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Laser Application Testing

01/10/2020
Laser Cleaning

Laser cleaning — also known as laser ablation — removes contaminants from your products to help extend their lifespans, prepare them for bonding or welding, and eliminate hazardous materials. While laser solutions have a variety of uses, finding the right laser for your needs can be tricky. Do you need low-, mid-, or high-powered solutions? What does it take to clean your product? Is laser cleaning even the right solution for your product? The answer to these questions and more begins with testing in our on-site laser application lab.

5 QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE IF LASER CLEANING IS RIGHT FOR YOU

Before getting started, you should ask yourself a few questions to help determine if laser ablation is right for your business and product. While these questions are intended to streamline the process, the only true way to determine which laser solution is right for your needs is to talk to our sales team. Think about the answers to these questions:

What type of contaminants and how thick are they on your product?
What does the product look like, and how much truly needs cleaning?
What are the requirements for cleaning?
What is the current process, and how much does it cost the facility, operators, or environment?
What are the necessary payback period and return on investment for a switch in production?

WHAT IS ADAPT LASER’S APPLICATION TESTING LAB?

Our multi-million dollar lab — located in the heart of Kansas City — conducts extensive laser testing and leverages the specialized know-how to determine the best laser option for your needs. You’ll send your product to our on-site lab, and we’ll run tests to determine which laser power you need, what optics are required, and whether or not our laser solutions are ideal for your use — from an operational and technical standpoint.

In addition to application testing in our lab, we can conduct testing at your place of business. Testing at your location is not always suitable or possible. That’s because there are several variants that are required when testing your product, and your space may not be viable. You will need to talk to our sales team about this option.

IS LASER CLEANING SAFE?

Unlike media blasting options — which require fully-protective suits to avoid injury — laser ablation only requires training, protective eyewear, and a designated hazard zone to protect individuals without eyewear from the laser. This makes it one of the safer cleaning options. But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks.

To ensure your operators and employees are safe, you’ll first need to understand the safety basics. This involves not only wearing protective eyewear but also understanding the requirements when it comes to designated hazard zones. In some cases, your laser solution may include a safety enclosure. When using an enclosure, you won’t be required to wear protective eyewear. To ensure you’re using your solution safely and correctly, we provide extensive training before you ever operate your laser.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW MUCH DO LASERS COST?

Low-powered lasers start at $100,000 while high-powered lasers start at around $500,000 — the necessary laser is largely based on the operation and application, not on the quality of laser cleaning. By utilizing extensive knowledge, technology, and integration, our lasers are built to order by our CleanLASER partner and tailored to our customers’ specific solution needs. All of our laser systems are assembled for the purposes of cleaning — with our laser sources being designed and built with the efficiency and quality needed to provide a lifetime of laser cleaning.

WHAT ARE THE OPERATING COSTS?

All of our laser systems operate at less than one dollar. This price accounts for electricity and consumables. For a full price breakdown, contact our sales team.

WHAT IS LASER MAINTENANCE LIKE?

Your laser solution requires routine maintenance to perform properly. This includes basic day-to-day maintenance that you can do yourself — such as optic cleaning, water chiller maintenance, desiccant packet swapping, and protective window swapping. Anything more advanced will require training or assistance from our Adapt Laser team.

DOES THE LASER SYSTEM REQUIRE ANY CONSUMABLES?

The typical consumables you’ll need include either optic wipes or swabs, specialized cleaning wipes/swabs designed to not leave contaminants behind, dehydrated alcohol — which won’t streak and is quick-drying — desiccant packs, and water filters. Which consumables you’ll need will depend on your specific solution, but in general, these are the most common.

WHAT ENVIRONMENTS ARE SUITABLE FOR THE LASER SYSTEM?

While there are temperature envelopes and humidity working envelopes, we can adjust any laser configuration to function in areas with environmental extremes. If you have any concerns about environmental factors, you should introduce them during our sales process to ensure you get the right laser for your needs.

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 1,600 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.