Surfunction GmbH presented a fully integrated, operational production line based on Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) technology at Blechexpo 2025 in Stuttgart. The live demonstration covered all process steps from material feeding and structuring to further processing and showed the industrial integration of the technology in real time. With this production line, Surfunction claims to have achieved the complete industrialization of DLIP technology. This means that the functional structuring of surfaces can now be integrated into series production processes.
Cooperation with Noxon Automation
The production system presented is based on the further developed E 960 C1 system module and was realized together with Noxon Automation. It combines winding, unwinding and feeding solutions to create a high-speed line that achieves strip speeds of up to 20 meters per minute. The line can be used in both inline and batch operation and is suitable for both punched and unpunched strip material. Double-sided or single-sided structuring is possible - depending on the process requirements. This means that the technology can be flexibly integrated into existing production environments.
Improved cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency
One major advance is the complete integration of the ELIPSYS technology platform from Surfunction. This optimizes beam guidance, uses alternative laser sources and increases process stability. According to Surfunction, investment costs have been reduced by more than 50% thanks to faster cycle times and improved energy efficiency. "With the production line now up and running, we have shown that DLIP not only works in the laboratory, but also on an industrial scale," says Dr. Dominik Britz, co-founder and Managing Director of Surfunction. The technology is production-safe, scalable and economically viable - an important step towards sustainable, function-oriented surface production.