High-power fiber laser maker IPG Photonics (Oxford, MA) has acquired Laser Depth Dynamics (LDD; Kingston, ON, Canada), which provides in-process quality monitoring and control solutions for laser-based welding applications.

LDD's proprietary inline coherent imaging (ICI) technology enables direct measurement of weld penetration depth with high precision and in real time by adding a near-infrared measurement beam to the welding head. The company's solutions also support advanced monitoring features, including seam tracking, height following, and 3D volume imaging in a single tool. Its flagship imaging systems can integrate with welding head technologies, including IPG Photonics' wobble welding heads.

LDD was founded in 2012 by Paul Webster, CTO, who initially developed ICI technology as a PhD candidate in engineering physics at Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. LDD has 16 employees, and its operation in Kingston will become IPG Photonics' new center of product development for weld monitoring solutions. While intending to expand the market for LDD's products through IPG Photonics' worldwide sales and support channels, IPG Photonics will support and honor all existing customer commitments.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.