Lightblast Laser Ablation Technology

Abstract The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden has developed “Lightblast,” a laser ablation technology for creating clean, structured surfaces. Lasers offer precision, reproducibility, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness, opening new possibilities in surface treatment. Traditional blasting processes employ compressed air to propel abrasive particles at high speed onto a substrate. This method often results in embedded abrasive particles, surface contamination, and rapid abrasive wear, compromising process consistency. Additionally, the abrasive waste poses environmental and disposal challenges. Lightblast utilizes a continuous wave single-mode laser and a dynamic galvanometer scanner to precisely vaporize the substrate without abrasives. Adjustable parameters control the resulting surface roughness with high reproducibility. Unlike pulsed laser ablation, the continuous wave laser enables higher productivity due to increased power. Furthermore, Lightblast allows for selective surface structuring based on CAD designs without additional masking. Target applications include surface preparation for coating, bonding, and joining processes.