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LASER CLEANING Versus SHOT BLASTING - LASER CLEANING Versus SAND BLASTING

Blasting, sand-blasting, shot peeing, shot blasting

In particle/SHOT blasting, a blasting medium is accelerated and “shot” at the surface. The mechanical impact mechanically removes the surface layers and dirt. Depending on the blasting material (from baking powder to steel shot), more or less abrasive removal and damage to the base material is possible.
The process can be installed quite easily and with a moderate investment volume and is very flexible. In addition to the disadvantage of surface roughening (which can also be an advantage depending on the application), particle blasting also has some basic disadvantages:

  • High energy consumption costs (especially with compressed air blasting)
  • No partial application possible, blasting medium can penetrate into critical component areas
  • Depending on the technology, mixing of the blasting medium with the ablated layer leads to high waste quantities.
  • High wear on blasting nozzles and blasting devices
  • High noise and dust exposure requires sound insulation cabins

Abrasive Blasting vs Fiber Laser Cleaning

While the cleaning is easy and effective, the big cost lies in the collection and disposal of the blast media, which often has to be separated from the paint debris, which has its own treatment issues. 
Fiber lasers eliminate the blast media problem. They provide a more controlled process that does not accidentally damage a surface through excessive removal, and can also be used on thin and composite materials that would be damaged by the particle impact. Fiber laser cleaning is always consistent, independent of operator effects, and can scale to suit the job size by selection of the laser power.

Laser Cleaning - Versus - Shot and Sand blasting

Laser Cleaning

Cost Effective Shot- and sand Blasting Alternative

Laser Cleaning is a cost effective and environmentally friendly technology (no masking, no chemicals, no abrasive consumables, no blast cabinets, no grinding wheels, no noise, no dry ice blasting, and best of all – no mess to clean up afterwards!) for the removal of rust, paint, adhesives, mould release agents and post-weld cleaning (those nasty brown “tea -stains” oxidation marks from any and all types of alloy metal surfaces.