New podcast on laser processes in industry

The results demonstrate the role that detection, filter technology, and the process environment play in laser marking and laser cleaning.

Laser processes have become indispensable in many industrial applications. They mark components, clean surfaces, process metals and plastics, and prepare molds for further use. Precision and efficiency are often the main focus. However, a second aspect is just as important: what is released into the air during processing.

That is exactly what a new podcast from TBH and Laser Lounge is all about. On March 9, 2026, TBH was a guest at Laser Lounge in Chemnitz. There, three episodes were recorded covering laser fumes, extraction, laser marking, laser cleaning, and laser safety. The first episode is already available.

Depending on the material, method, and process parameters, laser applications generate various emissions. These include fine dust, particles, and vapors. These emissions should be captured as directly as possible at the source. A suitable laser fume extraction system is therefore not a downstream add-on, but an integral part of the overall process concept.

The first podcast episode focuses on laser marking. The focus is on materials, system differences, and the question of how to determine the appropriate filter and extraction concept. This is because not every application generates the same emissions. Metal, plastic, coatings, or organic residues place different demands on capture, filter technology, and airflow.

The second episode covers laser cleaning, including for injection molds. The point is practical: When a surface is cleaned with a laser, the contamination doesn’t simply disappear. It is loosened, partially converted into particles or vapors, and must be captured in a controlled manner. For companies, this means viewing laser cleaning not only as a processing step but also as a process with requirements regarding occupational safety, the machine environment, and air quality control.

The third episode is dedicated to laser safety. The focus is on standards, protective measures, and specific questions arising from industrial practice. What do companies need to consider? How can safe procedures be organized? And what role does filtration and extraction technology play when laser processes are used on a permanent basis in production, development, or maintenance?

The podcast is aimed at companies that use or plan to use laser applications industrially. The topic is particularly relevant for production managers, occupational safety, EHS, metalworking, plastics processing, and anyone involved with laser fume extraction, extraction systems for laser processing, or safe process environments.

The central message is clear: Good laser processes do not result from the laser alone. The key lies in the interplay between application, material, detection, filtration technology, and safe integration into daily work routines. The podcast by TBH and Laser Lounge provides a practical overview of these interrelationships and demonstrates why extraction should be considered from the very beginning in laser marking and laser cleaning.