Laser cleaning

How laser cleaning works

A high-powered industrial laser is installed above the belt on a manually controlled carriage rail, with the beam focused on an area approximately 70 mm wide. As the belt travels beneath the laser, deposits are removed and collected by the extraction system. Once the strip has been cleaned along the full length of the belt, the laser head is moved across to the next section.

• Cleaning width (approx.): 70 mm (effective 60 mm)

• Speed: up to 4 m/minute (depending on level of soiling)

• Coverage: 10–15 m2/hour

The use of a high power laser delivers stable, even cleaning across the full width of the beam, leaving the surface structure of the belt completely unaffected. Smaller CW lasers often require the power to be increased to the maximum level, which can result in excess heat at the center of the beam, causing damage to the belt surface.

Our system ensures:

• Stable cleaning across the full width of the laser beam

• No need for potentially damaging power ‘boost’

• Surface finish is unaffected

• No impact on material structure

Need to know

The requirements for laser cleaning are as follows: 

• Power supply: 308 V/50 Hz in Europe with 2 x 5-pin 16-amp connections or 415 V/60 Hz in the USA 

• Power consumption: 5,000 W 

• Oven speed: 4 m/minute or less 

• Oven temp: room temperature 

Customers in the USA will also need to provide: 

• Compressed dry air (6 bar, 180 l/minute) 

• Vacuum system for removing smoke and residues (IPCO can quote to supply this) 

Laser hazard zone

High-power industrial lasers require certain safety precautions. Before the IPCO engineer arrives, you should establish a clear laser hazard zone. Once cleaning begins, access to this area will be restricted to authorized personnel wearing appropriate laser protective eyewear.

This zone should extend at least 5 m from the laser equipment in any direction and should be created using protective screens (e.g. sheets of black plastic). IPCO can provide further advice.