Tech
Photo of author

What is Laser Rust Removal? How Does it Work?

Rust is a serious problem that can damage equipment and reduce its efficiency. If rust gets bad enough, it can actually cause the structure to collapse completely. Do you have rusted equipment and want to clean them? 

Rust can be cleaned in many traditional ways, such as sanding, chemical treatment, sandblasting, and dry ice blasting. These methods are not efficient enough. Laser rust removal is a modern technique used to clean metal parts quickly.

What is Laser Rust Removal?

Laser rust removal is an effective way of cleaning rusted metal parts. It is a safe and fast way to clean your equipment without causing any harm to the metal. Laser rust removal is an excellent alternative to chemical and manual cleaning methods. It is a more precise technique with reduced environmental effects. 

How does Laser Rust Removal Work?

A laser rust removal sends a large number of laser light pulses per second. The rust particles absorb the laser light. The laser light interacts with particles and converts them into gas or vapors, causing the particles to leave the metal surface. 

Laser Rust removal is based on the fact that every material absorbs different wavelengths of light at different rates. According to the difference between metal and rust’s ability to absorb light, we can tune our laser cleaner to remove only unwanted contaminants. By tuning laser dust removal to remove the layer of contaminants only, the light will be reflected by the metal surface resulting in zero damage. 

Why Use Laser Rust Removal Over Other Removal Methods?

Traditional rust removal methods are time-consuming and require more effort to get desired results. On the other hand, laser rust removal is a quick way to clean rusted metals. It is an automatic tool with low maintenance and operational cost. Some of the key benefits of laser rust removal over other methods are the following:

  • Easy to operate
  • A highly efficient way to remove rust
  • An environment-friendly technique
  • Chemical free process
  • No solvents while laser rust cleaning
  • No contamination isolation and disposal issues
  • Allows to clean only selective area
  • Reduced running and labor cost
  • No damage to the substrate
  • Quick and cost-efficient method

Applications of Laser Rust Removal

Laser rust removal is widely used for various purposes. Some of the most common applications are as follows.

Pre-Welding Cleaning

Any metal being welded must be clean and rust-free. Laser rust removal is a great way to make metal surfaces ready for welding. As a result, welds have a higher strength, yield power and ductility. 

Pre-Coating Treatment

The coating is a technique used to save metals from rust. Paint is the most commonly used coating material. A laser rust removal ensures that the metal surface is clean enough to adhere paint preventing corrosion. 

Components Maintenance and Reconditioning

Laser rust removal can be used to clean and maintain our daily life equipment parts. For instance, it can be used to remove scaling from engines, generators, gear shifting components, fuel pumps, water separators etc. 

Conclusion

The trend of cleaning and rust removal using laser technology is growing rapidly. Quality laser rust removal can help you to overcome rust and other cleaning problems. By selecting a specific material to be removed, lasers offer fast and precise rust removal solutions. To prevent substrate material from any damage, pulse frequency, fluence, and laser light wavelength must be chosen precisely.

Leave a Comment