PULSED LASER SPOT CLEANING

THE OFFERER, LASER TECHNOLOGY, INC., HAS DEVELOPED A NEW UNIQUE PULSED CARBON DIOXIDE LASER SYSTEM FOR THE REMOVAL OF PAINT. THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE READILY ADAPTABLE TO AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING PROCESSES WHERE CONTROLLED SPOT CLEANING OF PARTS PRIOR TO ON LINE AUTOMATED ASSEMBLY IS DESIRED. PREVIOUS WORK BY THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT PULSED LASER SYSTEMS WILL REMOVE PAINT AND OTHER ORGANIC BASED COATINGS WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE STRUCTURES BEING CLEANED AND WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY PRODUCE DECOMPOSITION OF THE COATING INTO RELATIVELY HARMLESS AND READILY COLLECTIBLE AND DISPOSABLE MATERIALS. PHASE I RESEARCH SUPPORT IS REQUIRED IN THE SPECIFIC AREA OF DEVELOPMENT OF DATA REQUIRED FOR THE DESIGN OF THE POINT OF DELIVERY SUB-SYSTEM. THE LASER ENERGY WILL PASS THROUGH A LENSE A FEW INCHES AWAY FROM THE WORKPIECE. MEANS MUST BE DEVISED TO MAINTAIN A CLEAN LENSE AND TO INSURE REMOVAL OF WASTE PRODUCTS FROM THE WORK AREA BETWEEN PULSES. THE UNKNOWNS WHICH MUST BE DETERMINED IN THE SUBJECT RESEARCH INVOLVE GAS FLOW RATES REQUIRED IN AND AROUND THE DELIVERY SUB-SYSTEM.