Understand How Laser Parameters Affect the Cleaning Process

In industrial manufacturing and maintenance, laser cleaning is gradually replacing traditional sandblasting, chemical solvents, and mechanical polishing as a more efficient, environmentally friendly, and precise surface treatment technology. Traditional cleaning methods often suffer from low efficiency, substrate damage, complex operations, and environmental concerns. Laser cleaning, however, has become a popular solution in the manufacturing industry due to its non-contact operation, high degree of automation, and strong controllability. Whether it’s large-scale laser rust removal, coating removal on complex components, or laser surface treatment before welding, efficient and stable results can be achieved through a well-designed laser process.

In particular, the advancement of pulsed laser cleaning technology allows users to more flexibly adjust parameters such as laser wavelength, pulse duration, and energy density to suit different materials and application requirements, achieving high-precision cleaning results while avoiding thermal damage to the substrate. This not only significantly improves cleaning quality and production efficiency but also reduces maintenance and operating costs, providing businesses with a more sustainable path to development.

Basic knowledge of laser cleaning

Laser cleaning is an advanced technology that irradiates a target surface with a high-energy laser beam. When the laser interacts with surface contamination or coatings, the contaminants absorb energy and rapidly heat up in a very short period of time, vaporizing, peeling off, or fragmenting, ultimately removing the contaminants. Because the laser energy delivery process is highly controllable, the treatment process is virtually harmless to the substrate.

Compared to traditional chemical cleaning, mechanical grinding, or sandblasting, pulsed laser cleaning offers numerous advantages: it is a non-contact cleaning method that avoids mechanical abrasion of the surface; its precise energy application ensures that only the contamination layer is removed without damaging the substrate; and the cleaning process does not require chemical reagents, reducing environmental pollution and subsequent processing costs.

Furthermore, laser cleaning is highly versatile and can be widely used in a variety of applications, including metal rust removal, coating removal, laser surface treatment before welding, cultural relic preservation, and microelectronic device cleaning. For example, laser rust removal can quickly remove oxide layers from steel surfaces. Organic materials and precision components can be efficiently cleaned without damaging the substrate using low-energy pulsed modes.

With the continuous advancement of laser technology, different types of laser generators (such as fiber laser generators and solid-state laser generators) and different parameter settings allow users to flexibly select the optimal solution based on specific application requirements. This makes laser cleaning not only an alternative to traditional processes but also a future-oriented green manufacturing solution.

Key laser parameters and their impact on cleaning

During laser cleaning, the key factors determining cleaning effectiveness include wavelength, pulse duration, energy density, spot size, and beam quality. Understanding and optimizing these parameters ensures efficient removal of contamination while avoiding unnecessary damage to the substrate.

ความยาวคลื่น

Laser wavelength is a fundamental physical property of the laser beam, and different materials absorb different wavelengths significantly differently. Metals generally absorb shorter wavelengths (such as 1064 nm fiber lasers) better, making them suitable for laser rust removal and pre-weld oxide removal. Organic materials and polymers, on the other hand, are more suited to UV or visible wavelengths due to their higher absorption and reduced thermal impact. The removal of coatings and paints is also closely related to wavelength selection. For applications requiring high selectivity, 532 nm or 355 nm lasers can be considered. Choosing the right wavelength can significantly improve the efficiency and stability of laser surface treatments.

ระยะเวลาของชีพจร

Pulse duration refers to the duration of a single laser pulse. Shorter pulses increase peak power and minimize thermal diffusion, effectively removing contaminants while minimizing thermal damage to the substrate. Nanosecond and microsecond pulses are suitable for most industrial cleaning applications, such as large-area rust removal and coating removal. Picosecond and femtosecond pulses, however, are more suitable for cleaning high-precision and sensitive materials due to their minimal thermal impact, but they come at the expense of higher equipment costs.

Energy density

Energy density, the distribution of laser energy per unit area, is one of the most critical process parameters in the cleaning process. If the energy density is too low, the contamination layer cannot be effectively removed; if it is too high, the substrate may melt or burn. It is usually necessary to find an optimal range close to the material’s ablation threshold to ensure cleaning efficiency while avoiding side effects. When removing rust or coatings with lasers, experimentally determining the appropriate energy density is a key step in ensuring process stability.

Spot size and beam quality

The spot size determines the coverage efficiency and precision of cleaning. Small spots are suitable for precise cleaning of fine areas, while large spots are more suitable for rapid cleaning of large areas. Furthermore, the better the beam quality and the more uniform the focus, the more stable and consistent the cleaning. In practical applications, it is also necessary to properly control the scanning speed and pulse overlap ratio to avoid streaks or missed scans and achieve uniform cleaning results.

In summary, wavelength determines material absorption efficiency, pulse duration affects thermal effects and precision, and energy density determines whether cleaning can be both efficient and safe. Spot size and beam quality balance efficiency and consistency. When applying laser cleaning technology, companies should comprehensively adjust these key parameters based on different materials and process requirements to achieve optimal cleaning results and production efficiency.

Parameter optimization for different materials and applications

Different materials have distinct physical and chemical properties. Therefore, laser cleaning parameters must be selected and optimized based on these characteristics. Indiscriminately applying the same laser parameters can lead to inefficient cleaning and even irreversible damage to the substrate. Below, we explore parameter optimization strategies for three application categories: metals, organic materials, and paints and coatings.

