Contract manufacturer for laser processing and micromechanics as well as manufacturer of laser machines and automation systems
Laser Automation Gekatronic SA
Rue Louis-Joseph-Chevrolet 12, 2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds (CH) · ProductionNew on Amplifa
About Laser Automation Gekatronic SA
Laser Automation Gekatronic SA (LAG) is a Swiss family-owned company founded in 1968 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, specializing in laser processing at the micro scale. Using around 40 self-built laser machines, the company offers contract manufacturing: laser cutting, laser welding up to 5 axes, laser drilling with diameters from 10 µm, laser marking, as well as finishing and polishing. In addition, precision mechanical machining services such as milling, honing, countersinking, bending, grinding and thread tapping are offered, partly as combined mechanics-laser processes. Production ranges from prototypes and small batches to large series in mass production. Materials processed include metals and alloys, stainless steel, precious metals, ceramics, silicon nitride, sapphire, diamond, plastics as well as sintered and synthetic materials. Key industries are microtechnology, the watchmaking industry, medical technology, electrical engineering, chemistry, the automotive industry, and aerospace. LAG also develops and builds laser machines and automation systems, deployed mainly in Switzerland, Western Europe and Asia.
- Site
- La Chaux-de-Fonds
- Processes
- Laser cutting, Laser welding, Laser marking, Laser drilling, Finishing & polishing, Automation systems (development and production of machines/systems), Medical products (laser cutting, laser marking, laser welding, drilling, labeling), Combinations of operations
- Materials
- Stainless steel, Precious metals, Ceramics, Silicon nitride, Sapphire, Diamond, Plastics, Metals and alloys
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, EN ISO 13485:2016, ISO 9001:2015 (SQS, No. 48400), EN ISO 13485:2016 (SQS, No. 48401)
- Founded
- 1968
- Industries
- Microtechnology, Electrical engineering, Chemistry, Medical, Automotive industry, Aerospace
- 01
Laser cutting
- 02
Laser welding
- 03
Laser drilling
- 04
Laser marking
- 05
- 06
Finishing & Polishing (trowalizing, sand/grit blasting)
- 07
Assembly
- 08
Process validation (FMEA, IQ, OQ, PQ)
Materials & Processes
Laser cutting
Complex shapes on strips and tubes with micrometric precision and controlled conicity of 1 to 3 %.
Laser welding (up to 5 axes)
Continuous and spot welding up to 5 simultaneous axes, without filler material and with metallurgical continuity of the seam.
Laser drilling
Holes from 10 µm diameter in metal foils, suitable for mass production of micro holes.
Laser marking
Wear-free marking, structuring and texturing of metals, plastics and ceramics.
Precision mechanical machining
Milling, honing, countersinking, bending, grinding and thread tapping, also as combined mechanics-laser operations.
Finishing & Polishing
Trowalizing (normal or matte) as well as sand and grit blasting for defined surface qualities.
Automation systems
Development and construction of custom machines and automation solutions according to specifications.
Sites
La Chaux-de-Fonds
CHHeadquarters: laser processing, micromechanics, contract manufacturing, machine building
- Lot size
- Prototype to large series
- Materials
- Stainless steel, precious metals, ceramics, silicon nitride, sapphire, diamond, plastics
- ca. 40 laser machines (in-house design)
- GEKATRON laser welding machine (5-axis)
- ROTORMAT assembly and welding system
- Precision machining systems up to 5 axes
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser cuttingMachining | – | – | – | Small batches – Large series | Metals, Alloys, Sintered materials, Synthetic materials, Ceramics, Silicon nitride, Sapphire, Diamond |
| Laser weldingJoining | – | – | – | Small batches – Large series (thousands of components) | Stainless steel, Precious metals, most metals |
| Laser markingSurface | – | – | – | Small batches – Large series | Metals, Plastics, Ceramics |
| Laser drillingMachining | Drilling diameters from 10 µm | – | – | Mass production/large series | Metal foils |
| Finishing & polishingSurface | – | – | – | – | – |
| Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automation systems (development and production of machines/systems)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Medical products (laser cutting, laser marking, laser welding, drilling, labeling)Joining | – | – | – | – | – |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser machines (in-house design, approx. 40 systems) | Laser Automation Gekatronic SA (LAG) | ca. 40 | – | – | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland |
| Laser welding machine up to 5 axes | LAG GEKATRON | – | – | – | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland |
| Automatic assembly and welding system ROTORMAT | LAG ROTORMAT | – | – | – | La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland |
Additional services
Quality & Certification
LAG is certified to ISO 9001:2015 (Reg. No. 48400) and EN ISO 13485:2016 (Reg. No. 48401). For medical products, stringent quality controls of dimensions and optical appearance as well as complete process validations according to FMEA, IQ, OQ and PQ are performed.
| Evidence | La Chaux-de-Fonds |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001:2015 (SQS, No. 48400) | |
| EN ISO 13485:2016 (SQS, No. 48401) |
History
- 1968
Jean-Claude Kullmann, technical director at Sellita, founds GEKATRONIC SA and develops the GEKATRON laser welding machine for welding coils of hairsprings in mechanical watches.
- 1981
During the watchmaking crisis, reorientation towards automation solutions; success of the ROTORMAT system for assembly and welding of rotors of analog quartz watches; renamed Laser Automation Gekatronic SA (LAG).
- 1987
Completion of the plant at Rue Louis-Joseph-Chevrolet 12.
- 1989
Jean-Claude Kullmann's sons join the company; diversification; first stent manufacturing trials; receipt of ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certifications.
- 1994
Plant extension building.
- 2000
Production of more than 80,000 stents per year; retirement of Jean-Claude Kullmann after 32 years as general manager.
- 2012
Loss of the export-oriented stent market; return to the watchmaking industry, new generations of laser machines (marking, cutting, welding), micromechanics and finishing.
- 2021
Julien Kullmann (finance and logistics) and Jeremy Kullmann (marketing sales and HR) join the company; construction project to increase production space.
- 2024
Design of the 200th machine.