Complete removal of paint from metal surface by ablation with a TEA CO2 laser

For high-speed metal surface cleaning, we applied TEA CO₂ laser pulses to ablate painted materials on metal surfaces and examined the efficiency of removal under different surface and irradiation conditions. Surfaces treated with a line-focused laser beam were analyzed with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer and inspected with optical microscopic observation. Although paints were selectively ablated from the metal surface, the cleaning efficiency was found to depend on surface conditions of substrates. An application of a small amount of dimethyl formamide was effective for completely removing of resin without scorching the surface.