In metal structure manufacturing, one of the most important stages of the production process is surface preparation before welding, painting, or other processing operations. The cleanliness of the surface determines not only the quality of the welds and coating adhesion, but also the performance and durability of the final product.
The main raw material used in this type of manufacturing is carbon steel, which is often stored outdoors or in high-humidity facilities. Such conditions promote oxidation and the formation of corrosion spots. To slow down these processes, steel is typically covered with protective coatings, but these coatings do not always fully prevent the formation of rust.
Therefore, before welding, painting, or carrying out other technological operations, the steel surface must be cleaned of oxides, rust, and old coating residues.
Traditional Method and Its Limitations
Conventionally, this type of cleaning is performed using shot blasting, where the surface is treated with abrasive materials such as sand, steel shot, or glass beads. This method requires a dedicated blasting chamber, dust extraction system, and the constant replenishment of abrasive material.
During shot blasting, a large amount of noise, dust, and waste is generated, all of which must be properly collected and disposed of. The mechanical impact on the metal surface also presents disadvantages — it can cause surface damage, deformation, or loss of dimensional accuracy, especially when cleaning thin parts or precision-fit components.
The Solution – CW Laser Cleaning
The Polish company StalBUD, specializing in steel structure manufacturing and assembly, as well as in the production of transport and storage containers, faced a typical challenge common to the metal fabrication industry.To increase process efficiency and overcome the limitations of traditional shot blasting, StalBUD turned to Diodela, which offered and implemented CW (Continuous Wave) laser cleaning technology.
This solution ensures high-precision, non-contact removal of oxides, rust, and coating residues, without affecting the structure or geometry of the base metal.
The continuously emitting laser beam sublimates or vaporizes oxide layers and other surface contaminants without damaging the substrate. Unlike pulsed lasers, CW lasers provide a uniform energy distribution and stable cleaning intensity, making the process particularly effective and consistent across large steel surfaces.
One of the main advantages of this technology is that it requires no abrasive materials, making the process more economical, cleaner, and environmentally friendly.
Since the laser beam is precisely focused on the surface layer, the base metal remains unaffected. Depending on the selected parameters — laser power, focus, and scanning speed — the thermal impact on the substrate is minimal, and when cleaning thicker steel sections, it becomes practically negligible.
Performance and Application Capabilities
CW laser cleaning technology is highly suitable for the treatment of large steel surfaces, where high productivity, accuracy, and surface cleanliness are required.
The continuous-wave laser beam ensures uniform energy distribution and consistent material removal, resulting in a process that is highly efficient and repeatable.
This technology can achieve cleaning speeds of up to 100 square meters per hour, making it ideal for industrial production environments where large volumes of metal must be processed quickly and precisely. Laser cleaning does not alter the structure or geometry of the metal, allowing cleaned parts to be immediately welded, painted, or coated without additional surface preparation.
The implementation of the laser cleaning solution at StalBUD ensured stable, fast, and precise surface preparation, enabling more efficient production organization and achieving higher overall product quality.
A Modern Solution for Steel Production Processes
The successful application of CW laser cleaning technology at StalBUD demonstrated that laser surface treatment can be a reliable and efficient stage in modern metal production lines. When integrated into existing manufacturing workflows, this method provides high cleaning precision and stability, ensuring consistent surface quality before subsequent processing steps. This technological advancement represents a clear step toward more sustainable, economical, and low-maintenance solutions in the metal processing industry.
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