Rust removal is a crucial process in industries related to metal fabrication. It prevents corrosion of metal surfaces, ensures the service life of metal equipment, improves the quality of surface treatment, delays metal aging, and extends the service life of metal equipment. At present, fiber laser rust removel and sandblasting, are two common methods of cleaning. Many customers want to know: which method is better? In this article, we will explore the technical principles, applications and costs of these two methods, hoping to help you make the right choice.
▍Technical Principle
Sandblasting
Sandblasting is to use high-pressure water and sand mixture sprayed to the metal surface at high speed to achieve the purpose of rust removal. It relies primarily on mechanical force. The key parameters of sandblasting include the type of sand material, pressure level and nozzle distance.
In terms of sand materials, quartz sand and steel shot are commonly used. Quartz sand is suitable for general metal surface treatment, while steel shot is more powerful and commonly used to treat thicker layers of rust. The amount of pressure determines the speed and strength of the grit. The higher the pressure, the faster the rust will be removed, but it may also cause more damage to the metal surface. Nozzle distance affects the accuracy of the sandblasted area. The closer the distance, the more concentrated the force, while the farther the distance, the larger the area.
Sandblasting is best suited for large rough surfaces and initial removal of thick rust layers. For example, when prepping large steel structures or removing thick paint from ship hulls, sandblasting gets the job done quickly.
Fiber Laser Rust Removal
Laser rust removel is the use of laser cauterization to vaporize the rust body for the purpose of removing rust. It is a non-contact process. The core technologies of this method are pulsed laser frequency, energy density control and beam focusing accuracy.
Pulsed laser frequency determines how often the laser emits energy. A higher frequency provides more sustained energy and facilitates rapid rust removal. Energy density control is critical. If the energy density is too high, the metal substrate may be damaged; if the energy density is too low, the rust may not be completely removed. Beam focusing accuracy ensures that the laser is applied precisely to the corroded layer, avoiding unnecessary damage to the surrounding area.
Fiber laser rust removel is ideal for the fine treatment of high-precision surfaces, complex structures and thin layers of rust. Fiber laser rust removel achieves excellent results in the manufacture of precision components such as gears and bearings, or in the restoration of cultural artifacts.
▍Multi-dimensional performance comparison
Efficiency and productivity
Sandblasting can treat large areas quickly. However, it requires pre-treatment of the cleaning material in advance, such as covering areas that do not need to be treated, and post-treatment to clean up dust. Therefore the descaling process is complicated, a lot of time and effort will be wasted, and the cost of descaling will be high.
In contrast, fiber laser rust removel cleaning machines do not require advance pretreatment of the surface of the workpiece irradiated by a high-energy laser beam. In addition, they do not require consumables such as grit, which further reduces the cost. In addition, they can be easily integrated into automated production lines. For example, in a large metal processing plant, an automated fiber laser rust removel system can work continuously without the need for downtime to change sand. In the long run, this will increase overall productivity.
Accuracy and surface quality
Sandblasting usually results in a rough material surface with a surface roughness of Ra 1.6 – 6.3 μm. sandblasting can cause some damage to the base material if it is cleaned for a long period of time, especially if the pressure is too high or the grit is too large, and it can even damage the metal substrate.
Fiber laser rust removel cleaning machines can achieve micron-level precision. Laser rust removel does not do any damage to the base material of the metal, and they can protect the metal substrate very well. Especially in the production of high-end metal products such as aerospace parts, the precision of fiber laser rust removel can well meet the high requirements.
Cost Analysis
Since abrasive blasting uses a high-pressure water-sand mixture for descaling and cleaning, the cost of many of the necessary items is high, such as sand material, nozzles, and dust handling equipment. In addition, operation and maintenance require more labor, which is costly.
Laser rust removel requires only one person to operate, and there is no harm to the cleaning personnel during the operation. Their cost of consumables is zero, and the maintenance cost is also relatively low, compared with sandblasting rust removal, has the advantages of labor saving, environmental protection, and no consumables in the later stage.
▍The shortcomings of sandblasting rust
1. Serious dust pollution
In the process of descaling by sand blasting, dust pollution is a big problem that cannot be ignored. In the process of sand blasting, metal rust chips, old coating particles and abrasives (such as quartz sand, steel sand) are sprayed at high speed, generating a large amount of respirable dust. For every 1 ton of steel processed, 5 to 10 kilograms of dust will be generated. This dust suspended in the air not only makes the working environment bad, but also poses a great threat to the health of workers. Prolonged use of sandblasting can have a significant impact on both the environment and the workers.
2. Huge waste of consumables
The abrasive used for sand blasting and descaling is a disposable consumable, and the consumption is very alarming. According to statistics, hundreds of thousands of tons of abrasive are used for sand blasting and descaling every year around the world. These abrasives can not be used again after completing a rust removal task, but only as a waste disposal, which not only causes a great waste of resources, but also makes the enterprise’s production costs remain high. In addition, the frequent purchase and replacement of abrasives also increases the operation and management costs of enterprises, including the costs of procurement, transportation, storage and other links.
3. Waste water treatment problems
Wastewater discharge is also a thorny issue in sand blasting and descaling. The wastewater produced by wet sand blasting contains a large amount of oil and metal ions, which will cause serious pollution to soil and water if discharged directly. Enterprises also need to invest in specialized equipment and funds to treat this wastewater to ensure that it meets the discharge standards. The wastewater treatment process is complex and involves multiple treatment steps, which further increases the operating costs and environmental pressure on enterprises.
