Laser module type rust paint removal


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  1. #1
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    Default Laser module type rust paint removal

    Hi all,
    I am needing to build a hand held laser rust and paint stripping machine.

    What I need to know is the type of laser head/module in the 500 watt category to purchase?

    Specific questions are... Should I purchase.
    Co2 laser... Is there a way to use fiber optics from the laser to a hand held end where I can point the laser where needed?

    Or

    Diode pulsed type laser? Does this even exist in this high of power?

    Where does one purchase lasers and power supplies?

    Thanks.

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Laser module type rust paint removal

    Hi,

    It is quite involved and I think you will have to do it in several steps so to speak, I take it that you are not familiar with building high power lasers?
    I just started out doing that after finding some good stuff on eBay so I have very recent experience and I was thinking of documneting my build a bit so I might as well do it here.

    I looked into rust cleaning lasers and they seem to use 1064nm diode lasers that are pulsed between 10kHz and 200kHz, the pulsing seems to be hard part.
    I also don't know what kind of optics they use or if it is a bar type diode driven directly so to speak.
    You can get some diodes and parts on eBay and drivers off the shelf from electronics distributors but the hard part is getting the short pulse lenghts/high frequencies of modulation.
    I suggest you start out with someting simple and cheap, I got a 300W Rofin 976nm diode and a 50A driver as my first test. The driver can only do 5khz since it is used for conventional machining processes and you need to get much shorter pulses to do this.

    Here is the driver I'm using, it will deliver slightly current (50A) less that the diode needs to do 300W (60A) but it was the cheapest I found at the time and it is nice to be on the safe side and it should do at least 250W.
    https://www.distrelec.biz/en/laser-d...=10&track=true

    Then I found this driver that is very cheap if you are in the US. It doesnt do that fast modulation though but it is a good thing to start with for beginners since it has the power supply built in.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lumina-LDD-...kAAOSwvXReZvkm


    For the Meanwell driver you need power supply, for exampl one form the same manufacturer, 24V, 60A should work and is decently priced.


    This is the laser diode I found, used so it it a bit of a gamble but mine worked fine. It is meant to be used with a fiber collimator so you need to remove the internal optics to use it.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rofin-sinar...AAAOSw-K9ZH3lT

    The output is two lines about 4mm apart that will melt steel even at 100W. If you move the fiber optic collimator lens to the outside of the unit you get a very hot focus pointy and the two bar beams can instantly vaporise rust at 100W which is the most I can get until I get a beefier power supply. To protect the lens you will need pressurised oil free air exiting through a small hole along the beam.

    Next step would be finding or building another driver capable of 100kHz modulation. I have seen some DIY attempts but the engineering at those power levels are really hard! There is a guy called Viktor on a German laser forum that has made some cool stuff.
    Just google translate this post: https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?414,849307

    The step after getting a proper driver would maybe be to try a bar type diode that outputs a line. Some quite powerful ones can be found in paper printing equipment and medical/hair removal units (!) and they sometimes end up on eBay.
    Maybe a Coherent diode with the fibers removed?
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Coherent-FA...kAAOSwCppefaDJ

    I hope this helps!

    I enclose a couple of pictures of my experiments!

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Laser module type rust paint removal-foto-2020-03-28-22-40-08-a   Laser module type rust paint removal-foto-2020-04-08-13-26-01-a   Laser module type rust paint removal-foto-2020-04-09-16-13-55-a   Laser module type rust paint removal-foto-2020-04-09-16-10-10-a  

    Laser module type rust paint removal-foto-2020-03-28-15-13-01-a  


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    Quote Originally Posted by smv-2012-12 View Post
    Hi,

    It is quite involved and I think you will have to do it in several steps so to speak, I take it that you are not familiar with building high power lasers?
    I just started out doing that after finding some good stuff on eBay so I have very recent experience and I was thinking of documneting my build a bit so I might as well do it here.

    I looked into rust cleaning lasers and they seem to use 1064nm diode lasers that are pulsed between 10kHz and 200kHz, the pulsing seems to be hard part.
    I also don't know what kind of optics they use or if it is a bar type diode driven directly so to speak.
    You can get some diodes and parts on eBay and drivers off the shelf from electronics distributors but the hard part is getting the short pulse lenghts/high frequencies of modulation.
    I suggest you start out with someting simple and cheap, I got a 300W Rofin 976nm diode and a 50A driver as my first test. The driver can only do 5khz since it is used for conventional machining processes and you need to get much shorter pulses to do this.

