The aerospace industry has long battled corrosion in metal components, equipment, and infrastructure at great expense in myriad applications ranging from the production line to the flight line, to the MRO hangar. However, traditional methods of removing aerospace corrosion can be messy, laborious, time consuming, and can even pose serious health hazards.
Today, one of the easiest to use and most effective alternatives in the war against corrosion is the increasingly important category of industrial-grade, clean technology lasers. With this approach, precision laser-based systems are used to target and remove corrosion, contaminants, paint, and residues with a high-energy laser beam that leaves the substrate unaffected. Preparation and cleanup time are minimal, and the low-maintenance equipment can last decades. The technology minimizes operator exposure to potential environmental health hazards. In addition, no consumables are necessary.
Targeting Corrosion
In the aerospace industry, it is necessary to remove corrosion, residue, oil, grease, or paint before coating a component, production equipment, or infrastructure to improve coating adhesion.
Toward this end, laser-based systems have significant advantages over traditional methods, starting with ease of use.
“With laser-based systems, an operator simply points and clicks a high-energy laser beam at the surface. The substrate is not affected by the laser, and the systems do not create any mess or byproducts. The approach is eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and completes the job in approximately half the time of traditional methods when preparation and cleanup are considered,” says Wayne Tupuola, CEO, Orlando, Florida-based Laser Photonics, a leading provider of patented industrial grade CleanTech® lasers for cleaning and surface conditioning. The company’s systems function either as mobile standalone units or can be integrated into production lines.
Some Benefits of Laser-Based Systems:
Can streamline manufacturing processes, remove rust from various components
Can refurbish aerospace production equipment or infrastructure
Can remove a previous coating and corrosion to facilitate new coating adhesion
Can be used for pre-weld treatment to remove corrosion, mill scale, residue, and any impurities on base material that would compromise weld effectiveness
Can be used for post-weld cleaning to increase the life expectancy and corrosion resistance of a welded joint
Can be used for post-weld cleaning of stainless steel to remove “heat tint”
Available in portable and stationary models ranging from 50 to 3,000-watts
Can be installed in manufacturing lines in cabinets or operated by a robotic arm
For more information on laser cleaning solutions for surface preparation, contact Laser Photonics at (407) 804-1000 or visit www.laserphotonics.com.