The Innovation Award Laser Technology 2026 has been awarded to Dr. Tobias Dyck and the LEAF team from 4JET microtech. The 10,000 Euro prize was awarded to a laser-based process for creating so-called riblet structures, i.e. microscopically fine surface ribs modeled on sharkskin.
The award-winning project focuses on laser-based fabrication of riblet structures on surfaces. Inspired by shark skin, these microstructures reduce drag and improve aerodynamics. Using 4JET's Laser Enhanced Air Flow (LEAF) technology, riblets can now be incorporated directly into the paint layer of components over large areas for the first time. This process uses a high-power COâ‚‚ laser system with interference technology that generates multiple microstructures simultaneously, making it significantly faster than previous methods.
This technology has great potential in aviation. Riblet structures on aircraft surfaces can reduce fuel consumption by up to three percent. This equates to savings of around 2.5 billion U.S. dollars per year and a reduction of almost ten million tons of COâ‚‚ in long-haul passenger traffic. Furthermore, LEAF technology opens up new possibilities for more efficient wind turbines, ships, and high-speed trains because improved aerodynamics and hydrodynamics contribute to higher energy efficiency and lower emissions.
PHOTO: (From left) Claus Schnitzler, Ulrich Berners, Jochen Stollenwerk, Lutz Aschke, Gwenn Pallier, Tobias Dyck, Oliver Haupt, Kristina zur Mühlen, and Markus Kogel-Hollacher. Courtesy of Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (Fraunhofer ILT).
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