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Laser Cleaning
What is Laser Cleaning?
Careful optimization of laser parameters ensures that the process is executed without damaging the underlying surface. The non-contact nature of laser cleaning makes the process highly repeatable, minimizes the generation of toxic waste, and offers precise control over the treatments effects on the surface. Precise laser targeting enables virtually perfect control over the shape and size of the material removal area.
Advantages of Laser Cleaning
Easier, More Flexible Material Removal
Laser Cleaning Optimizes A Wide Variety of Applications
- Clean contaminants like rust, oil, and combustion deposits
- Strip coatings like paint, e-coat, ceramics and oxides
- Simplify mold maintenance by removing release agents and residuals
- Increase bonding by preparing surfaces for welding, bonding, painting, and coating
- Increase adhesion with pre-adhesive cleaning or surface texturing
- Increase coating life by pre-cleaning before applying part coatings
- Sterilize critical equipment in medical and food applications
What Industries Benefit From Laser Cleaning?
General Manufacturing
Laser ablation is an easier, faster method of surface preparation and removing a range of materials including coatings, paints, and surface contaminants like rust. A wide variety of industries benefit from the effectiveness of laser cleaning and surface preparation processes.
- Safer and more environmentally friendly than alternative methods
- No harm to underlying material
- Precise area targeting with no need for masking or additional setup
Aerospace Applications
Laser cleaning is an effective and established method for removing dirt, grime, and coatings from aircraft components like tubines and wheels. Compared to alternatives like grit blasting and acid wash, laser cleaning dramatically increases productivity and efficiency.
- Significantly higher process speeds
- Higher efficiency and reduced operating costs
- Less waste generated
Nuclear Decontamination
Laser cleaning is a highly effective method of decontaminating radioactive objects and surfaces that vaporizes pollutants before removing them via fume extraction. Laser nuclear decontamination is growing in popularity due to a variety of benefits.
- Capable of achieving a 100% decontamination factor
- No harm to underlying material
- Easy-to-handle process waste
Medical Device Sterilization
Laser cleaning is an effective method of sterilization for medical devices and surgical instruments, rapidly removing residues and contaminants.
- Full sterilization for critical medical instruments
- High process speeds
- No harm to underlying material
Food & Beverage Industry
Laser cleaning enables the food and beverage industry to effectively clean conveyor belts, packaging machinery, and other critical equipment to ensure hygienic production environments.
- Easy to integrate method of equipment sterilization
- Reduced waste handling requirements
- Flexible cleaning for a variety of equipment
Laser Cleaning: The Clear Choice
Laser Cleaning vs. Traditional Cleaning Methods
Abrasive blasting, while often effective, is noisy and requires costly collection and disposal of the blast media.
Fiber lasers require no consumables and provide a more flexible and controllable process.
Dry ice blasting avoids the problems of media disposal but is still noisy, expensive, and ineffective for some applications.
Laser cleaning is more easily controlled for small parts and offers lower operating costs.
Chemical cleaning is not easily applied to a selective area and requires costly solvent disposal.
Fiber laser cleaning offers simple selective targeting with no chemical disposal or part drying time required.
Thermal cleaning often requires excessive heat to function and can cause damage to the underlying substrate.
Fiber laser cleaning is dramatically faster, more energy efficient, and addresses a wider range of materials with reduced heat input.
Discover Your Laser Cleaning Solution​
IPG is a partner for every stage of production from research and development to full-scale manufacturing.
Our laser cleaning experts are ready to evaluate your application and offer a solution optimized for your requirements
Get an Application Evaluation