Working Head of Laser Ablation Tool Removing the Coating on a Helicopter Rotor

 World’s only laser ablation system in production use on flight-critical surfaces

Lasertronics has perfected unique scanning and computerized control technologies that make laser ablation a practical alternative to blasting, abrasives, and solvents for removing coatings of any kind, with no risk of damaging any substrate.

Our pulse-by-pulse closed-loop control technology uses powerful off-the-shelf industrial lasers to strip coatings quickly and safely. Our color-selective workhead allows stripping directly to the substrate or to intermediate layers.

Before-and-After stripping results with laser ablation on an A-10 wing tank aluminum flange

Benefits of Lasertronics’ Unique Ablation System

  • Safe for Any Substrate: Absolutely safe for any substrate – Eliminates risk of damage from scraping, sanding, solvents, or media blast. Prevents overheating by open-loop lasers.
  • Complete: Cleans any visible surface, regardless of complexity, with zero residue.
  • Unprecedented Control: Selectively removes specific layers from multi-layer coatings, leaving the rest undisturbed.
  • Fast: Replaces manual labor with 10X faster process.
  • Savings: Significant reduction in labor, out-of-service time, and disposal costs.
  • Easy Access: Flexible work head allows easy access to cramped spaces. Optional video camera enables remote use in inaccessible or dangerous areas.
  • Reduce Injuries: Eliminates repetitive-stress manual labor.
  • Portable and Flexible: Small, lightweight, portable unit runs on standard shop power.
  • Adaptable: System accommodates manual or robotic applications.
  • Green: Captures stripped toxic material in HEPA paper filter for easy control and inexpensive disposal, keeping it away from air, water, and humans.
  • Clean: Dramatically reduces waste stream.

Applications

  • Aircraft Maintenance – Fixed Wing & Rotary: Strip corrosion, paints and sealants; repair multi-layer surfaces including low observables.
  • Ship Maintenance – Surface & Submarine: Strip corrosion, paints and adhesives from any surface; prepare weldments for NDI.
  • Composite Manufacturing: Prepare composite surfaces to accept coatings and enhance bonding without use of abrasives, peel-ply or solvents.
  • Radioactive Decontamination: Decontaminate to free release.

Awards

  • US FAA Endorsement
    The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has endorsed the use of Lasertronics as the only laser coating removal system for all aluminum aircraft.
  • US DOD Maintenance Excellence Award
    The Office of the Secretary of Defense awarded Lasertronics the 2009 Maintenance Excellence medal for contributions to the Automatic Rotor Blade Stripping System at the Navy’s FRC-East depot in Cherry Point, NC, .
  • Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award
    The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) presented the 2010 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award to Lasertronics and our partners to recognize outstanding cooperative efforts in new technology development between government, industry, and academia.