Laser Cleaning can be used not only to clean organic contaminants but also to clean inorganic materials, including metal rust, metal particles, dust, etc. Here are some practical applications. These technologies are very mature and have been widely used.
1. Cleaning of the mold:
Every year, tire manufacturers around the world manufacture hundreds of millions of tires. The cleaning of tire molds must be fast and reliable during production to save time. Conventional cleaning methods include sandblasting, ultrasonic or carbon dioxide cleaning, but these methods usually have to be cooled in a hot mold for several hours, then moved to a cleaning device for cleaning, which takes a long time to clean and easily impairs the accuracy of the mold. Chemical solvents and noise can also cause safety and environmental issues. Laser cleaning method, because the laser can be transmitted by optical fiber, it is very flexible in use; since the laser cleaning method can use optical fiber connection to clean the light guide to the dead corner of the mold or the portion that is not easy to be cleaned, it is convenient to use; No gasification, so it will not produce toxic gases, affecting the safety of the working environment. The technology of laser cleaning tire molds has been widely used in the tire industry in Europe and the United States. Although the initial investment cost is high, the benefits obtained by saving standby time, avoiding mold damage, working safety and saving raw materials can be quickly recovered. The anti-adhesive elastic film layer on the food industry mold needs to be replaced regularly to ensure hygiene, and laser cleaning without chemical reagents is also particularly suitable for this application.
2. Cleaning of weapons and equipment:
Laser cleaning technology is widely used in weapon maintenance. The laser cleaning system can remove rust and pollutants efficiently and quickly, and can select the cleaning parts to realize the automation of cleaning. Laser cleaning is not only more clean than chemical cleaning, but also has no damage to the surface of the object. RUNQIA’s LASERCLEAN can also form a dense oxide protective film or metal molten layer on the surface of metal objects by setting different parameters to improve surface strength and corrosion resistance. The laser-cleared waste does not substantially pollute the environment, and can also be operated remotely, effectively reducing the health damage to the operator.
3. Removal of old paint from aircraft:
Laser cleaning systems in Europe have long been used in the aerospace industry. The surface of the aircraft must be repainted after a certain period of time, but the original old paint must be completely removed before painting. The traditional mechanical paint removal method is easy to cause damage to the metal surface of the aircraft, posing a hidden danger to safe flight. If multiple laser cleaning systems are used, the paint on the surface of an A320 Airbus can be completely removed within two days without damaging the metal surface.
4. Cleaning of the exterior wall of the building:
With the rapid development of China’s economy, more and more skyscrapers have been built, and the cleaning problem of the exterior walls of the building has become increasingly prominent. The LASERCLEAN laser cleaning system provides a good cleaning of the exterior walls of buildings through fiber optics up to 70 meters long. The solution can effectively clean all kinds of pollutants on various stone, metal and glass, and it is many times more efficient than conventional cleaning. It can also remove black spots and stains on various stone materials in buildings. LASERCLEAN laser cleaning system in the cleaning test of buildings and stone monuments shows that the use of laser cleaning to restore the appearance of ancient buildings is very good.
5. Cleaning in the electronics industry:
The electronics industry uses lasers to remove oxides: the electronics industry requires high-precision decontamination, making it ideal for laser deoxidation. Before the board is soldered, the component pins must be completely de-oxidized to ensure optimal electrical contact, and the pins must not be damaged during the decontamination process. Laser cleaning meets the requirements of use and is highly efficient, requiring only one laser to be applied to one pin.
6. Precision deesterification cleaning in the precision machinery industry:
The precision machinery industry often needs to remove the esters and mineral oils used to lubricate and resist corrosion on the parts, usually by chemical methods, while chemical cleaning often has residues. Laser deesterification removes esters and mineral oil completely without damaging the surface of the part. The removal of contaminants is done by shock waves, and the thin gas layer of the surface of the part is explosively vaporized to form a shock wave, which leads to the removal of dirt rather than mechanical interaction. The material is completely de-esterified for the cleaning of mechanical parts in the aerospace industry. Oil ester removal in mechanical part processing can also be done by laser cleaning.
7. Cleaning of pipelines in nuclear power plant reactors:
The laser cleaning system is also used for cleaning pipelines in nuclear power plant reactors. It uses optical fiber to introduce high-power laser beam into the reactor to directly remove radioactive dust, and the cleaned material is easy to clean. And because it is operated remotely, it can ensure the safety of the staff. In summary, laser cleaning plays an important role in many fields, and in automotive manufacturing, semiconductor wafer cleaning, precision parts processing, military equipment cleaning, building exterior cleaning, heritage protection, circuit board cleaning, precision parts. Processing, manufacturing of liquid crystal displays, and removal of chewing gum can play an important role.