Laser cleaning is a powerful and versatile technology that has revolutionized the way we approach cleaning in a variety of industries. With its ability to remove rust, dirt, and other contaminants from a wide range of surfaces, laser cleaning is a game-changer for manufacturing, healthcare, and even art restoration.

At its core, laser cleaning works by directing a high-powered laser beam at the surface to be cleaned. The beam vaporizes the dirt and contaminants, leaving behind a spotless and like-new surface. The depth of material removal can be order of microns or less. Because it’s a non-contact cleaning process there’s little risk of damage to the underlying material, making it a safe and efficient alternative to traditional cleaning methods.

One of the key advantages of laser cleaning is its versatility. Whether you’re working with metals, plastics, or delicate historical artifacts, laser cleaning can handle it all. And because it’s a dry cleaning process, there’s no need for water or harsh chemicals, making it an eco-friendly option that produces minimal waste.

Another great benefit of laser cleaning is its speed and efficiency. Traditional cleaning methods can be time-consuming and require significant manual labor, but laser cleaning can handle large areas in a fraction of the time. Plus, because it’s a dry process, there’s no downtime required for drying or cleanup, which means businesses can get back to work quickly and efficiently.

As an engineer, it’s easy to see why laser cleaning is such an exciting technology. With its precision, versatility, and efficiency, laser cleaning has the power to transform the way we approach cleaning in a variety of industries. So whether you’re a manufacturer looking to improve your product quality or a museum curator looking to restore historical artifacts, consider laser cleaning as your go-to solution for achieving a spotless and like-new finish.

Laser welding is a process that uses a highly focused laser beam to melt and join together two or more metal pieces. During the process, the laser beam heats the metal to a molten state, which then cools and solidifies, creating a strong and durable bond.

The very high-power and tight focus of the laser beam actually creates a narrow, deep channel or “keyhole” in the metal where the metal material is vaporized (turned into a gas or plasma). The vapor keyhole is surrounded by a liquid pool. The tighly focused beam and narroy keyhole results in a very small heat affected zone (HAZ) is the area surrounding the weld. The HAZ is an area where the metal has been subjected to high temperatures but has not melted. This zone can be weakened and cause structural issues if it is too large. However, since the keyhole process creates a deep, narrow channel, there is less heat transferred to the surrounding metal, resulting in a smaller HAZ, while still penetrating deep into the work material for very strong bonds.

The video above also showcases a galvo scanning laser. A galvo scanning laser uses a set of galvo scanning reflectors to stear the laser beam. This galvo stearing mechanism allows the beam to move rapidly across the work part for high productivity while still retaining ultra high precision, creating welds with tolerances as small as a few microns, making it ideal for creating complex parts and components with intricate geometries.

Laser drilling is a critical process in modern manufacturing, enabling the creation of small, precise holes in a variety of materials. Unlike traditional drilling methods, which can be slow and imprecise, laser drilling offers unparalleled precision and speed, making it an essential tool in industries like aerospace, automotive, and electronics.

At its core, laser drilling works by using a high-energy laser to create a small hole in a material. The laser is focused on the material, causing it to heat up and melt, and then vaporize, creating a hole that is often less than a millimeter in diameter. The process can be repeated multiple times to create complex patterns of holes, allowing for the creation of intricate components with exacting tolerances.

One of the key advantages of laser drilling is its ability to work with a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, ceramics, and composites. This makes it an essential tool in industries that require precise, high-quality components, like aerospace and automotive. In addition to its versatility, laser drilling offers other advantages over traditional drilling methods, including faster processing times, higher accuracy, and the ability to create holes in materials that are difficult or impossible to drill using other methods. As a result, laser drilling has become an essential tool in modern manufacturing, enabling the creation of everything from jet engine components to high-tech medical devices.

The video above demonstrates the impressive speed and precision of laser drilling, as the laser quickly and accurately creates holes in this metal. This laser is a pulsed high power laser that uses repeated pulses, hundreds per second, to vaporize and remove the metal. This process is used to make parts for many different fields ranging from kitchen supplies like filters and collanders to combustor cooling liners for jet engines.