Comparison of continuous and pulsed laser cleaning machine
In the field of laser cleaning, fiber lasers have become the best choice for laser cleaning light source with higher reliability, stability and flexibility. You need to know fiber laser source is the core parts inside of one laser cleaning machine, there have 2 type of fiber laser source, one named continuous fiber laser source, another named pulsed fiber source. continuous fiber lasers and pulsed fiber lasers occupy the market leading positions in macro material processing and precision material processing, respectively.
For emerging laser cleaning applications, whether it should use continuous lasers or pulsed lasers appeared different voices, and the market has emerged using pulsed and continuous lasers of two types of laser cleaning equipment. Lot of people don’t know the different between the both laser source, and they want to know which one is best for their application. Below BOGONG show you the continuous and pulsed laser laser cleaning applications for comparative testing, and analysis of their respective characteristics and applicable application scenarios, hoping to provide useful reference for industrial users in the selection of the corresponding laser cleaning technology.
Two lasers were used for paint removal experiments on the surface of both materials, and the laser cleaning parameters were optimized to obtain the best frequency, scanning speed and other parameters, and to compare the cleaning effect and efficiency under the optimized experimental conditions, The lower the scanning speed at the same laser power and frequency, the more damage is caused to the substrate. When the scanning speed is greater than a certain value, the faster the scanning speed, the worse the paint layer removal effect
Preferred parameters results and analysis
1. Comparison of macroscopic cleaning conditions for pulse laser cleaning machine and continuous laser cleaning machine working on aluminum alloy sheet:
igure 3a: Pulse laser cleaning machine Figure 3b: Continuous laser cleaning machine
The results of the preferred parameters of the pulsed light cleaning aluminum alloy surface paint layer are shown in Figure 3a, and the results of the preferred parameters of the continuous light cleaning aluminum alloy surface paint layer are shown in Figure 3b. After using pulsed light cleaning, the surface of the sample was completely removed, the surface of the sample showed a metallic white color, and almost no damage to the sample substrate. After using continuous light cleaning, the sample surface of the paint layer is also completely removed, but the sample surface appears gray-black, the sample substrate also appeared micro-melting phenomenon. Therefore, using continuous light is more likely to cause damage to the substrate than pulsed light.
2. Comparison of macroscopic cleaning conditions for pulse laser cleaning machine and continuous laser cleaning machine working on carbon steel:
Figure 3c: Pulse laser cleaning machine Figure 3d: Continuous laser cleaning machine
The results of the preferred parameters of the pulsed light cleaning carbon steel surface lacquer layer are shown in Figure 3c, and the results of the preferred parameters of the continuous light cleaning carbon steel surface lacquer layer are shown in Figure 3d. After using pulsed light cleaning, the sample surface lacquer layer is completely removed, the surface of the sample appears gray-black, and the damage to the sample substrate is small. After using continuous light cleaning, the sample surface of the paint layer is also completely removed, but the surface of the sample shows a deep black, can be visually seen on the surface of the sample appears larger remelting phenomenon. Therefore, the use of continuous light is more likely to cause damage to the substrate than pulsed light.
3. Microscopic microscopic morphology comparison aluminum alloy surface paint layer
Figure 4 (a) Figure 4 (b)
From Figure 4 (a) can be seen after the use of pulsed light cleaning aluminum alloy surface paint layer, the sample surface paint has been completely removed, and the sample surface damage is small no laser pattern. The use of continuous light cleaning sample table, as shown in Figure 4 (b) paint is also completely removed, but the surface of the sample appears more serious remelting phenomenon, there is also a laser pattern
4. Microscopic microscopic morphology comparison aluminum alloy surface paint layer
Figure 4 (c) Figure 4 (d)
From Figure 4 (c) can be seen using pulse light cleaning carbon steel surface paint layer, the sample surface paint has been completely removed, and the sample surface damage is small after cleaning the surface is relatively flat. While the use of continuous light cleaning sample surface as shown in Figure 4 (d) paint is also completely removed, but the sample surface appears more serious remelting phenomenon, and the sample surface unevenness.
Conclusion
The test shows that both continuous and pulsed lasers can remove the paint from the surface of the material to achieve the cleaning effect. Pulsed laser cleaning machine will be high efficiency compare with continuous laser cleaning if under same laser power. meanwhile, the pulsed laser can better control the heat input to prevent the substrate from over temperature or micro-melting.
Compare with cost, pulse fiber laser cleaning much more expensive compare with continuous fiber laser cleaning machine, that the advantage of fiber laser continuous cleaning machine, but the heat input of high power continuous light is greater and the degree of damage to the substrate increases. Application scenarios with high precision, requiring strict control of substrate temperature rise and requiring no damage to the substrate, such as molds, are recommended to choose pulsed lasers. For some large steel structures, pipelines, etc., due to the large volume of heat dissipation fast, the substrate damage requirements are not high, then you can choose continuous lasers.
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