Laser Cleaning Technology: A New Breakthrough in The Precise Removal of Oxidized Layers on Complex Structural Surfaces

Laser cleaning technology is an advanced method that uses high-energy laser beams to remove surface contaminants. This technology has undergone significant development since its introduction in the 1980s. Initially, laser cleaning was mainly used in the industrial field to remove welding residues, oil stains, and oxide layers on metal surfaces. However, with the continuous advancement of laser technology, its advantages in cleaning efficiency, precision, and adaptability have gradually emerged, and it has gradually expanded to a wider range of applications, including cultural relics protection, aerospace, and electronic equipment.

Especially on the surfaces of complex structures, laser cleaning faces many challenges. These complex surfaces often have unique geometric shapes and diverse material properties. Traditional cleaning methods often find it difficult to effectively remove the oxide layer without causing damage to the substrate. Therefore, studying the application of laser cleaning on the surfaces of complex structures will not only help improve cleaning efficiency and quality, but also avoid material damage caused by insufficient technology, thereby reducing production costs and improving product quality. In-depth research in this field will also open up new possibilities for the future development of laser cleaning technology and promote its popularization and application in more industries.

1. Working principle of laser cleaning

The working principle of laser cleaning is to irradiate the target surface with a high-energy laser beam. The laser energy is absorbed by surface contaminants (such as oil, rust and oxide layer, etc.), causing its temperature to rise sharply. At this time, the contaminants undergo physical or chemical changes, and quickly evaporate or peel off to form gas and particles. These removed particles and gases can be effectively transported and removed by auxiliary means such as airflow or vacuum, thereby achieving efficient, precise and damage-free cleaning effects.

2. Main advantages of laser cleaning

● Environmental protection: Laser cleaning does not use chemical solvents or cleaning agents, thus avoiding the generation of harmful waste, reducing pollution to the environment, and meeting the requirements of green cleaning.

● Efficiency: The laser cleaning process is fast and can achieve cleaning effects in a short time, especially on large areas or surfaces with complex shapes, significantly improving production efficiency.

● Accuracy: This technology can accurately control the energy and irradiation time of the laser, and can effectively remove various pollutants without damaging the substrate. It is suitable for cleaning tiny details and complex structures.

● Customizability: The laser cleaning system can be flexibly adjusted according to different materials and pollutant types to meet personalized cleaning needs and provide targeted solutions.

● Safety: Compared with traditional cleaning methods, laser cleaning has lower risks during operation, does not involve the use of chemicals, and is safer during operation.

Laser cleaning technology has become an ideal cleaning method in more and more industries due to its significant advantages such as environmental protection, high efficiency, precision, customizability and safety. Click here for more information

1. Causes of oxide layer on metal surface

The oxide layer on metal surface is a substance formed by the reaction of metal with oxygen or other oxidants, and its main component is metal oxide. The main reasons for the formation of oxide layer include:

Natural oxidation: Metal reacts with oxygen in the air under normal conditions to form an oxide layer naturally. This process is affected by ambient temperature, humidity and oxygen concentration.

Electrochemical oxidation: In an environment with electrolytes, metals can be oxidized through electrochemical processes, which is common in corrosive environments. The passage of current through the metal surface promotes the occurrence of oxidation reactions.

Thermal oxidation: At high temperatures, metals react with oxygen to form an oxide layer, which is particularly common in high-temperature applications (such as engine parts).

The influence of pollutants: The presence of other elements or pollutants on the surface (such as moisture, salt or oil) may accelerate the oxidation process and form different types of oxide layers.

2. Effect of oxide layer on material properties

Physical property changes: The oxide layer usually changes the surface hardness, toughness and ductility of the metal, which may cause brittleness on the metal surface and reduce its mechanical properties.

Increased corrosivity: Certain types of oxide layers may be more sensitive to environmental factors (such as humidity, acidic media, etc.), leading to accelerated corrosion and thus shortening the service life of the material.

Decreased electrical and thermal conductivity: After the oxide layer is formed, the electrical and thermal conductivity of the metal may be significantly reduced, which is particularly important in electrical and electronic components with high electrical conductivity requirements.

Decreased surface adhesion: The oxide layer affects the adhesion of subsequent coatings or bonding materials, which may cause the coating to peel or fall off, affecting the surface treatment effect.

3. The necessity of removing the oxide layer and its impact on subsequent processing and surface treatment

Improving the welding performance of materials: Removing the oxide layer can improve the cleanliness of the metal surface, improve the fusion during welding, and ensure the quality and strength of welding.

Enhancing the adhesion of the coating in subsequent surface treatment: Removing the oxide layer helps the subsequent surface treatment processes such as painting and plating, ensuring uniform adhesion of the coating and avoiding peeling and falling off.

Improving machining accuracy: Before machining, removing the oxide layer can avoid material deformation and damage caused by insufficient interlayer strength during machining, ensuring higher machining accuracy.

Extended service life: By removing the oxide layer, further corrosion and degradation are prevented, thereby extending the service life and reliability of the material.

In summary, the formation, characteristics and impact of the oxide layer on the performance of metal materials is a complex process. In many applications, removing the oxide layer is a key step to ensure the effectiveness of subsequent processing and surface treatment. Click here for more information

Laser cleaning technology has undergone significant innovations in recent years, especially in terms of spot accuracy and the application of intelligent control systems. These technological advances make laser cleaning more efficient and precise. By using high-performance lasers and advanced optical components, the focusing ability of the spot is enhanced, resulting in higher cleaning accuracy. This means that when processing complex structure surfaces, the laser can more accurately target the target contaminated area, reduce the heat-affected area, and avoid damage to the substrate. In addition, the introduction of intelligent control systems enables the laser cleaning process to monitor in real time and automatically adjust parameters to adapt to different materials and types of contamination. This intelligent management method greatly improves work efficiency and reduces the risk of manual intervention.

Looking to the future, laser cleaning technology has broad application prospects in many fields. First, in the aerospace field, laser cleaning can efficiently remove oxides and contaminants on aircraft parts to ensure the performance and safety of the parts. Secondly, in the automotive manufacturing industry, laser cleaning will become a new standard in fine cleaning processes, especially for surface treatment before spraying to ensure the adhesion of powder coatings and paints. In addition, mold cleaning is also an important application field of laser technology. Traditional chemical cleaning methods often cannot completely remove the deposits on the mold, while the precision and non-destructiveness of laser cleaning can effectively improve the service life of the mold and product quality.

With the continuous development of laser technology and the expansion of its application scope, we can foresee that laser cleaning will also show great potential in other fields such as electronics, medical equipment and cultural relics protection. In the electronics industry, laser cleaning helps to clean miniaturized components to ensure their performance and reliability. In cultural relics protection, laser cleaning can effectively remove surface dirt without damaging the body of the cultural relics, becoming an important tool for cultural relics restoration technology. In summary, the development of laser cleaning technology will promote the cleaning process of various industries to a more efficient and safer direction. Click here for more information