Laser Manufacturing for Future Mobility

Laser processes and photonics are vital for sustainable vehicle production, as the automotive industry shifts towards electromobility and eco-friendly engines. Smart, lightweight, and safe vehicles are expected in the near future, and sustainable manufacturing is crucial for a green transportation transition. Electric mobility is also transforming other mainstream vehicles in railways, naval, and aviation sectors.Laser processes enable and efficient means for the production of batteries, fuel cells and electric engines, and guarantee both effective lightweight design and safety towards autonomous vehicles.

The range of photonics solutions potentially applicable to electric mobility is now very diverse and offers enormous potential. However, it remains unclear which solutions will be adopted not only based on their technical and economic feasibility but also on their long-term sustainability. Today’s industrial laser sources provide extensive flexibility in terms of the beam properties in space, time, and wavelength. Such extended parameter space renders the processes to be potentially more efficient while the beam choice to be difficult. Consider, for example, the different beam shaping solutions – static, variable, and dynamic – available for laser welding of hairpins or battery components. On another side, the different ultrafast pulsed source solutions compete with long pulsed lasers or continuous wave single-mode laser sources in cutting of electrodes and thin foils. The different wavelengths have become available at high power from green to blue, competing with conventional NIR sources for welding and 3D printing of reflective materials.

This special issue highlights the newest advancements in laser material processing for the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing industry, including laser welding, cutting, drilling, surface treatment and drying, and additive manufacturing techniques. The focus will be on integrating laser technology with the latest materials used in the electromobility industry, such as polymer and composites, reflective and coated metals, and ceramics. Additionally, interest lies in utilizing AI and machine learning through experimental methods, physical modeling, and digital twins that gather data from sensing and monitoring systems.

We invite researchers to submit original research articles and reviews on the above topics. This special issue will provide a platform for sharing knowledge and insights into the role of laser material processing in the production of sustainable vehicles for a cleaner future.

Topics covered include, but are not limited to:

Guest Editors

Barbara Previtali, Politecnico di Milano

Ali Gökhan Demir, Politecnico di Milano

Joerg Volpp, Luleå University of Technology

Christian Hagenlocher, Universität Stuttgart

Submission Instructions

For those interested in submitting, please take note of the following instructions:

1. Navigate to the journal’s online submission system. You may need to create an account if you do not already have one.
2. During the submission process you will be asked if your manuscript is part of a special topic. Please answer “yes” and select “Laser Manufacturing for Future Mobility” from the subsequent drop-down menu.

Papers that are accepted for publication will publish immediately upon acceptance and will appear online in a virtual collection dedicated to this special topic. Any questions or concerns about the submission process or deadline should be directed to the Journal of Laser Applications journal manager at jla-journalmanager@aip.org.