Rust is not only unattractive, but it can completely decimate an entire structure. This stubborn and inevitable enemy of metal can wreak havoc on companies in many ways.
According to a study by NACE International (The International Association of Corrosion Engineers) the direct cost of corrosion in the U.S. is $276 billion (3.1% of Gross Domestic Product).
However the laser technology is going to change the things soon. Now a hand-held 1000-watt laser called the CL 1000, by a company called Clean Laser blasts away rust, paint, and any other coating within seconds. You are left with nice shiny metal. Considering its benefits, ‘CL 1000’ is being increasingly used instead of pressure and chemical cleaning by a growing number of companies.
Science behind:
The device uses short pulses of laser light to clean the surface of the material. When aimed at a metal surface, high-power laser beam is quickly absorbed by the rust layer. This rapid heating of the rust layer causes its melting and vaporization.
The metals underneath don’t absorb the laser energy. Thus leaving the underneath material unaffected, revealing virgin bare metal in seconds.
