Post Show Report of Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2016
On March 14-17, 2016, Expocentre Fairgrounds hosted the 11th edition of the International Specialized Exhibition for Laser, Optical and Optoelectronic Technologies Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2016. It is one of Expocentre’s leading innovative projects held in association with the Laser Association, Russia.
The show is supported by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus, the European Optical Society, and the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC). It runs under the auspices of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This exhibition is the key event of the industry, which attracts specialists, developers and manufacturers of laser and optoelectronic equipment from various countries. It has become a unique platform for exchange of experience and achievements, and business. Participation of leading research centres and manufacturers from Russia and elsewhere makes it high profile and relevant.
This year Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics had stands of 164 companies from 10 countries: Austria, Belarus, China, Germany, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and the USA. The total exhibition space exceeded 6,000 sq. ì. China and Germany had national pavilions.
The show welcomed 7,820 visitors, which was 10% more than in 2015. 94% of visitors were industry professionals. The total number of visits was 9,600.
Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2016 showcased capabilities of photonics, optoelectronics and optical instruments used in many sectors of economy.
A part of the Photonics. World of Lasers and Optics 2016 exhibition was devoted to the 100th birth anniversary of Alexander Prokhorov, an outstanding Soviet physicist, one of the pioneers in research of lasers and quantum electronics. He was one of the innovators of the research and practice sector called photonics. The exhibition demonstrated a rapid growth of the industry whose originator had been Alexander Prokhorov.
The exhibitors showcased laser radiation sources and components; optical materials and technologies; optical elements, components, systems; fiber optic equipment; laser equipment for cutting, welding, marking and other types of materials processing; laser and optical test equipment; equipment for artificial vision, sensors, detectors; night vision equipment, optic and laser sights; optoelectronics and nanophotonics; optical systems of data logging, storage and transmission; biomedical equipment based on photonic technologies; laser medicine; photoelectronics and solar energy; etc.
Foreign participants included Hamamatsu, Optotech Optikmaschinen GmbH, Schott AG, Trumpf Laser- und Systemtechnik GmbH, Ekspla, Cambridge Technology Europe, Synrad Europe, and others. Newcomers were Infratec, Azure Photonics, and Lante Optics.
Russian achievements were presented by more than 100 companies, among them IRE-Polus, Avesta, Azimuth Photonics, Bee Pitron, Russian Scientific Research Institute of Technical Physics, Bulat OKB, Inject NPP, Laser Center, Laser-Compact, Lasers and Hardware, Perm Research and Production Instrument Making Company, NPK SPP, SB RAS (Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences), Tydex, Ioffe Institute, Fibertool, Shvabe, Crystal Techno, and others. The debutants of the exhibition were Skolkovo Foundation, OKB Spektr, Quantum Optics, Active Optics NIGHTN, Baspik, Troitsk Research and Development Center, NPP Photon, LaS, and Optecom.
Eleven Belarussian companies – Lotis TII, Solar LS, Optic Plant, etc. – showed many new developments.
On the first day, the exhibition featured the joint meeting of the Interagency Working Group on Photonics under the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Secretariat of Technology Platform “Photonics” and the Council of Laser Association with heads of regional ministries of industry participating.
The most important associated event was the 5th Congress of Technology Platform "Photonics", which included a plenary meeting and 12 conferences devoted to topics of working groups of the technology platform. They showed that the potential of laser and optical technologies was limitless. Today it covers almost all spheres of human life. There were about 80 reports made during the congress.
The program also included a series of important events such as the Russian-Chinese Seminar on Laser Technology for the Oil and Gas Sector, Seminar on Holographic Photonic Technology, the Round Table on Photonics as Driving Force of Innovations. Experience of À.Ì. Prokhorov's School, two seminars on laser materials processing.
The participants in the Russian-Chinese Seminar discussed plans of development and implementation of photonics technology in the oil and gas industry to ensure effective and safe functioning of pipeline transport facilities, as well as prospects of cooperation between the two countries in this sphere. In his report Professor Xiao Zhu, Director of National Engineering Research Center for Laser Processing in Wuhan, China, said that China was open for mutually beneficial cooperation, which was very promising taking into account capabilities of Russian laser equipment and China’s large market.
The round table of the Prokhorov school brought together many participants including Aleksandr Prokhorov’s students, the present director of the General Physics Institute Academician I.A. Scherbakov, professors I.K. Krasyuk, V.B. Loschonov, M.Ya. Schelev.
One of Russia’s leading manufacturers of laser equipment, Laser Center OOO, held a seminar on laser tools made by Laser Center, Russia, and Trotec, Austria.
The seminar featured reports of leading specialists of Laser Centre, St. Petersburg, Director of Trotec, Austria, in Russia Oleg Troshinkin, Laser Centre Director Nikolay Nasonov.
Regional Centre of Laser Technologies ZAO held a research and technology seminar on the use of titanium alloys in industrial products and special-purpose products using laser processing.
The Laser Association announced the results of the competition for the best Russian laser and optical technology development in 2016.
The winners in various nominations were the Stelmakh Polus Research and Development Centre (Moscow); Inject Research and Production Enterprise OOO (Saratov); Fedal OOO (St.-Petersburg); Regional Centre of Laser Technologies ZAO (Yekaterinburg); New Technology of Laser Thermohardening OOO (Vladimir); the Technological Design Institute of Scientific Instrument Engineering, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk); T8 OOO (Moscow); and the Zuev Institute of Atmospheric Optics, the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Tomsk).
The next edition of Photonics. World of Lasers and Optical will run at Expocentre Fairgrounds in March of 2017.