Principle of operation, selection rules, laser cost for rust removal

The main problem with all metal coatings is rust. It not only impairs the appearance of the product, but also destroys it.

Therefore, corrosion must be removed immediately after its appearance, without wasting time and without waiting for its spread. Rust can be dealt with with a laser.

Read about how to apply this modern method in practice, as well as when and for what devices a laser can be used to remove rust, read the article.

Laser cleaner - what is this device?

To remove corrosion from metal, you need to get a special laser device. It is he who is the source of the luminous flux of a certain power.

The installation is based on 3 elements:

• source of power;
• laser head;
• video surveillance device.

These modules are connected to each other by fiber optic cable.

Low-power devices are used for personal needs.... In garages and small businesses, medium-power devices are used. They look like compressors. Also on sale you can find massive stationary installations. They are used exclusively in large enterprises.

How does the remover work?

The principle of laser operation is quite simple. The device, emitting a luminous flux, acts on the metal. If the surface of the product is clean, then it simply reflects it. On the other hand, areas covered with rust absorb these rays.

As a result of the accumulation of excess energy, oxides begin to slough off and move away from the base. Under the influence of powerful laser radiation, corrosion melts and evaporates.

High cleaning efficiency is achieved not only due to exposure to high temperatures on the metal surface, but also due to shock loading. With the help of a laser, you can equally well clean not only smooth but also corrugated products.

Scope of the device

Lasers for removing rust and scale are used in three areas, which can be divided into the following groups:

1. Micro-processing. It involves stripping terminals, connectors and wires from scale.The light beam removes a layer up to 1 micron thick.

   In other ways, the sweep simply cannot be carried out. The main field of application for laser metal micromachining is electronics.

2. Macro processing. This method involves cleaning larger parts such as jewelry, coins and other valuable items.

   Although the units are not cheap, they fully justify their cost. It is laser macro-processing of rust that is used to clean car parts. Therefore, such devices can be found in many service workshops.

3. Large-scale processing... In this case, we are talking about the cleaning of large objects, for example, parts of aircraft or missiles. In these areas, the laser beam has been used for over 40 years.

What devices are used?

Automated devices are used to remove rust. They perform their function almost independently. A minimal effort is required from a person. Distinguish devices by type of design, power and control features.

Types of lasers, depending on their power:

1. 12 to 20 W... These are low power units that are powered by a battery.
2. 100 to 400 W... These are compact, portable systems used to remove oxides from medium-sized products.
3. Up to 1000 W... These are powerful devices that are most often stationary. The working capacity of such lasers reaches 100,000 hours.

   Only after this time the head may need to be replaced. After installing a new part, the device can be operated further.

For personal needs and for small businesses, portable installations are most often purchased, which are compact in size and are manually operated.

One of the most convenient models is the laser backpack... It is small in size and light in weight, so that a person gets the opportunity to quickly and without any inconvenience handle large and small objects. Such devices are applicable both in production conditions and outside it.

When a high power laser is required, it is better to purchase a rack with an integrated air filtration system.

Overview of the laser backpack in the video:

Which to choose?

When buying a laser, you need to build on the tasks that will be solved with its help. General recommendations:

1. Low-power lasers are purchased for micromachining. With their help, you can strip wires, remove oxides from terminals and microcircuits. Such devices are in demand among electronics repairmen.
2. Medium power lasers are the most popular devices. They are bought by the owners of garages who clean bodies. With their help, not only rust is removed, but also paintwork.
3. Large factories and enterprises purchase powerful lasers.

For personal use, you should look at inexpensive Chinese lasers. They are in demand on the market and are cheaper than their European counterparts. The average operating time of the device without changing the head is 50,000 hours.

Before buying, you need to pay attention to the weight of the installation and its dimensions.

How to use it correctly?

Using a laser to remove rust is easy. Processing technology involves going through the following steps:

• the installation is started up;
• scan the surface, determining the depth of rust;
• direct the light beam to the surface to be cleaned;
• hold the laser beam source in the desired position until the desired result is achieved;
• Ablation depth control allows selective removal of corrosion of different thickness.

Is it possible to do it yourself?

It is impossible to make a laser to remove rust from metal with your own hands.

Only factories specializing in this direction can assemble an installation that will scan the thickness of corrosion, and then safely clean it off.

You can try to assemble the device yourself if you have all the necessary components... You will have to order and buy them in a store or subscribe from abroad. This is a rather laborious process, so it is much easier to buy a ready-made installation.

Where to buy, what is the price?

You can buy a rust remover laser online. Depending on the country of production, the order is made either directly from the manufacturer or through specialized services.

The price of the equipment varies widely... It depends on the power of the device, features of its functioning, scope and accessories.

You can try to save money and purchase an installation that was previously in operation, but there are no guarantees of its correct operation. The price of used lasers starts from 60,000 rubles.

If it's broken, how to fix it?

Laser systems should be repaired by professionals... You should not try to cope with the breakdown yourself, even if you have knowledge in the field of electronics.

Finding a specialist is not difficult. It is enough to enter the corresponding query into the search bar of any browser.

If there are no parts in the workshop that need replacement, they must be ordered. In this case, you will have to wait for delivery, and also pay additional shipping costs.

Conclusion

When deciding on the choice, you need to clearly understand for what purposes the laser will be used. The larger the amount of work to be done, the more powerful the device should be.

Today, it is the laser equipment that allows you to quickly and carefully clean metal from rust without fear of damage to parts.