laser rust removal
laser rust removal

What is Laser Surface Treatment?

Laser surface treatment uses powerful laser beam thermal energy to modify the substrate of materials like steel, iron, copper, aluminum, and other highly reflective metals that are commonly used in manufacturing. Laser surface treatment depends on many process parameters, such as laser power, focal length, spot size, substrate density, and material type. It is important to select the appropriate combination of process parameters to obtain the best results.

Types of Laser Surface Treatments

  • Surface Roughing

  • Surface Conditioning

  • Surface Finishing

Why Use Lasers Over Other Methods

Selective precision. Laser blasting, unlike sandblasting and other abrasive techniques, is selective. This means it’s easy to focus on a small spot with surgical accuracy, and have no effect on the surrounding area.

No damage to the substrate. The removal of degraded or coated layers affects only a few microns and the materials absorb the radiation according to their color; making lasers a precise and specific process that can preserve base materials.

Elimination of environmental issues. Because the laser cleaning system does not require the use of chemicals or abrasive materials, there are no grinding fumes to breathe or contaminate the area; and no hazardous chemicals to dispose of.

Faster, more cost-efficient procedure. Laser cleaning systems provide the lowest operating cost of all industrial cleaning methods. Lasers are many times faster than the use of chemicals, lowering labor costs. Large material and disposal costs are eliminated because the laser leaves no waste or debris. Often returns on the investment can be seen in less than a year.

laser cleaning aluminum
laser surface preparation

Finding the Right Laser for You

Whether a laser is powered by 50 watts or 4 kilowatts, its power consumption by wattage is not the best indicator of the materials processing results it achieves. If that was the case, then there would be no difference between the 2-kilowatt laser cleaning handhelds we manufacture and those made by our competitors. However, not all lasers are created equally. The type of beam emitted by the laser source, the beam’s configuration settings for the specific application it is processing, and the overall efficiency of the system as a whole all impact a given laser cleaning system’s results as much as—if not more than—its power consumption.

Laser Blaster Matching Chart

By further expanding our line of laser material processing systems, Laser Photonics creates opportunities for all-sized businesses to take advantage of the most advanced, safe, and environmentally-friendly laser cleaning system equipment available.

cleantech laser cleaning systems

CleanTech™ handhelds are on the cutting edge of laser surface treatment technology. These handheld laser systems are ideal for cleaning rust and corrosion from all common metal surfaces like steel, iron, aluminum, and more. CleanTech™ handhelds are also ideal surface treatment solutions. Perfect for polishing welds, removing paint, or roughening surfaces before adhesion.

Visit our Handheld Laser Cleaning page to see the latest in cleaning, roughing, and finishing systems. Or visit our Test Lab to see our systems in action.

Laser Photonics Corporation

About Laser Photonics Corporation

Laser Photonics Corporation, based in Orlando, Florida, is the leading industrial company in high-tech laser systems for laser cleaning, laser marking, laser cutting, laser engraving, 3D printing, and other materials processing applications. Our systems are currently and historically, used by manufacturers in the aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, industrial, maritime, and medical industries around the world. The Laser Photonics brand is associated with a number of worldwide licenses and patents for innovative and unique laser products and technologies. Laser Photonics has, for over three decades, been the workhorse of industry-standard laser subtractive manufacturing. Laser Photonics systems have been implemented into the production and maintenance regimens of world-renowned organizations such as Sony, NIKE, 3M, Delphi, NNSY-Norfolk Naval Shipyard, NASA, Cannon Air Force Base, Eaton Aerospace, Blue Origin, GE, Caterpillar, Harley-Davidson, PPG, Eli Lilly, Smith & Nephew, Millipore, DuPont, Bosch, Gables Engineering, Champion Aerospace, Smith Aerospace, Metaldyne, and Heraeus.

Need A Laser? Let Us Help