Laser Industry News — July 16, 2026: IPG FlexCell, TRUMPF SortMaster AI, and AKL 26 Market Data

July 16, 2026

A few things worth noting this week. IPG Photonics launched a robotic welding platform that lets job shops start with arc and move to laser when the contracts change. TRUMPF showed how AI can finally handle the sorting bottleneck in laser cutting. And AKL 26 in Aachen confirmed what many suspected — the fiber laser market grew close to 10% this year, with Chinese manufacturers now supplying almost all domestic demand below 6kW. Here's the roundup.

1. IPG Photonics FlexCell: Robotic Laser Welding Without the Risk

IPG Photonics introduced the FlexCell on July 15 — a robotic automation platform built for contract manufacturers who cannot justify a dedicated laser welding cell. The idea is simple: one platform that supports both arc and laser welding. Shops start with whichever process they need today and switch later as requirements change.

The price point is the key here. IPG positioned FlexCell closer to robotic arc automation pricing than dedicated laser systems. That matters for job shops. Short program durations, changing part mixes, uncertain future volumes — laser has always been a harder sell under those conditions. FlexCell changes the equation.

From a day-to-day perspective, operators use a standard teach pendant and familiar workflows. The layout, controls, loading process, and production flow stay the same whether you use arc or laser. It is a fully enclosed Class 1 laser system, so the usual safety measures around beam hazards are contained within the cell. IPG also provides process parameters for specific materials and joints, so users do not need to develop weld schedules from scratch.

Feature IPG FlexCell
Processes supportedArc welding (GMAW) and laser beam welding
Target usersJob shops, contract manufacturers
Pricing bucketCloser to robotic arc systems than dedicated laser cells
SafetyFully enclosed Class 1 laser system
Operator interfaceStandard teach pendant, familiar GMAW workflows

2. TRUMPF SortMaster Station and Vision: AI Sorting for Laser Cut Parts

TRUMPF demonstrated its SortMaster Station and SortMaster Vision at the company's Smart Factory facility in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on July 9. The system handles what I'd call the last real bottleneck in laser cutting: getting finished parts off the bed and sorted.

The SortMaster Station uses controlled vibration to break micro-joints that hold parts in the sheet skeleton. It monitors separation continuously and decides when all components are free. Then the SortMaster Vision takes over — an AI-powered robotic sorting system developed with Intrinsic, a Google-affiliated robotics company.

The Vision system uses cameras to scan parts and the pallet area, identifying positions and overlapping parts. The AI generates robot motion plans from CAD data — no manual programming needed. Kartik Iyer, Director of Smart Factory at TRUMPF, noted that studies show manufactured components spend more time waiting to be moved than actually being machined. That rings true for anyone running a fiber laser cutting machine in a busy shop.

The system handles parts up to 25mm thick and individual components up to 120kg, with part sizes from 50mm × 50mm to 1.2m × 1m. It was demonstrated with a TruLaser 5030 12kW laser cutter. Availability in North America is expected later in 2026.

3. AKL 26 in Aachen: Market Data, Ultra-High Power, and AI Across Every Level

The International Laser Technology Congress (AKL 26) ran July 7-9 in Aachen, Germany. A few numbers that stood out from the presentations.

Dr. Thierry Robin of TEMATYS reported the global laser market rising from $14.5B in 2024 to over $15.5B in 2025. The fiber laser segment grew 9.8%. Ultrashort pulse lasers grew 14.7%. For laser material processing systems specifically, VDMA reported 4% growth.

Dr. Bo Gu of BOS Photonics shared data on the Chinese market. LASER Shanghai set new records in March — 1,500 exhibitors and 58,000 visitors. He expects 6-7% growth in laser material processing systems in China for both 2025 and 2026. Chinese manufacturers now account for 98% of domestic lasers in the 3-6kW range and roughly 80% for systems above 10kW.

On the technology side, Fraunhofer ILT reported that continuous wave lasers have exceeded 100kW, and ultrashort pulse lasers are reaching double-digit kilowatts through the CAPS cluster. These power levels are already finding real applications — cutting doors in wind turbines, welding thick-section nuclear containers, and decommissioning work where conventional methods fall short.

4. Prince Manufacturing Expands Tube Laser Cutting Capacity in Asheville

Prince Manufacturing added a Longxin automated tube laser cutting system at its Asheville, North Carolina facility on July 15. The company processes tubular components for OEMs — frames, guards, brackets, rails, and welded assemblies.

The new system handles tubes up to 3 inches in diameter and 18 feet in length, with a fully automated feed system and square indexing. Instead of manual sawing, measuring, drilling, and notching, tube laser cutting consolidates multiple steps into one controlled operation. For OEM customers, that means better repeatability, reduced secondary handling, and improved weld fit-up.

Bill Emberson, VP Sales & Marketing at Prince, framed it in practical terms: the investment helps customers reduce risk, simplify supply chains, and improve manufacturing performance. For importers evaluating laser tube cutting machines, the key takeaway is that automated tube processing is becoming standard in North American contract manufacturing — not just a niche capability.

5. Laser Zentrum Hannover Develops Laser Welding for Glass Waste Containers

Researchers at the German Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) published results on July 14 showing successful CO2 laser welding of 5mm thick flat glass for hazardous waste storage containers. The project, funded by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, uses a single CO2 laser at 10.6 micrometers wavelength.

The process is notable for its simplicity — the container lid automatically falls into position during processing using gravity, so no complex clamping is needed. The researchers achieved continuous welds without microcracks or voids across the full 5mm thickness, and stress tests after two weeks showed mechanical strength was maintained.

This is still at the research stage, but it points to a broader trend: laser welding is expanding into applications where conventional joining methods have limitations. For shops that do metal laser welding today, the underlying technology keeps getting more capable and more versatile.

Summary

This week's news confirms a trend we have been watching for a while: laser technology is becoming more accessible. IPG's FlexCell brings robotic laser welding within reach of job shops. TRUMPF's SortMaster uses AI to solve a bottleneck that every sheet metal shop knows well. The market data from AKL 26 shows steady growth — fiber laser up 9.8%, Chinese domestic supply reaching 98% in the mid-power range. And even niche applications like glass container welding are moving forward.

If you are evaluating laser equipment for your operation, get in touch with our team. We can help you match the right technology to your production requirements.

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Written by the FANY LASER team. Serving global industrial buyers since 2018. Connect on LinkedIn