LASER CLEANING FOR THE  AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

The laser surface preparation of metallic surfaces in the automotive industry is a unique method to support adhesive  bonding  that  cleans  with  unmatched  quality,  repeatability,and  reliability  to  ensure  long-term adhesion performance and excellent electrical connectivity. Laser cleaning is gaining traction as it offers an environmentally friendly, precise, and profitable means of surface cleaning for bonding. In the automotive industry,  several  new  grades  of  press-hardened  steels  (PHS)  have  been  developed  for  the  body-in-white (BIW)  structure  that  combines  desirable  properties  of  strength  and  formability.  Prior  to  assembling  PHS components, the aluminum silicon coating must be removed to allow better weld surface capabilities. High-powered  pulsed  lasers  are  used  to  successfully  remove  the  coating  without  affecting  the  mechanical properties  produced  by  the  weld  bond.  Laser  cleaning  systems  are replacing  the traditional  brazing methods  while  increasing the process  speed,  minimizing  heat  effects  on  the  assembly  and  reducing dependence  on  manual  part  cleaning.