DABbling

David A. Belforte is an internationally recognized authority on industrial laser materials processing. For nearly a quarter of a century he has been the industry champion behind the Industrial Laser Solutions franchise, tirelessly monitoring the pulse of the global industrial laser materials processing sector. His consulting business, Belforte Associates, serves clients interested in advanced manufacturing applications. After obtaining a BS and MBA degrees from Northeastern University (Boston, MA), Belforte as a research staffer conducted basic studies in material synthesis for high-temperature applications. Subsequently he held important positions with companies involved with transitioning high-technology materials processing into industry. He co-founded a company that introduced several firsts in high-energy beam welding technology and equipment. His career in lasers started with the commercialization of the first industrial solid-state laser and a compact, moveable CO2 laser for sheet-metal cutting. For several years, he led the development of very high power CO2 laser applications in welding and surface treating.