    Here is the driver I'm using, it will deliver slightly current (50A) less that the diode needs to do 300W (60A) but it was the cheapest I found at the time and it is nice to be on the safe side and it should do at least 250W.
    https://www.distrelec.biz/en/laser-d...=10&track=true

    Then I found this driver that is very cheap if you are in the US. It doesnt do that fast modulation though but it is a good thing to start with for beginners since it has the power supply built in.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lumina-LDD-...kAAOSwvXReZvkm


    For the Meanwell driver you need power supply, for exampl one form the same manufacturer, 24V, 60A should work and is decently priced.


    This is the laser diode I found, used so it it a bit of a gamble but mine worked fine. It is meant to be used with a fiber collimator so you need to remove the internal optics to use it.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rofin-sinar...AAAOSw-K9ZH3lT

    The output is two lines about 4mm apart that will melt steel even at 100W. If you move the fiber optic collimator lens to the outside of the unit you get a very hot focus pointy and the two bar beams can instantly vaporise rust at 100W which is the most I can get until I get a beefier power supply. To protect the lens you will need pressurised oil free air exiting through a small hole along the beam.

    Next step would be finding or building another driver capable of 100kHz modulation. I have seen some DIY attempts but the engineering at those power levels are really hard! There is a guy called Viktor on a German laser forum that has made some cool stuff.
    Just google translate this post: https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?414,849307

    The step after getting a proper driver would maybe be to try a bar type diode that outputs a line. Some quite powerful ones can be found in paper printing equipment and medical/hair removal units (!) and they sometimes end up on eBay.
    Maybe a Coherent diode with the fibers removed?
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/Coherent-FA...kAAOSwCppefaDJ

    I hope this helps!

    I enclose a couple of pictures of my experiments!

    Thank you so very much, I have been trying to sort what I van use to start with for testing on the cheap side...the ingo ypu have provided is excellent. Thankyou.

    I have been researching for some time. I have worked with lasers in the medical and research fields but nothing high power and the tech has changed since many years ago. So I can use all the help I can get.

    The trick is figuring out what can be purchase used, cheaply, and or to modify in order to save money. Looks like for the beam widths the manufacturures of the rust/paint lasers have added a galvanometer. Rough Specs that I have been looking at for a final build. It may even be advantageoud to build a multi laser to increase power and focused beam sizes then use a galvo to determine cleaning widths and speed. Uding a galvo like this might provide additional flexibility with frequencies?
    Output laser power: 100W 200W
    Pulse frequency: 10-50 kHz
    Laser wavelength: 1064nm

    Again, thank you so very much for this info... Im getting tired of stripping paint from metal by hand. I have an industrial robot all ready setup for something like this....

    Last edited by ratfink; 04-16-2020 at 03:56 PM.


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    Default Re: Laser module type rust paint removal

    I'm glad to be able to help, I'm having lots of fun learning about this stuff!

    A galvanometer would of course be the obvious solution, I was imagining fragile stuff like in marking and show lasers but since it only needs to move in one direction something sturdier that can take many hundred watts can of course be built, maybe even with a spinning mirror!

    The next step for me will be to try to pulse my laser and see what effect I get, 5khz is easy to do. And also getting a beefier power supply, I would like to get over 200W and see what happens!
    But that also mean making a proper heatsink for the laser and for the driver and PSU.
    I have a large woodworking gantry router so a 10 kilo laser rig won't matter the slightest, the spindle it moves now is 35 kilos or so!

    Keep us posted if you make any progress and I'll be sure ti post any nice eBay finds I stumble upon. I live in Sweden and many sellers refuse to sell overseas, you guys are lucky to have all this cool surplus!



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    Default Re: Laser module type rust paint removal

    Quote Originally Posted by ratfink View Post
    Hi all,
    I am needing to build a hand held laser rust and paint stripping machine.

    What I need to know is the type of laser head/module in the 500 watt category to purchase?

    Specific questions are... Should I purchase.
    Co2 laser... Is there a way to use fiber optics from the laser to a hand held end where I can point the laser where needed?

    Or

    Diode pulsed type laser? Does this even exist in this high of power?

    Where does one purchase lasers and power supplies?

    Thanks.
    Hi,

    Your pains involving manual paint and rush removal can be solved by laser cleaning machines.

    It enables you to effortlessly get rid of the toughest rust, dust, oxides, oil and other contaminations as well as paint, coating from metal, plastic, ceramics, glass, stone or concrete.

    With the advantage of manual adjustment of the focus, spot repair or weld cleaning the interior of large vessels is no longer a problem.

    It is a convenient way to handle narrow spaces and curved surface that cannot be reached with traditional cleaning tools.

    The tool is mobile and compact which can be used wherever you need or be integrated into production or an assembly line to achieve auto cleaning.

    Check more details, pictures, and videos about laser cleaning machine at https://www.morntech.com/laser-cleaning-machine/;
    and for application cases please check https://www.morntech.com/blog/typica...aning-machine/



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