LASER 2025: Unsafe laser machines endanger operators – and distort the market

25 Jun 2025

Panel considers what to do about the rise of rogue machines threatening lives and profits.

by Matthew Peach in Munich

Wednesday’s Application Panel, part of the Laser Materials Processing Forum, at Laser World of Photonics, addressed the important issue of machine safety. Not only is there the risk of serious injury or death to operators, but the growing availability of unsafe machinery, which features unguarded lasers or dangerous moving parts, creates another problem: market distortion. Substandard tools are often significantly lower in cost than machines that meet the highest standards.

Speaker Alexander Kunz from Trumpf Machines Austria stated, “For several years now, a dynamic trend has been observed in which an increasing number of technically unsafe laser machines are entering the European market. These machines do not meet the European directives and safety standards, even though they bear a CE Mark.

“This is not always done with bad intentions, but simply out of ignorance on the part of the manufacturers. On the other hand, national market surveillance organizations in Europe do not have sufficient resources to control the laser market and advise manufacturers on how to comply with the European regulations.”

“I work for Trumpf. Currently, I’m in Austria, responsible for the laser machines. Through several roles, I have always worked with the rules of product management. I have observed the market, and I have seen so many unsafe machines now, flooding the world market that are mostly made in China, but maybe not knowingly unsafe,” Kunz said.

He went on to explain what he said is a problem with CE Mark, considered by many to be a sort of certificate of compliance with standards. “There is no CE Certificate. Everybody thinks it is a certificate that confirms proof that a machine is safe, but it’s not. In fact, it is a self-explanation of compliance with standards and not a certificate. So be careful.”

Dangers and distortions

Kunz described the four classes of danger that apply to industrial laser machines: radiation heat; air pollution; mechanical issues; and electrical issues. “Each of these can cause injury or death, if not managed and guarded properly,” he said. Kunz also outlined the problems of relatively low-cost but unsafe machines distorting the marketplace, becoming significant lossmakers or write-offs for unsuspecting buyers who find their asset can become almost worthless or unsellable if its liability is established.

As a loyal Trumpf employee, Kunz also explained the lengths to which the laser machine tool giant goes to ensure its products are as safe as possible: “Sometimes, it’s a technical measure. Sometimes it’s an organizational measure; whatever you have to mitigate, you have to show the risk and identify it, and show what you are doing against the risks. Then we have the basis for a real CE Mark.”

He described how certain trade fairs in Asia allow the demonstration of unsafe, unguarded laser machines, which could not legally be shown working at European events such as Laser World of Photonics. However the picture is complex because unsafe machines may be shown in Europe as long as they remain switched off; “You cannot run it though,” he asserted.

Increasing imports of manufacturing systems from China was the next focus of the presentation; according to VDMA figures, imports of Chinese laser machines, press brakes and punching machines have grown by more than 400 per cent over the past decade to a total value of almost € 2.6 billion.

Kunz wrapped up by reporting how Trumpf itself has been taking certain other suppliers to court for selling unsafe machines, not only in Germany but in other territories, too.

He gave an unspecified example of a rogue machine originating in China that was sold in Europe until last year: “It was coming in through the Netherlands, and we sued them. It was the first time I think Trumpf were officially suing in the civil court - and we won. We wanted this supplier to no longer import such unsafe equipment into Germany, at least. This is a master of reference judgment [precedent] that we can also use for others,” he concluded.