Laser Cleaning is More Than Simple Descaling

Some people think that laser cleaning does not belong to laser processing technology. The reason is that it does not change the material of the workpiece. It just cleans the rust, stains, dust, etc. on the surface. It is a simple surface cleaning process; others think, Laser cleaning is the same as laser cutting, marking, welding, drilling and other processes. They all use high-energy laser beams for processing to improve the appearance, performance or other uses of the workpiece.

In fact, laser cleaning is not as simple as surface irradiation-removal. On the contrary, because the material of the workpiece, the material to be cleaned, and the thickness are different, many factors such as laser power and energy need to be considered, which is relatively complicated. However, because the scope of laser cleaning is very wide, there is much research behind it.

As early as ten years ago, my country successfully applied laser cleaning technology. In 2010, China developed laser cleaning equipment and successfully applied it to the restoration of cultural relics. Subsequently, China's research on laser cleaning technology gradually increased, but it has not been promoted. Until about 2017, many industries such as automobiles, molds, home appliances, electronics manufacturing, spraying, and metal products began to use this magical cleaning technology.

According to a market research report of an institution, in 2018, the global laser cleaning market was valued at 589 million U.S. dollars, and many of these applications belong to the pillar industries of the national economy. It is expected to reach US$724 million by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.22% between 2018 and 2023. As environmental protection requirements become increasingly strict, laser cleaning, which has great environmental advantages over traditional cleaning technologies, will continue to be popularized and applied. Moreover, laser cleaning technology not only brings considerable production benefits to enterprises, but also promotes the development of laser heads, laser chillers and other supporting equipment. The research is of great significance.