WP1 Specifications and user requirements
This work package is dedicated to gather the end user requirements from different manufacturing sectors (automotive, consumer goods, medical) and provide related specifications in terms of materials, additives, testing methods, product design, acceptable costs, cycle times, productivity or maximal scrap rate in order to create measurable references for the developments within the project

WP2 Development of high brilliance laser sources
Here the focus is set on the identification of new wavelengths for high brilliance laser sources (diode laser or fibre lasers) suitable for polymer welding such as 1.5 µm, 1,7 µm or 1,9 µm and subsequently to develop the corresponding laser system

WP3 High speed scanning and product specific beam shaping
In WP3 the equipment and tools for robust processes based on fixed adapted energy distribution will be developed. Main research highlights are: development of flexible beam shaping systems by diffractive optical elements and liquid-crystal based phase modulator arrays for flexible energy distribution in space and time within 100 ms, combination of mechanical and optical scanners for high speed beam deflection systems, development of homogeneous and collimated line beam and high-power mask for mask welding

WP4 Flexible, robust and fast-adapting laser beam welding
In order the extend the limits of the polymer welding following activities will be carried-out: investigation of suitable process layouts and processing parameters for high speed laser processes, development of thermal management concepts allowing contour welding of polymers with high brilliance laser sources and increased process robustness, establish of completely new processes for the welding of polymers without IR absorbers to eliminate all the additional cost involved by the currently necessary modification of the polymers in order to make them laser weldable, evaluation of the influence of the product design on the process performance for establishing new guidelines for product development

WP5 New machines for cost effective manufacturing with increased reliability
In WP 5 several prototype laser manufacturing systems for welding of polymeric materials will be developed based on the main new laser components and processes developed within the project. The main aims are: to test and evaluate the different laser sources, peripheral equipments and processes, to set up and demonstrate a rapidly reconfigurable, inline manufacturing system for high throughput laser welding of polymers (cycle time between sub-second and 15s depending on part geometry) and to demonstrate advanced handling and fixing jigs for complex polymeric parts (sensorized, flexible, and reconfigurable)

WP6 Advanced materials, additives and product design for high speed welding
Aiming to broaden the range of polymer materials and material combinations that can be laser welded additives and IR-absorbers for high efficiency energy absorption with low thermal losses at short interaction times will be investigated. Furthermore a new set of guidelines and best practices for the selection and realization of laser suitable plastic materials will be developed

WP7 Quality assurance and process control for zero failure manufacturing
For a high reliable and high quality automated laser polymer welding a series of machine vision and process control strategies have to be developed. The main research topics are focused on: development of means for online process control, especially for polymer welding with laser radiation in the NIR range, adapted to the new welding methods, Quality Assurance based on the strength of the welded parts and investigation and test laser welding fatigue strength in relation to materials, manufacturing processes, geometry and loading conditions

WP8 Validation of high productivity laser polymer welding processes with breakthrough reproducibility
In order to completely evaluate the performance of the laser systems, new processes and new machines developed a series of experiments with selected test cases based on real applications from automotive, consumer goods industries and medical services will be conducted

WP9 Dissemination, Training and Transfer of Knowledge
Along the entire project duration a continuous work will be carried out to assure the efficient exchange of knowledge and skills between the project partners and towards the open pubic with the aim to optimise the scientific, industrial and commercial exploitation of the project results. Different actions such as organization of internal and external seminars, publication of press releases, participation to scientific conferences, distribution of flyers will be considered for the project dissemination strategy

WP10 Project Management
This work package is meant to set up the management infrastructure: committees, boards, management procedures, quality plan, risk registers, project management tools and to enable the strategic management of the POLYBRIGHT Project