Laser cleaning is the removal of contamination and coatings with pulsed laser radiation. The contamination layer absorbs the energy and evaporates or flakes off, while the base metal hardly heats up when the mode is correctly selected. No abrasives, water or chemicals are needed; cleaning products are collected by an extraction system.
What it removes
- rust and corrosion products;
- mill scale and heat tint after welding;
- old paint and powder coatings;
- oils, greases, carbon deposits, process contamination.
Advantages and limitations
- non-contact and precise: individual areas can be cleaned without affecting adjacent ones;
- no abrasives or chemicals — less waste and site preparation;
- the base metal is not worn away;
- accessible surfaces only: the internal cavities of tubes and channels are not cleaned by laser.
Laser productivity is lower on large areas, so for large surfaces without water dry ice blasting is more often chosen. We select the method for the task.
Other methods
- Chemical flushing — dissolving deposits with chemicals circulated through the internal cavities of the equipment, followed by neutralisation and passivation of the metal; used where tools cannot reach.
- Hydrodynamic cleaning — breaking up deposits with a high-pressure water jet using high-pressure units, channel-cleaning hoses and special nozzles; for tubes, channels and vessels accessible to the nozzle.
- Mechanical cleaning — removal of dense and fully blocking deposits with manual and power tools; as a rule, requires disassembly or opening of the equipment.
- Dry ice blasting (cryoblasting) — gentle cleaning of accessible surfaces with solid carbon dioxide pellets, without chemicals, water or abrasives.
The applicability of a method to specific equipment is determined after inspection and agreed with the customer; methods are often combined. The methods used for each type of equipment are listed in its description on this page.
What we need for a quote
- what is to be cleaned: part, assembly, surface; material;
- type of contamination or coating;
- area or number of parts;
- photos and requirements for the result;
- preferred timing.
Frequently asked questions
Does the laser damage the metal?
The mode is selected so that the energy is absorbed by the contamination layer. With a correctly selected mode, the base metal is not worn away and hardly heats up.
How is laser cleaning better than sandblasting?
No abrasive, no abrasive dust or waste, and areas can be cleaned selectively. On large areas, sandblasting or water-abrasive blasting is faster.
What is needed for an assessment?
Photos of the surface, material, type of contamination and scope of work. Based on this data we will advise whether a laser is suitable or another method is better.