Laser Cleaning an Automated Steel Control Arm

Carbon steel looks scabby with outdoor rust before work starts. Afterward the operator has bare iron that is still sound, without a pit track.

Iron arrives under rust and mill scale that hide the face. After the pass those films are gone and the metal is bare, not abrasive-blasted or pitted.

Tool steel dies look filmed and oxidized before work starts. Afterward the operator has a still-hard working land without a blue temper stain.

Cast iron arrives under rust and foundry scale. After the pass those films are gone and the graphite stays in the metal, not blasted out of the face.

Stainless steel looks straw-tinted and filmed before work starts. Afterward the operator has a bright chromium face without a burn track.

Alumina arrives filmed with process residue and handling soil. After the pass that film is gone and the hard ceramic is not pitted or glazed.

Aluminosilicate cover glass arrives filmed with soil and fingerprints. After the pass those films are gone and the pane stays clear, not starred or marked.

Aluminum bronze starts dull from marine growth. After a stopped pass the growth is gone and the metal looks protected, not scraped raw.

Aluminum starts dull under oxide that takes the first energy. After a stopped pass, that film is gone and the metal is not pitted.

Bronze statues look green and crusty at the start. A stopped pass leaves the intended hue, not a raw wound where the crust once sat.

Concrete slabs arrive marked with coatings, tire rubber, and graffiti. After the pass those marks are gone and the face is not hammered or etched.

Copper looks brown and dirty before a stopped pass. Afterward the piece shines and the dirt is gone, without ripples or a wrinkle.

Plaster interiors arrive under soot and paint on a soft face. After the pass the laser leaves that finish sound, not crumbled away.

Silicon carbide parts look caked before anyone fires. Afterward the operator has a still-smooth ceramic land without frost or pits.

Titanium Alloy looks straw-tinted and filmed before work starts. Afterward the operator has bare Grade 5 stock without a burn or new color.

Titanium carbide tips look wet with shop film before work starts. Afterward the operator has a still-keen land without a mark on the cutting edge.

Titanium looks cloudy under its first skin before work starts. Afterward the operator has bright commercially-pure stock without a blue stain.

Tungsten carbide tips look wet with shop film before work starts. Afterward the operator has a still-keen edge without the binder washing away.

Automotive EV joins looked filmed and dull before the station fired. Once the head finished, the metal showed through so the bead could wet out.

Weld prep lands looked dull and dirty before anyone struck a bead. Once the head finished, the metal showed through and the next bead could start.

Rust sat as a flaky orange crust on damp field plate. Once the head finished, the metal showed through and a fresh coat could go on.

Battery busbar faces looked dull and filmed before joining. Once the head finished, the land showed through so amps could move across.

Food processing lines looked gummy and streaked on the metal. Once the head finished, that metal showed through so wash crews could take over.

Hot runner steel looked burnt and streaked between grades. Once the head finished, the melt path showed through and the next grade could run.

Industrial food rooms looked sticky on metal a closed circuit never reached. Once the head finished, the metal showed through and the next shift could go.

Food industry rooms looked sticky and filmed on the metal that sees product. Once the head finished, that metal showed through and the shift could start.

Paint and coating sit on steel and aluminum as a thick film. After the pass that film is off and the metal is ready to inspect or recoat.

Semiconductor cleanroom tools looked filmed and dusty before return. Once the head finished, the metal showed through and no blast media sat on the land.