IPG Photonics collaborates with PPG and Whirlpool to develop laser powder solidification technology

Recently, IPG Photonics、 Whirlpool and coating manufacturer PPG have announced a partnership to jointly promote the commercialization of powder coating laser curing systems. Three companies will be committed to reducing curing costs, minimizing environmental impact, and improving the processing speed of coating lines.

PPG introduced a pilot finishing line that uses IPG’s PhotoniCURE laser curing system at its powder manufacturing and technical facility. Additionally, PPG has begun conducting pilot trials for Whirlpool Corporation that evaluate various powder formulations cured with the PhotoniCURE laser system across a range of appliance components. The process, it said, will soon be available to other customers.

IPG expects the collaboration to open a path to increased adoption of the system. “We anticipate demand for PhotoniCURE systems to take hold in the coatings industry as our joint value proposition with PPG is proven in volume manufacturing, aided by intensifying trends towards sustainable manufacturing practices,” said Mira Sahney, IPG global laser systems senior vice president.

Unlike conventional thermal curing, laser curing uses infrared light to initiate crosslinking, the chemical reaction that transforms powder particles into a durable protective finish. It is compatible with both standard powder chemistries and those optimized for laser curing and cures in minutes, a fraction of the time required by traditional thermal processes and more efficient than conventional IR curing systems. The process' lower heat requirements and higher throughput contribute to meaningful energy savings, PPG said.

The collaboration is not the first of its kind unveiled by IPG; in April 2025 the company announced a partnership and AkzoNobel, focused on the application of laser technology to the curing of powder coatings. At the time, the companies said laser curing can be used to preferentially heat a coating as opposed to heating the underlying substrate. The method can also be used for temperature-sensitive substrates and eliminates the long cool-down waiting times evident in typical production lines, the companies said.

Source: photonics