Laser Comparison
Eight industrial cleaning methods across 17 criteria. The laser is highlighted.
| Laser | Dry ice | Sandblasting | Glass beads | Walnut shells | Water | Steam | Solvents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| generates secondary waste | no | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | yes |
| abrasive (material-removing) | no | no | yes | yes | partly | no | no | no |
| mechanical stress | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | partly | chemical |
| reproducible result | yes | partly | partly | partly | partly | partly | partly | partly |
| electrically conductive | no | no | no | no | no | yes | yes | yes |
| consumables required | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| additional equipment | little | yes | yes | yes | yes | little | little | yes |
| intensive preparation | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| environmentally friendly | yes | no CO2 | no | no | partly | partly | partly | no |
| noise exposure | very low | very high | very high | very high | very high | high | medium | low |
| vibrations | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | medium | no |
| dry process | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| hazard to operators | low | very high | very high | very high | high | high | medium | high |
| suitable for inline processes | yes | no | no | no | no | partly | no | no |
| hot or cold surface | yes | partly | yes | yes | yes | no | partly | no |
| additional nozzle required | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no |
| performance | very good | very good | very good | very good | medium | medium | poor | medium |
advantage over other methods
Note: The rating applies to typical industrial applications. Depending on the component, contamination and area, a different method may be more economical.
