We are pleased to introduce Olivier Lafon, Synova’s Aerospace Business Unit Expert, based at our headquarters in Switzerland. With experience across Asia and Europe, and a background that combines engineering and business, he brings a valuable international perspective to the role.
You joined Synova SA at the start of 2025. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Olivier: ”Before joining Synova, I built my career in advanced manufacturing and high-value capital equipment, mainly serving industries such as aerospace, defense, nuclear, and research. Most recently, I was Head of Sales at Techmeta Engineering, where I was responsible for the global business development of electron beam welding machines. Before that, I held senior commercial roles in Asia with Georg Fischer Machining Solutions (EDM) and Tornos, managing a business unit across China and the broader APAC region. Altogether, these experiences gave me strong exposure to precision industrial technologies and demanding manufacturing environments, which naturally led me to Synova. Academically, I hold a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an Executive MBA from INSEAD and Tsinghua University.”
As Synova’s Aerospace Expert, could you tell us which materials and components are particularly well suited for the Laser MicroJet® technology, and why?
Olivier: “In aviation and defense, the Laser MicroJet (LMJ) is especially well suited to high-value, difficult-to-machine materials such as nickel-based superalloys, titanium alloys, inconels, hardened steels, and increasingly ceramic matrix composites. These materials are commonly used in critical components such as turbine blades, vanes, structural parts, and other demanding applications. A very good example is turbine blades and vane film cooling holes, where precision and metallurgical integrity are extremely important. Because the laser is guided by a water jet, the material is cooled continuously during machining, which helps reduce thermal damage, microcracks, and recast. That makes LMJ particularly relevant wherever reliability, part quality, and process consistency are critical.”
You’ve just highlighted materials such as nickel superalloys, titanium alloys, and CMCs as particularly relevant for aerospace applications. Looking at the market today, which materials or component types are seeing the strongest growth in demand?
Olivier: “The strongest growth today is clearly in advanced materials used in high-value, precision-critical applications. In aerospace and defense, that mainly means nickel superalloys, titanium alloys, and ceramic matrix composites, especially for lightweight, high-temperature, and performance-critical components. We also see strong demand in medical for materials such as titanium, cobalt-chrome, Nitinol, and advanced ceramics, particularly for implants, surgical instruments, and minimally invasive devices. In watchmaking, materials like sapphire, technical ceramics, silicon, and hardened steels are becoming more important, particularly for highly detailed parts and fine finishing. We also see continued demand in diamond, both natural and lab-grown, as well as in research and other high-tech industries working with specialty ceramics, semiconductors, and advanced crystalline materials.”
Given these trends toward more advanced materials and greater component complexity, what are the toughest manufacturing challenges aerospace suppliers are facing right now?
Olivier: “One of the biggest challenges is to machine increasingly demanding materials while maintaining consistency, productivity, and very high quality standards. Aerospace suppliers are not only dealing with tougher alloys and more complex part designs, but also with the need to meet extremely strict qualification and certification requirements. At the same time, they have to control costs, reduce scrap, and ensure repeatability at an industrial scale. So the challenge is no longer just technical performance, but also the ability to combine precision, efficiency, and reliability in a stable production environment.”
Given these challenges, could you share an example of a part where conventional methods tend to struggle, and explain what changes when using Synova’s process?
Olivier: “A good example would be a turbine blade with internal cooling channels. These are very challenging features, and conventional methods such as EDM or dry laser machining can struggle to access them without causing thermal damage or affecting the material’s microstructure. With Synova’s process, the situation changes significantly. It becomes possible to machine these hard alloys and composite materials with a high level of precision, while preserving material integrity, maintaining tight tolerances, and producing complex geometries much more efficiently.”
Looking beyond specific applications, do you notice different priorities between Europe and the US when it comes to aerospace materials?
Olivier: “From our experience with major aircraft engine manufacturers and their subcontractors, we do see some differences between Europe and the US. In Europe, there is often a stronger focus on lightweighting, energy efficiency, and regulatory compliance, with particularly stringent certification requirements and strong interest in advanced materials such as titanium and CMCs. In the US, the emphasis tends to be more on production speed, supply chain resilience, and cost efficiency, while still maintaining very high safety and performance standards. These differences naturally influence material choices, machining strategies, and the pace at which new technologies are adopted.”
