SiMa.ai and TRUMPF have announced a strategic partnership to develop AI-powered laser systems for welding, cutting, marking, and 3D printing. The aim is to integrate AI technology into TRUMPF’s laser systems, enhancing their functionality. This collaboration leverages TRUMPF’s expertise in laser applications and SiMa.ai’s machine learning system on chip (MLSoC) technology to bring intelligent solutions to industrial processes.
TRUMPF, a high-tech company, and SiMa.ai, a software-centric embedded edge machine learning system-on-chip company, are joining forces to create advanced laser systems. The integration of AI into these systems is expected to significantly improve their performance in welding, cutting, marking, and powder metal 3D printing.
“AI has high strategic relevance for TRUMPF. Our expertise in laser processes and manufacturing helps us to develop smart software for production purposes. SiMa.ai is the ideal partner for this next big step towards intelligent industrial solutions,” said Richard Bannmüller, CEO of TRUMPF Laser and Systems Technology.
The partnership combines the strengths of both companies. TRUMPF contributes its extensive knowledge in laser applications, while SiMa.ai provides its powerful MLSoC technology and flexible software.
“The rapid acceleration of AI innovation is reshaping how humans can leverage emerging technology – SiMa.ai’s powerful MLSoC and flexible software alongside TRUMPF’s highest level of process understanding is enabling AI solutions that drive the industry forward. In combination with TRUMPF’s advanced AI software, SiMa.ai’s one software-centric platform for all edge AI adjusts to any framework, network, model, sensor, or modality, making it possible to reach the next level of AI-assisted laser technology,” said Harald Kröger, Head of Sales and President of Automotive Business at SiMa.ai.
Headquartered in San Jose, California, and with offices in Bengaluru, India, SiMa.ai employs around 200 people. Their edge ML applications running on the MLSoC achieve a tenfold increase in performance and energy efficiency, enhancing ML use cases from computer vision to generative AI.
At TRUMPF, around 90 employees worldwide are working on AI, with a primary focus on product development. The collaboration aims to accelerate complex material processing by incorporating energy-efficient AI chips directly into laser systems.
These AI-optimized sensor technologies can monitor laser welding quality in real-time, processing more than 3,000 images per second. In electric vehicle production, this real-time quality inspection can potentially replace separate, complex testing procedures.
This innovation promises benefits for battery manufacturers by improving production quality in real-time and reducing reject rates. This could lower the cost of electric cars for consumers, making them more affordable.
The partnership between SiMa.ai and TRUMPF marks a significant step in the evolution of industrial laser technology, driven by the integration of advanced AI capabilities.
