What is laser cleaning?

The laser cleaning process utilizes light energy to peel off, vaporize, sublimate, or burn away unwanted waste material without causing harm to the underlying bulk material.

In most laser materials processing applications, a focused beam forms a relatively small spot on the target material. Laser cleaning is no exception despite typically being used over a relatively wide area. Laser cleaning uses a technique known as laser scanning, which rapidly directs or “scans” a laser beam along a path or across a wider zone. This means that the laser only interacts with targeted material for a fraction of a second at a time.

Safe: Laser cleaning has no need for abrasive materials or chemical solvents, reducing noise and eliminating exposure to dust and hazardous materials. Any vapors created during the cleaning process are easily removed with a fume extraction system.

Sustainable: As a media-free process, laser cleaning requires no material handling or disposal. Furthermore, laser systems consume less energy and dramatically reduce the CO2 emissions associated with transport and disposal of cleaning media and chemicals.

Cost-Effective: Requiring minimal material handling, floor space, energy, and maintenance, laser cleaning solutions are long-lasting and exceptionally cost-effective, particularly in the long term.

Non-Contact: Laser cleaning is a remote process. In other words, the source of the laser beam operates from several inches  or even feet away. This makes the process more flexible and avoids surface damage caused by abrasive methods.

Highly Selective: Lasers are extremely precise and can be fired with virtually perfect accuracy. As a result, lasers only clean the desired area regardless of size or shape. This eliminates additional steps like masking.

High-Speed: Laser cleaning is a high-speed process that can clean up to hundreds of square inches of material per second. Per hour, lasers can clean more than 10,000 square feet of material. Exact material removal rates depend on laser parameters and material  properties.