วัสดุโลหะ

Metal surface cleaning is one of the most widely used applications of laser cleaning, typically including laser rust removal, pre-weld oxide scale removal, and surface pretreatment.

Wavelength: Most metals absorb near-infrared wavelengths well, with 1064 nm fiber lasers becoming the near-standard choice. They not only guarantee high absorption rates but also offer stable and reliable industrial performance.

Pulse Duration: Short laser pulses (nanoseconds or microseconds) are recommended. This provides concentrated and precise energy, effectively removing oxides and rust while avoiding excessive heat transfer to the metal substrate, reducing the risk of surface melting and deformation.

Energy Density: Energy density should be controlled within a medium-to-high range to ensure rapid removal of rust or oxides while preserving the surface quality of the metal substrate.

Application Example: In laser rust removal of steel structures, 1064 nm nanosecond pulses with a medium-to-high energy density achieve uniform, controllable cleaning while maintaining efficiency.

organic materials

Organic materials (e.g., plastics, rubbers, composites) are generally more sensitive to heat and therefore require finer parameter control during cleaning.

Wavelength: Organic materials absorb UV wavelengths very well, so 355 nm UV lasers are often preferred. Compared to infrared wavelengths, UV laser energy is more readily absorbed by contaminants, reducing thermal diffusion and preserving the integrity of the material structure.

Pulse Duration: Ultrashort pulses (picosecond or even femtosecond) are recommended. Their extremely high peak power enables “cold peeling,” significantly reducing side effects such as carbonization and ablation, making them ideal for sensitive polymer materials.

Energy Density: Low to moderate levels are recommended. Excessive energy density can easily cause carbonization or surface blackening, damaging the appearance and performance of organic materials.

Application Example: When laser cleaning aerospace composite surfaces, UV picosecond lasers are used. They can remove oil and adhesive residue at low energy densities while maintaining the material’s mechanical properties.

Paints and coatings

Lasers also excel in removing paint and coatings and are widely used in industries such as shipping, rail transportation, automotive manufacturing, and aerospace.

Wavelength: Common choices are 1064 nm fiber lasers or 532 nm green lasers. The former offers high efficiency and is suitable for large-area coating removal; the latter performs better when higher selectivity is required, especially when the substrate is sensitive to infrared light.

Pulse Duration: Short pulses more effectively concentrate energy on the coating, promoting rapid removal without thermally damaging the underlying metal or composite material.

Energy Density: A medium range is typically selected to ensure rapid coating degradation while avoiding etching or melting the substrate, ensuring the integrity of the cleaned surface.

Application Example: In ship hull maintenance, using a 1064 nm laser to remove paint from large areas significantly improves work efficiency and reduces secondary contamination while maintaining the steel surface quality.

Different materials exhibit fundamental differences in their absorption and tolerance to lasers, so laser cleaning applications should be tailored to the specific material. Metals are suited to 1064 nm fiber lasers combined with short pulses and medium-to-high energy density for efficient rust and oxide layer removal. Organic materials require UV lasers combined with ultrashort pulses and low energy density to minimize thermal damage and carbonization. Paints and coatings can choose between 1064 nm and 532 nm, combining short pulses with medium energy density for both high efficiency and substrate protection. Appropriate parameter optimization not only improves cleaning efficiency and surface quality but also extends equipment life and reduces operating costs. This is key to enterprises’ application of pulsed laser cleaning and laser surface treatment technologies.

สรุป

Laser cleaning, a rapidly developing new surface treatment technology in recent years, is gradually replacing traditional sandblasting, chemical solvents, and mechanical polishing methods. It not only offers the advantages of high efficiency, precision, and environmental friendliness, but also meets the stringent cleaning quality requirements of various industrial scenarios. However, to truly maximize the value of laser cleaning, the key lies in the appropriate selection and optimization of process parameters. Wavelength determines the material’s absorption efficiency, pulse duration influences cleaning accuracy and thermal impact, energy density directly impacts cleaning efficiency and substrate protection, and spot size and beam quality determine treatment consistency and coverage. Only when these parameters are properly matched and balanced can high-quality, controllable, and stable cleaning results be achieved in a variety of applications, including pulsed laser cleaning, laser rust removal, and laser surface treatment.

In practical applications, companies often face diverse cleaning targets and complex working conditions, such as stubborn rust on steel surfaces, adhesive residue on aviation composites, contaminants on organic surfaces, and even large-scale paint and coating removal. Relying solely on single equipment parameters is insufficient; professional equipment configuration, process guidance, and long-term technical support are also required. As a manufacturer deeply rooted in the laser industry, แอคเทค เลเซอร์ remains customer-centric, committed to developing and providing high-performance เครื่องทำความสะอาดเลเซอร์ and customized solutions. Our equipment not only offers flexible parameter adjustments to meet the cleaning needs of diverse materials and applications, but is also rigorously optimized for stability, energy efficiency, and ease of use. Choosing us means companies can more easily achieve higher cleaning efficiency, lower maintenance costs, and more environmentally friendly production processes in real-world production, helping them maintain a leading edge in the fierce global competition.

อุปกรณ์เลเซอร์

ข้อมูลติดต่อ

รับโซลูชันเลเซอร์