment of fiber lasers, the use of DPSS (diode-pumped solid-state) lasers in rapidly growing areas of application (such as solar cells and flat-panel displays), and the race between solid-state lasers and fiber lasers for microprocessing and for cutting and welding. This conference, held in English, is being organized by LASER. World of Photonics in partnership with Optech Consulting. The fee is €395 (about $527). Live demonstrations, exhibits, lectures, and expert discussions on all topics related to the use of lasers in manufacturing will be waiting for those who attend the special "Photons in Production" show in hall B3 at booth B3.549 entitled "Bright Light–Smart Systems." In cooperation with World of Photonics organizer Messe München International, laser specialists from the Technical University of Munich’s iwb Institute for Machine Tools and Industrial Management, the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg’s Chair of Manufacturing Technology (LFT) and the Bavarian Laser Center (BLZ) in Erlangen, Germany, will be showcasing intelligent laser solutions in demanding industrial applications on all four days of the trade show. Presentations include online process control and the "ProFaM" minifactory for micro-optic systems as well as remote laser beam welding without a scanner, and the latest simulations and laser safety techniques. The live demos will be accompanied by lectures on the topics being covered by the special show and on the fundamentals of and latest developments in laser technology and its use in industrial production. The free lectures will be held in German and simultaneously translated into English. The exhibition is also a major component of LASER.World of Photonics, and next week more than 1000 exhibitors will be represented on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Center, with more than 200 of them showing lasers and laser systems for manufacturing. The offerings range from the cutting and bending of metals to the welding of plastics and continue all the way to micro processing. Equipped with the machines and systems that demonstrate the applications, hall B3 of Munich’s fair grounds will become a high-tech production hall that presents the industry’s leading technologies. Since 1973, LASER.World of Photonics has taken place every two years in Munich. For more information or to register, visit: www.world-of-photonics.net/en/laser/start