Achieve SSPC SP-10 / SP-5 equivalent profiles with zero secondary cleanup, zero containment, and zero abrasive media on your shop floor. Laser blasting and laser sanding deliver a coating-ready surface in hours, not days.
Surface preparation is the step that determines whether the weld holds, the coating adheres, and the bond resists fatigue. Poor surface prep is the number one cause of coating failure and weld defects. The substrate must be free of oxides, oils, mill scale, and previous coatings down to the specified cleanliness level.
Sandblasting achieves the cleanliness level but leaves blast media embedded in the surface, creates a dust cloud that contaminates adjacent equipment, and requires containment that shuts down surrounding production. In a manufacturing environment, the cleanup and containment time often exceeds the blasting time.
Manual grinding achieves localized cleanliness but creates an inconsistent surface profile, generates sparks (prohibited near fuel systems and in classified areas), and causes operator fatigue that reduces throughput over a shift. On complex geometries like pipe internals and weld joints, grinders cannot reach the surfaces that need cleaning.
Clean oxide layers for high-integrity bonds. Critical for aerospace and automotive aluminum welding. NACE and SSPC compliant profiles. Zero residual contamination on the bonding surface.
Remove old coatings and contaminants before re-application. Maximum adhesion. Maximum coating life. No residual grit or blast media embedded in the surface profile.
White metal cleanliness achievable
Yes. Laser cleaning achieves near-white metal (SP-10) and white metal (SP-5) equivalent cleanliness levels as verified by visual comparison and surface cleanliness testing. The exact profile depends on substrate, contamination type, and laser parameters, which we calibrate for each job.
Yes. Oxide layer removal on aluminum is one of the highest-value applications for laser surface preparation. The laser removes the aluminum oxide layer without introducing moisture, chemicals, or abrasive contamination that would cause porosity in the subsequent weld.
The laser beam reaches surfaces that grinders and blast nozzles cannot access: pipe internals, weld root areas, between fins on heat exchangers, and inside complex castings. The beam follows programmed scan patterns that cover every exposed surface uniformly.