Diverse processing solutions

Our high peak power
Pulsed fiber laser
Realizing high-definition and precise cleaning processing

Laser cleaning is a dry environment cleaning process that does not use solvents or water, does not require the treatment of secondary disposal materials, and unlike mechanical cutting, is a non-contact process, making it possible to clean without damaging the base material itself. It is beginning to be used in a wide application range of applications, including removal of paint and oxide layers prior to welding, rust removal from molds and component surfaces, cleaning and finishing processes, and removal of paint films and plating layers.

Brass surface cleaning example

Here is an example of surface cleaning of a brass model train. Normally, one would try to remove rust and fingerprints using a neutral detergent or cleanser, as well as cleaning products such as brushes and scrubbing pads, but it is not easy to remove dirt from finely molded areas. Surface cleaning using laser cleaning allows for uniform cleaning without scratching the finely molded areas. In the video, the laser irradiated and non-irradiated areas are distinguished and compared. As in the video of paint peeling from the bolt area, even the smallest uneven areas were quickly cleaned.

Introduction of dust collection nozzles

Laser cleaning can remove rust and paint, but depending on the material, it can generate a lot of dust. Large amounts of dust can have adverse effects on the human body. In addition, dust that adheres to the laser output port can reduce the removal ability and cause damage to the protective glass.

Conventionally, dust was collected by placing suction or exhaust equipment (dust collectors) near the irradiated material, but the generated dust scattered and was difficult to collect, resulting in issues with the dust scattering and remaining on the target material and its surroundings.

To address this issue, the dust collection nozzle introduced here makes it possible to collect dust without scattering it. This dust collection nozzle has a unique design that prevents the collected dust from adhering to the laser output port, so there is no decrease in removal capacity. It can also be attached to existing irradiation heads. Using the dust collection nozzle can solve the issue of dust processing and reduce running costs.

Surface cleaning that suppresses irradiation marks (removal of oil-based markings on the surface of SUS-based materials)

When dirt adheres to the surface of a material and is to be removed, there is usually a possibility that the surface of the material may be scratched. With laser cleaning, by adjusting the laser irradiation power, dirt can be cleaned without leaving irradiation marks on the metal surface.

Improved weldability through laser cleaning (galvanized steel sheet, 64 titanium
(Ti-6Al-4V)

In welding, reducing internal defects after welding contributes to improving the quality of the weld. Cleaning the material surface before welding is effective in reducing internal defects.

For zinc-plated steel sheets, which have excellent rust resistance and are used for automobile bodies, we compared weldability with and without the removal of the plating layer before welding. As a result, we were able to confirm that removing the plating layer with a laser reduced internal defects after welding.

In laser welding of galvanized steel sheets, there is a method to reduce internal defects by leaving a space (gap) between the sheets, but by cleaning with a laser, gap management and wire addition can be eliminated.

For 64 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), which has traditionally been considered difficult to weld, we compared weldability by cleaning the butt surfaces of the material. As a result, we found that laser cleaning was superior in reducing internal defects compared to acetone cleaning and applying a rust inhibitor.

In either case, application laser cleaning as pre-welding treatment enables welding with extremely few internal defects.

High beam quality laser enables stable, high quality processing even when done manually

There are various methods for removing paint, but power tools can be noisy. Blasting requires care as the blasting material scatters. Chemical removal is problematic because it is difficult to application to bolts and there have been many accidents. Using lasers solves these problems.
Furthermore, our lasers have a long Rayleigh length due to their high beam quality, which ensures stable processing quality. In addition, the small spot diameter enables precise irradiation even on uneven surfaces in minute areas such as bolts. In addition, non-contact processing with high peak power enables high-quality processing that removes only the paint film without damaging the coated object.