Laser rust removal, a type of laser cleaning, is an effective process for cleaning up metal parts. Using a fiber laser cleaning system, rust and other contaminants can be quickly and completely removed without damaging the metal underneath.
Laser rust removal is a great alternative to manual and chemical cleaning methods since rust is removed with greater precision and lower recurring costs. It’s also a great way to reduce your environmental impact.
As a green technology, laser cleaning replaces methods that remove rust with consumables or chemicals. It’s the only solution that meets environmental protection regulations. Plus, pulsed fiber lasers have low power consumption.
Laser cleaning does generate a small amount of dust in the air. It can be vacuumed instantly with a dust extraction system, which we provide and preconfigure for you if needed.
Spending a mass amount of manual labor to clean every single part is inefficient. It is expensive and can be performed more efficiently with robots. Eliminate manual labor through laser cleaning, a technology that can easily be fully or semi-automated.
You can either choose a standard turnkey solution or partner us up with your system integrator for a solution customized for your plant.
Everyone who uses abrasive blasting faces the same problem: their machine is constantly interrupted. Whether it’s for the presence of sand, the nozzle’s condition or its replacement, blasting machines require regular monitoring and maintenance.
Laser rust removal is a non-contact method that continuously removes rust while drastically lowering maintenance costs.
Lasers in manufacturing environments are extremely safe when integrated with a dust extraction system and a Class-1 laser safety enclosure.
With these things in place, operators who are near the laser system don’t need personal protective equipment for respiratory, hearing or body protection. In addition, they no longer handle dangerous materials.
Every material has an ablation threshold, the point at which it begins to break down under laser energy. Rust has a lower threshold than most metals, which makes laser cleaning a great solution. You can set precise parameters so the beam’s intensity is strong enough to vaporize the rust while staying below the ablation threshold of the base metal.
As the beam scans the part, laser energy converts layers or rust into vapour and dust, leaving behind a clean, unaltered surface. Because you can set laser cleaning systems to precise parameters, it makes laser rust removal adaptable for fine, high-precision parts or large, heavily oxidized surfaces.
Our high-power systems can clean light rust at rates up to 50 cm² per second, while heavily corroded surfaces are cleaned at about 5 cm² per second. You’ll get the best results by fine-tuning your parameters and testing the results. We can run tests on your parts to help you find the best solutions.
The type of laser you’ll need depends on the level of precision required and your specific application.
Single-mode fiber lasers produce a narrow, focused beam, making them ideal for precise rust removal. You can clean specific areas or texture surfaces before painting, applying adhesives, or welding. The tight beam control ensures consistent results without affecting surrounding areas.
Multi-mode fiber lasers can create a wider beam that covers more surface area. They’re best for speed and efficiency, quickly vaporizing rust while leaving the base metal untouched.
Conventional rust removal techniques often create more problems than they solve. Here’s how lasers compare:
Blasting is abrasive. While it strips rust, it also tends to erode the base metal. Rust also mixes with the media, leaving a less clean surface, and parts can distort or lose tolerance. On the other hand, lasers remove rust precisely without damaging the substrate.
Dry-ice blasting is non-abrasive, but it lacks precision and struggles with small or complex geometries. It also generates CO₂. By comparison, lasers provide clean, targeted removal without environmental drawbacks.
Chemical treatments dissolve rust but lack the control you need, often stripping more than you intended. They also require handling hazardous materials and waste. Laser cleaning is a dry, chemical-free, and more consistent process.
While highly effective, laser rust removal does have some limitations:
Laser cleaning is flexible enough to handle both small components and heavy equipment. Here are a few specific examples:
Laser rust removal is widely used across industries where precision, safety, and efficiency are critical, such as:
Laserax offers a wide range of laser cleaning solutions for rust removal, designed to fit your production needs.
Our systems range from 20 to 1,000 watts, with most rust removal applications requiring at least a 50-watt laser. Compact, low-power systems are a good choice for precision work, while high-power laser rust cleaning solutions are a better fit for large-scale industrial applications.
Whether you need a flexible custom solution or a plug-and-play machine, Laserax delivers reliable performance, industry-leading safety, and long-term cost savings.
Get in touch with one of our experts to find out if laser rust removal is right for your application.