4.Poor descaling accuracy
In terms of descaling precision, the precision of sandblasting descaling is far from meeting the requirements of high standards. From the point of view of surface roughness, the metal surface after descaling by sand blasting is relatively rough. The roughness of the metal surface after abrasive descaling is usually in the range of Ra 1.6 – 6.3μm. Although this rough surface is acceptable in some scenarios that do not require high surface accuracy, for some workpieces that require high-precision subsequent processing (e.g., precision coating, plating, etc.), excessive surface roughness will affect the adhesion and uniformity of the coating or plating layer. For example, in the surface treatment of automobile engine parts, if sandblasting is used to remove rust, the subsequent spraying of anti-corrosion coatings may be too rough due to the surface of the local thickness is uneven, or even easy to peel off, affecting the service life and performance of the parts.
In addition, in the process of descaling by sandblasting, the impact of high-speed sand particles is also likely to cause damage to the metal substrate, which in turn affects the precision of descaling.
Besides, the sand blasting process is affected by a variety of factors such as the type of sand, pressure, nozzle distance and angle, and these factors are difficult to accurately control in the actual operation, resulting in greater uncertainty in the descaling effect.
▍Advantages of laser rust removel
1. Green zero emission
Fiber laser rust removel machine is the real meaning of environmental protection equipment, to achieve zero emission. In the whole process of descaling, it will not produce any dust, which is in full compliance with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States) occupational health standards, and greatly protects the health of workers. At the same time, the equipment does not use chemical reagents and does not produce wastewater, eliminating pollution at the source. Compared with sandblasting lines, laser equipment consumes less energy and reduces carbon emissions by 60%.
2. High-precision cleaning without damaging the substrate
Laser rust removel adopts non-contact processing, only removes the rust layer, oxidized layer or coating, does not cause any physical damage to the metal substrate, and maximizes the protection of the substrate material. This makes the service life of metal equipments prolonged. It has been practically proved that the service life of metal equipments with laser descaling can be extended by 15% – 20%, which saves the cost of equipment replacement and maintenance for the enterprises.
3. Energy efficient, high degree of automation
Laser rust removel is excellent in efficiency, the whole descaling process is convenient and fast, the laser cleaning speed is fast, especially suitable for localized corrosion or small area cleaning. It does not need to carry out cumbersome pre-treatment like sandblasting rust removal, such as covering the area that does not need to be processed, and also eliminates complex post-treatment links, such as cleaning up a large amount of dust. Only the operator needs to aim the laser equipment at the rust layer, set the parameters, and then the rust removal work can be completed quickly. Moreover, the laser rust removel equipment can be matched with robotic arm or CNC system to realize automated assembly line operation and enhance production efficiency to realize 24-hour uninterrupted operation, which greatly improves the production efficiency and meets the enterprise’s large-scale and high-efficiency production needs.
▍Application Scenarios Decision Guide
Recommended Application Scenarios for Fiber Laser Rust Removel
Fiber laser romovel has the advantages of high precision and no contamination. It is well suited for precision parts such as gears and bearings, non-ferrous metals such as aluminum alloys and copper alloys, restoration of cultural relics, and cleaning of aerospace components.
Situations where sandblasting is recommended
Abrasive blasting is more suitable for pre-treatment of steel structures, large area paint removal from ship hulls and burr removal from castings. These applications require rapid treatment of large areas and can tolerate a degree of surface roughness.
Decision-making formula
When selecting between these two methods, three factors are considered: accuracy requirements, material sensitivity and environmental compliance. If cleaning accuracy, material loss, energy and environmental friendliness, and daily usability are high requirements, a fiber laser rust removel cleaning machine is the best choice.
▍How to choose the right fiber laser rust removel machine?
When choosing a fiber laser rust removel machine, you need to consider the descaling needs, material type, budget, efficiency and other factors. Below is the key shopping guide:
Consider the core parameters
Power selection: Select the power according to the thickness of the material and the hardness of the rust layer. For thin layers of rust, a fiber laser rust removel cleaning machine of 100 – 300W is usually enough. For thicker layers, a 500W or higher power unit is required.
Laser Type: Pulsed fiber lasers are good for high precision work, while continuous lasers are better suited for high productivity tasks.
Portability and Working Style
Handheld laser rust removel cleaning machines: Flexible and suitable for on-site repairs (e.g. ships, bridges), but usually low power (<500W).
Stationary/automated laser descaling machines: integrated robotic arm or CNC system, suitable for mass production (e.g. automotive manufacturing, structural steelworks).
Evaluate Supplier Qualifications
Certification Standards: Look for suppliers whose products have international certifications such as CE and ISO 9001. These certifications ensure the quality and safety of the equipment.
After-sales service: Pay attention to the supplier’s technical support response time, training services and spare parts availability. Good after-sales service ensures that the fiber laser rust removel cleaning machine operates properly.
▍Conclusion
In conclusion, fiber laser rust removel cleaning machines excel in terms of accuracy, environmental friendliness, and long-term cost-effectiveness. They are a better choice for high-end manufacturing, precision parts processing, and environmentally conscious industries. However, rust removel still has its place in large-scale rough surface preparation applications. When choosing a rust removal method, carefully consider your specific needs, budget and environmental requirements.
DXTECH is as a famous fiber laser rust removel cleaning machine manufacturer in China, our machines have high precision cutting ability. The accuracy is up to micron level, which is ideal for precision metal processing. We also offer customized solutions. No matter what metal descaling task you need done, DXTECH can design the right machine for you.