High-precision
system components
for more sustainable mobility

The new flagship of the DB fleet will be in use for decades – reaching top speeds of up to 250 km / h.

For the outer shell, this means meeting the highest standards in terms of stability and workmanship. But it also needs to be lightweight. Because every superfluous gram of weight travels over millions of kilometres, worsens the energy balance and thus causes higher costs in the long run. Quite a challenge for the Siemens/Bombardier carriage builders.

The Photon solution: steel and laser. Laser-welded carriage components made of sheet steel offer maximum stability even with low material thicknesses – without space-wasting internal reinforcements, which are necessary when using aluminium, for example.

Photon’s XXL laser welding portals allow even the thinnest steel sheets to be welded with the highest quality, precision and strength – efficiently, quickly and with no visible welds on the outer skin. This saves time, money and materials in the production process, creates space in the interior of the train and reduces the environmental impact of the ICE 4.

A solution that has convinced Siemens/Bombardier. Over the next few years, Photon will produce sidewalls, roof assemblies and underframe components for approximately 1,600 ICE 4 carriages. And in many other trains, too, there is more than just one piece of Photon. For the competition, this means:

“Stand back please!”

Since 1990, the Rocky Mountaineer has crossed the vast, majestic landscapes of western Canada and the United States. What makes these trains so special are the big, domed windows, which offer breath-taking, panoramic views of the magnificent landscapes.

The production of the carriages is anything but easy: greatest possible stability and safety are as important as a unique aesthetic befitting the exclusive clientele.

Particular challenges are the sheer size of the carriage bodies (about 25 m long) and the heavy steel construction with extreme material combinations (thin sheet metal with high profile thickness). Clearly a job for the XXL laser-welding pioneers from Photon.

From the beginning, Photon specialists were involved in the design of the components. The required technology and the semi-automated production process for the small series were also designed and implemented by Photon.

When producing the sidewalls, end walls and roofs for the carriage bodies produced by Stadler GmbH Pankow, Photon pushes at the limits of laser welding technology – in terms of component geometry as well as tolerances and material combinations.
Where others have failed, the Photon engineers and welders achieve excellent results due to their experience and absolute passion for the potential of laser.

Which goes to prove that with Photon, going West is anything but arduous.

The eyes of the world were on the exclusive car brand Bentley when it announced the production of its first SUV. All the more important that everything went smoothly in the test phase. The welding of the body seams for the pre-production models was a particularly sensitive issue. Warping through heat can lead to rippling (bumps on the roof). Other process errors (pores, holes, splashes) can also be very difficult to rework in the outer skin area of ​​the aluminium body – which can lead to the roof needing to be renovated or even to the loss of the entire body.

That’s why the manufacturer left nothing to chance and entrusted Photon’s highly skilled laser-welding experts with the difficult task. A major vote of confidence, which incited Photon to peak performance.

By means of a tensioning device designed by Photon, the roof segments and sub-segments of the aluminium bodies, delivered under the highest secrecy, were positioned with micrometre precision. In the Photon laser-beam welding portals, the roof seams of all bodies could then be joined, as planned, with minimal warping.

In the subsequent test phase, the pre-production models were a great success, series production started, and in 2016, the first vehicles were delivered and celebrated by car enthusiasts worldwide.

How do you make a good engine even better? This was the question faced by the engineers of Rolls-Royce Germany in the development phase of the turbofan engine BR725, which is a further development of the BR710.

A possible area of optimisation was the exhaust cone, usually made of nickel-based steel. The alternative: titanium – an expensive but very popular material in aviation due to the fact that it is strong, corrosion-resistant and lightweight.

For the manufacturing, RR turned to Photon – and received an attractive overall package: from comprehensive planning and design to cutting, rolling and bending of individual parts, coordination of the necessary forming processes, right through to 3D laser-beam welding in Photon’s state-of-the-art laser welding portals.

The Photon specialists did a great job: they were able to reduce the weight by over 30%, while meeting the highest standards in terms of quality, safety and resilience.

In the end, titanium wasn’t used in the exhaust cone, but in the fan. And the BR725, which among other things powers the Gulfstream G650, the world’s fastest and longest-range business jet, is actually quieter, more economical and cleaner than its predecessors.

Titanium and laser – an unbeatable combination from Photon.