High Power Scanner for Laser Paint Stripping

Airframe maintenance, modifications, and upgrades often require removal of existing paints and/or specialty coatings.  Traditional paint removal methods utilize toxic solvents and media blasting, both of which create a multiplication of resultant hazardous waste.  Other paint removal technologies involve thermal processes, such as flash lamps and CO₂ bead blasting, in conjunction with each other or separately.  For many years the Air Force, NASA, Navy, DOT, and other government agencies have been investigating laser stripping for a multitude of coating removal challenges.  Several high-power (multi-kilowatt) laser paint stripping systems have been built for these agencies, and some are currently operating in evaluation and pre-production modes.  The most recent laser coating removal systems have been based on some form of beam scanning technology to create the required energy delivery (power density, travel speed, exposure time, etc.) to the work surface.  Unfortunately, the current laser scanners used to accomplish this task are large, heavy, inefficient, and somewhat power limited. 

 

EWI has recently developed a new laser scanner concept that solves all of these problems.  This new scanner is more powerful, lighter, more efficient, and substantially more productive in removal of typical airframe paints and coatings.  Paint removal rates as high as 5 ft.²/minute have been achieved for single-pass removal of 10 mil (0.01”) thick coatings.  Paints and specialty coatings can be removed from aluminum, composite, steel, and titanium surfaces, with or without the removal of primer coatings, while maintaining substrate temperatures of less than 200 degrees F.   In this presentation EWI will present quantitative results and video examples of its initial testing of this important new technology development.