Ablative laser cleaning of lacquer coating

The paper presents the selected results of tests on ablational laser removal of polymer lacquer coating with metallic filler (aluminium plates). The fibre laser with the Galvo head of the following parameters: the radiation wavelength λ = 1064nm, the exposition time of the laser impulse τ = 25ns, and the repetition frequency 30-500kHz was used. By changing the power thickness, repetition frequency, and scanning speed various effects of varnish, coating removal were obtained. The melting of the colourless lacquer coat was observed when small power thickness was applied. Multiple scanning with the laser beam of higher power thickness resulted in sequential removal of several to tens of micrometers of the lacquer coating. This technology brings very good perspectives for the renovation of lacquer coating systems in present vehicles (bodies, frames).