Laser 2019

•••8••• Branchennews SPIE, the international society for optics and pho- tonics, published its 2019 Optics and Photonics Global Salary Report. The society’s ninth annual salary report is the largest such study in the optics and photonics community, building on data from more than 6,000 individuals in 104 countries. “The goal of our annual salary survey is to provide the community with up-to-date information on pay, job satisfaction, and other workplace issues,” said SPIE Marketing Analyst and author of the report Adam Resnick. “In order to thrive in your industry, you must of- fer salaries that are competitive with similar busi- nesses in your industry and in your location,” notes Tolis Deslis, Senior Member of Technical Staff and R&D Manager of a German company. “In order to do that, you need to know what those salaries are. As a hiring manager, I appreciate the work that SPIE does with their salary survey, and for sharing this information for the benefit of all its members.” Just to mention some key findings this year, the median salary for full-time employees is 74,000 dol- lars, up over three percent from 71,748 dollars last year. Entry-level pay is highest in the United States, where employees with less than one year of expe- rience earn a median salary of 69,500 dollars. Ger- many, Canada, and South Korea follow, with entry- level salaries of 62,710, 39,600, and 31,173 dollars. 2019 Optics and Photonics Global Salary Report published Deutsche Photonik-Industrie w chst Umsätze steigen um fast sieben Prozent – Auslandsgeschäft bleibt der Motor Die Photonik-Branche in Deutsch- land ist weiter auf starkemWachs- tumskurs: 2018 lag der Umsatz der deutschen Photonikindustrie nach Berechnungen des Indust- rieverbands SPECTARIS mit 37,1 Milliarden Euro um 6,7 Prozent über dem Vorjahresniveau. Der Auslandsumsatz konnte um 7,1 Prozent gesteigert werden und erreichte 26,6 Milliarden Euro. Das Inlandsgeschäft entwickelte sich ebenfalls positiv und verzeichne- te mit 10,5 Milliarden Euro ein Plus von 5,6 Prozent. 72 Prozent des Umsatzes werden somit inzwischen im Ausland er- wirtschaftet – Tendenz steigend. „Die TOP5-Zielländer der deut- schen Unternehmen waren 2018 die USA, China, die Niederlande, Frankreich und Italien, auf die zu- sammen 42 Prozent der Gesamt- ausfuhren entfielen“, kommen- tiert Dr. Bernhard Ohnesorge, Vorsitzender des SPECTARIS-Fach- verbandes Photonik. Platz sechs belegte Großbritannien, wo vor allem aufgrund der Diskussion um einen Brexit ein Rückgang der deutschen Photonik-Exporte von fast sieben Prozent verzeichnet werden musste. „Auch wenn es vor dem Hinter- grund der sich abzeichnenden konjunkturellen Abkühlung der Weltwirtschaft und einer mög- lichen Ausweitung von Handels- barrieren Unsicherheiten gibt, rechnen wir für 2019 mit einem erneuten Umsatzzuwachs von sechs bis sieben Prozent“, erklärt Ohnesorge. Erwartet wird insbe- sondere eine starke internatio- nale Nachfrage bei gleichzeitiger leichter Abschwächung des Bin- nenwachstums. Da die Photonik als Schlüsseltechnologie in vielen Wachstumsfeldern Anwendung findet, erwartet SPECTARIS wei- ter eine positive wirtschaftliche Entwicklung. Die rund 1 000 deut- schen Photonikhersteller beschäf- tigten 2018 rund 138000 Mitarbei- ter, fünf Prozent mehr als 2017. Laborant mit Riesenlaser Foto: Carl Zeiss AG Plenary talks on the ongo- ing adaptive optics revo- lution and robot learning fromhuman guidance will be among the highlights of the 2019 TheOptical So- ciety (OSA) Imaging and Applied Optics Congress to be held 24 to 27 June 2019 in Munich, Germany, at the World of Photonics Congress. Plenar y speaker Do- menico Bonaccini Calia, a physicist at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), Germany, will describe how adaptive optics enhance the performance of imaging systems down to the dif- fraction limit and, in general, flatten wave fronts in op- tical systems in real time. This technology, still rapidly evolving, has found increasing use in astrophysics, oph- thalmology, microscopy, beam shaping of high-pow- er industrial lasers and more. Calia will show some of adaptive optics’ most spectacular achievements. These include high-resolution images of the universe obtained with laser guide-star adaptive optics at ESO’s Very Large Telescope facility. Plenary speaker Dongheui Lee, asso- ciate professor of human-centered assistive robotics at Technical University of Munich, Germany, will review how the robot research community has addressed au- tonomous motor skill learning and control in complex task scenarios by intelligent robotic assistants. OSA Imaging and Applied Optics Congress in June The European Southern Observatory (ESO) Photo: Ernst A. Graf / ESO Anzeige Ultimate accuracy for optical components Specialist laser mirror manufacturer LBP Optics has seen an increase in orders for components with extremely demanding specifications and complex shapes. Single point diamond machining enables them to produce a multitude of highly accurate shapes including polygons, cones, pyramid scanning mirrors, infrared domes, aspherics, ellipsoids, toroids and off-axis parabolics. Managing Director Paul Maclennan explains, “We are producing growing numbers of complex parts for customers who need extreme accuracy in terms of surface roughness, dimensional tolerance and reflectivity. We’re supplying specialist diamond machined parts for a wide range of applications including defence, scientific instruments, laser systems and research and development, and we expect this growth to continue.” LBP Optics is exhibiting its range of mirrors and diamond machined components alongside sister company ULO Optics at this year’s show, Hall B2 Stand 124 . LBP Optics Ltd , Stratton Park, Dunton Lane, Biggleswade SG18 8QS, UK. www.lbp.co.uk sales@lbpoptics.com T: +44 (0)1767 600877