ISfIM organized a distinguished lecture on Manufacturing with Light: From Laser-Material Interactions to Industrial-Scale Advanced Manufacturing on 24 April 2026 at School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The lecture was given by Prof Bill O’Neill , Professor at University of Cambridge, United Kingdom and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Prof Bill O’Neill FREng, FInstP, FLIA.
Centre for Industrial Photonics
Institute for Manufacturing
Department of Engineering
University of Cambridge
Lecture Abstract:
This lecture will reflect on the development of laser-based manufacturing as both a scientific field and an industrial enabler. Beginning with the fundamental principles of laser–material interaction, it will show how advances in process understanding have underpinned major developments in cutting, joining, surface engineering, and additive manufacturing. The lecture will draw on research spanning laser cutting, precision laser processing, laser powder bed fusion, laser-assisted cold spray, carbon nanotube-based wire production, nanosecond laser welding, and ultrafast pulsed laser deposition to illustrate how photonics has enabled new approaches to manufacturing high-value components, repairing critical infrastructure, and improving process capability across demanding sectors. It will also address the challenge of translating laboratory innovation into industrial practice, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary thinking across physics, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing systems. Looking ahead, the lecture will examine the emerging roles of beam shaping, laser arrays, sensing, and intelligent control in creating more productive, adaptable, and sustainable manufacturing technologies. The central argument is that lasers are no longer merely processing tools but foundational technologies for the future of advanced industrial production.
Speaker Biography:
Professor William (Bill) O’Neill is Professor of Laser Engineering at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Centre for Industrial Photonics. Professor O’Neill is internationally recognised for his contributions to laser engineering, laser–material interaction, and advanced manufacturing, and for translating fundamental research into industrially relevant technologies.
His current research spans ultra-precision laser engineering, ultrafast pulsed laser deposition, advanced laser-based additive manufacturing, and laser-assisted cold spray, with applications across sectors including space, aerospace, energy, biomedical engineering, and electronics. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Physics, and the Laser Institute of America, and in 2025 received the Arthur L. Schawlow Award for outstanding contributions to laser science and engineering.
International Society for Intelligent Manufacturing 