Products Overview
Lasertronics offers manually operated and robotic systems in a variety of configurations to meet specific needs.
Infrared (IR) Laser Ablation System
GLC handheld systems put flexible color-selective laser stripping workheads in the hands of the operator. The workhead weighs about two pounds (one kilogram) and moves easily at the end of its 50-150 foot (15-50 meter) umbilical cord. The workhead comes in two varieties: one with fixed standoff, for use on even surfaces; and one shaped like a pistol, for use on uneven surfaces.
Moving the workhead over the area to be stripped delivers quick ablation of any paint, coating, or corrosion on the surface. The operator can watch the coating disappear, and can hear micro-popping as the coating vaporizes off the cool surface. This visual and aural feedback helps the operator keep the pistol-shaped workhead at the correct standoff distance.
Please note modern day GLC products are significantly smaller and lighter than legacy equipment shown in the photo. This example shows an early 2000s legacy Lasertronics handheld system that was installed at the Pax River Presidential Helicopter Base in Virginia. The tan unit on the left is a chiller that maintains proper operating temperature within the laser. The gray unit on the right houses the laser and our color-selective electronics. The man is holding the workhead, which is connected to the laser via the orange umbilical cable.
This laser ablation system does not require construction of dedicated buildings, enclosures, cages, or ventilation systems. A typical 500-Watt Lasertronics laser ablation system operates on 220-240VAC, single phase power, and is rated at 30 amperes maximum. The operator must wear protective eyewear designed for work around lasers. This requirement is similar to the safety requirements for ordinary arc welding.
Automated (Robotic) Systems
Lasertronics’ technology lends itself to straightforward robotic system integration.
The Automatic Rotor Blade Stripping System (ARBSS) was installed at the Navy’s Flight Readiness Center – East at Cherry Point, NC, in 2009. It combines three closed loop color control laser work heads with an industrial robotic system. The lasers operate simultaneously to automatically strip rotor blades. Once the rotor blade is secured in the fixture, the system requires no human intervention or observation. The system is designed to strip coatings from rotor blades of H-53 and H-60 helicopters used by the US Navy and US Marine Corps. In 2014, the Navy will upgrade it with faster lasers, and add V-22 rotor blades to its workload.
ARBSS won the 2009 Maintenance Excellence Award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the 2010 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award from the Aerospace Industries Association.
ARBSS reduces time-to-strip by 90%, from about 24 hours for an H-53 blade (using manual labor and rotary sanders) to about 2 hours per blade with ARBSS.
Ultraviolet (UV) Laser Ablation System
The General Lasertronics Corporation (GLC) Model 55c-XY-UV is an ultraviolet (UV) laser ablation system designed for composite material scarfing and surface preparation. The only laser system with dual capabilities with user selectable operating modes. The laser head containing the laser source has a unique rotatable scanner, and various beam conditioning optics to optimize results.
