History isn’t always kind to items like historical artifacts and heirlooms. They rust, oxidize, begin to break down, and cleaning them to remove harsh contaminants without impacting the substrate is challenging. Even seemingly tough, coarse objects such as stones and tablets come with obstacles. Media blasting cleaning methods are out of the question, as the method is too harsh to handle delicate restorations. But, other options like plasma cleaning leave a residue on the objects you’re attempting to clean and conserve. Fortunately, there is another method that is both tough on contaminants but safe for substrates: laser cleaning.
WHAT IS LASER CLEANING?
Laser cleaning — more commonly known as laser ablation — uses thousands of laser pulses per second to absorb contaminants and remove them from the foundation of your product(s) without damaging the substrate. With no additional waste and little to no risk when used properly, laser cleaning is an ideal solution for historical conservation and restoration. Plus, laser cleaning doesn’t degrade itself or your product — making it a cost-effective solution for cleaning metal and non-metals alike.
OPTIONS FOR LASER CLEANING
There is no one-size-fits-all solution — that’s why we provide three categories of lasers: low-, mid-, and high-powered. Each differs slightly in size, capability, and effect, but all laser solutions optimally perform when appropriately implemented.
When it comes to historic conservation and restoration, each category of laser is more ideal for different aspects of cleaning. The low-powered laser — for example — works best on small heirlooms and historical artifacts. It provides a gentle cleaning that’s still incredibly effective. Our mid-powered lasers offer laser cleaning for stones or tablets and are slightly larger, while our high-powered lasers provide a serious clean to preserve larger artifacts and historical buildings built with stone or metals.
RISKS OF USING THE WRONG LASER
Laser cleaning has little to no risk when used properly, but what happens if you use the wrong product? Since most historical artifacts, heirlooms, and other older pieces are fragile, using the wrong laser for the job can result in harming or damaging the item. And, if you have a metal piece of jewelry, then cleaning it with a laser may not have the expected aesthetic.
Even in the case of conserving buildings or national monuments, the cleaning results can be ineffective if using a lower-powered laser than needed. While using a high-powered laser won’t damage the substrate, there may be some contaminants that remain after treatment — resulting in ineffective results.
That’s why at Adapt Laser, we spend time getting to know your needs and products to ensure that our laser solutions — custom-built for your project — are the perfect solutions for your unique needs. We ensure that you never waste costs by using a laser that produces ineffective results. Plus, we’ll mitigate the risk of damaging or destroying your historical objects.
BENEFITS OF LASER CLEANING
Whether you’re cleaning a General’s lapel pin from the Civil War or preserving the structural integrity of your local municipality building, our laser solutions ensure a thorough clean without damaging the substrate. In addition to the effectiveness of laser cleaning, you can also expect:
- No additional cleanup
- No additional waste
- Safer working conditions — only need safety glasses and an optical hazard zone
- Lower maintenance costs
We’ve worked with companies like RJW-Gem Cambell Stonemasons Inc and CSI/Evergreene to conserve and restore hundreds of historical items — including valuable heirlooms, the US Capitol Building, and even the pyramids. While laser solutions are optimal for most historical conservation and restoration projects — especially when pertaining to stone — it does have its limitations. Other methods can more effectively clean important documentation and other paper or wooden artifacts.
WHATEVER YOUR NEEDS, ADAPT LASER HAS A SOLUTION FOR IT
Adapt Laser specializes in the know-how and application of laser cleaning solutions. We offer products with a range between 20 and 1,000 watts and provide training — including laser safety procedures, equipment operations and maintenance, and troubleshooting — to ensure your employees can get the most from their laser cleaning solutions. We’ve equipped a variety of industries and companies with laser cleaning solutions — including military and defense for the US Airforce and Navy — and hundreds of organizations trust our state-of-the-art laser cleaning solutions.
Contact us today or call (816) 466-5855 to find the right laser cleaning solution for you.