DEVELOPMENT OF A LASER MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR STRIPPING OF PAINT COATINGS

LEAD-BASED PAINTS ARE COMMONLY USED ON STEEL SUBSTRATES FOR OPACITY, REACTIVITY, DURABILITY, LUBRICATION, AND CORROSION PROTECTION PURPOSES. CONVENTIONAL SAND BLASTING METHODS FORREMOVAL OF SUCH PAINT COATINGS RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND ASSOCIATED DISPOSAL COSTS. PHASE I EFFORT IS DIRECTED TOWARD ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUE NAMELY A LASER SYSTEM FOR PAINT REMOVAL WITH CONSIDERATIONS OF MINIMUM COST, POLLUTION AND HAZARDS. FUNDAMENTAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE LASER BEAM AND THE PAINT WILL BE INVESTIGATED, SUCH AS ABLATION, SPALLATION, AND EVAPORATION MECHANISMS. THE CONCEPT OF A PROTOTYPE PORTABLE FIELD UNIT LASER SYSTEM WILL BE PRESENTED IN PHASE II. AN ECONOMIC COMPARISON BETWEEN CHEMICAL STRIPPING, SAND BLASTING, AND LASER STRIPPING WILL BE MADE TO ASSESS THE SUPERIORITY OF THE LASER METHOD.