Industrial Cleaning Is Risky For Workers And Environmentally Toxic; Are Lasers The Solution?

Read the latest report on Laser Photonics here. 

Laser Photonics LASE has worked for 35 years to lead the laser technology industry in producing safe and efficient lasers. One prominent application for these lasers is in the industrial cleaning industry. Manufacturers and others constantly need to clean metal surfaces of corrosion, grease, or old paint. However, old practices carry risks to the environment and workers, which is why companies are beginning to turn to laser solutions.

A popular industrial cleaning method is sandblasting, where a jet of sand particles is blown at the surface to roughen or strip it down. The sandblasting industry is worth over $9 billion, but particles from the sand and surface create air and water pollutants, and sandblaster operators must protect themselves with a Hazardous Environment Protective Assembly (HEPA) suit. Silica sand and particles from the blasting can get into workers’ lungs, causing silicosis, with an estimated 1 million US workers currently at risk of silicosis. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has responded with strict regulations around the use of sandblasting and other activities that risk producing crystalline silica.  

Another common blasting method is dry ice blasting, where dry ice pellets are air blown at the metal surface. However, dry ice blasting risks exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide, and damage to hearing. Also, contact with the dry ice pellets – which run at -70 degrees celsius – brings the risk of severe burns.

A third common cleaning method is the $14 billion chemical market, which involves noxious, and often toxic, products. However, with this method, it is difficult to safely dispose of the chemical waste, and many solvents use chemicals like trichloroethylene that bring the risk of cancer and other serious long-term side effects.

Amid these concerns, companies are turning to lasers as a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative industrial cleaning solution. 

Lasers Are A Safer Solution 

Laser Photonics is an integrated laser technology company, and one of its specialties is laser cleaning systems. The company has a diverse line of CleanTech laser products that are suited to a range of industrial cleaning applications.

These eco-friendly lasers carry less risk for the worker as well as for the environment. The lasers don’t create pollutants, and they are easy to use, following straightforward guidelines for laser safety awareness. The reduced risks to health and safety make these a more Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)- and OSHA-friendly solution.   

Laser Photonics isn’t going to stop growing, however, and the company is rolling out its next-generation laser that represents a systems upgrade in maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO). Laser Photonics lasers have been picked up by Fortune 500 and 1000 companies, who want to incorporate both environmentally friendly and safety-first applications for their workers. One of the most recent orders of 2000-watt CleanTech lasers came from a major truck manufacturer, which was placing its third order for Laser Photonics products. 

“Industry has needed a cleaner, safer surface pre-treatment solution for a very long time,” said Vincent Galiardi, CEO of a surface cleaning operation company that uses Laser Photonics’ lasers. He praised both the safety of Laser Photonics’ products and their superiority to traditional cleaning methods: “When we treat a surface with lasers, any fumes or dislodged particulate is extracted into a HEPA filter and the job is done. There is no media [sand, dry ice, chemicals] to replenish or clean up.”

Lumentum Holdings Inc. LITE, CyberOptics Corp. CYBE and IPG Photonics Corp. IPGP are other companies involved in producing industrial laser solutions.

Want to learn more about how Laser Photonics provides safe and eco-friendly solutions? Visit its website. 

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