In a busy industrial workshop, Mr. Li is facing a thorny problem. The surface of a precision mechanical part is attached with oil stains that are difficult to remove. These pollutants not only affect the performance of the equipment, but also may cause hidden dangers to the subsequent production process. Traditional cleaning methods, such as chemical solvent immersion and mechanical brushing, are either inefficient or may damage the surface of the part, which makes Mr. Li feel helpless.
By chance, he learned about an innovative technology-laser cleaning, and decided to try this technology. I saw a small beam of laser gently sweeping across the surface of the part. After a few seconds, those stubborn stains magically disappeared, and the surface of the part returned to its original smoothness. This scene amazed Mr. Li and made him deeply appreciate the charm of laser cleaning technology.
What is laser cleaning
Laser cleaning is an advanced cleaning technology that uses a high-energy laser beam to irradiate the surface of an object, and quickly evaporates or peels off impurities, pollutants or coatings through optical and thermal effects.
The core component of laser cleaning equipment is a laser with large pulse energy, high average power and high peak power. As we all know, laser is a light source with high brightness, high consistency and high directionality, and pulsed laser can release a high-energy laser beam in a very short time, with high peak power and energy density.
Compared with continuous laser, pulsed laser can generate high temperature in an instant, but because the time is extremely short, the heat has no time to be transmitted to the surrounding materials, which greatly reduces the thermal effect of the laser on the substrate material. When the laser beam is irradiated to the surface to be cleaned, the laser energy is absorbed and produces a strong thermal effect on the contaminant in a very short time. This thermal effect causes the surface temperature of the contaminant or coating to rise, causing it to evaporate, decompose or peel off. At the same time, the high energy density of the pulsed laser allows it to directly penetrate certain materials without damaging the substrate surface, making the cleaning process more efficient.
Why laser cleaning is the general trend
Driven by the global industrialization wave and the in-depth implementation of environmental protection strategies such as "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality", laser cleaning, as a green and efficient cleaning method, is gradually being welcomed by the market and has become a major trend in the development of the global cleaning market. According to a report by market research company Mordor Intelligence, the global laser cleaning market is expected to reach US$780 million in 2024 and US$1.53 billion in 2029, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.61% between 2024 and 2029.
This trend is inseparable from the unique advantages of laser cleaning technology itself. Compared with traditional industrial cleaning methods, laser cleaning has the following advantages:
First, non-contact cleaning: laser cleaning does not require direct contact with the surface of the object, avoiding damage to the substrate caused by mechanical friction and chemical corrosion, and protecting the integrity and precision of the object:
Second, high efficiency and precision: the laser beam has high energy density and good directionality, can quickly heat and remove pollutants, has high cleaning efficiency and precise positioning:
Third, it is green and environmentally friendly: no chemical solvents and a large amount of water resources are needed during laser cleaning, which reduces environmental pollution and wastewater treatment costs, and meets the requirements of sustainable development:
Fourth, it has a wide range of applications: laser cleaning can process the surfaces of objects of various materials and shapes, including metals, non-metals, complex structural parts, etc., and has a wide range of applicability:
Fifth, it is easy to integrate with automation: laser cleaning equipment is easy to integrate with automation equipment such as robots to achieve automation and intelligent control of the cleaning process.
What are the typical application scenarios of laser cleaning?
At present, the application scenarios of laser cleaning in the industrial field are very wide. Its high efficiency, precision and environmental protection make it play an important role in many industrial links. The following are several typical application scenarios:
Surface treatment
Laser cleaning can efficiently remove pollutants such as oxides, oil stains and welding slag on the metal surface, improve surface cleanliness and subsequent processing quality. In terms of mold cleaning, it can quickly remove pollutants on the mold surface, restore the original state of the mold, and avoid the loss of mold precision that may be caused by traditional cleaning methods.
Car manufacturing
In the automobile manufacturing industry chain, laser cleaning can be used to clean oil stains and impurities on the surface of engine cylinders, crankshafts, connecting rods and other parts to improve assembly accuracy and performance. In addition, laser cleaning also plays an important role in local repair of car bodies and removal of stubborn stains.
Precision manufacturing
In the semiconductor manufacturing process, laser cleaning can be used to remove tiny particles and contaminants from the surface of wafers to improve the yield and reliability of products. For precision parts that require high-precision processing, laser cleaning can ensure thorough cleaning of the surface of parts and meet strict processing requirements.
Cultural relic protection
Laser cleaning can be used to clean oxides, dirt, etc. on the surface of metal cultural relics, restore the original appearance of cultural relics, and avoid damage to cultural relics. Laser cleaning can also provide effective solutions for dirt and mold on the surface of stone cultural relics.
