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Singapore institute seeks partners to license and commercialise a steel plate laser blasting device that is compact, cost-effective and environmentally friendly

Country of Origin: Singapore
Reference Number: TOSG20201221001
Publication Date: 4 January 2021

Summary

Traditional industrial cleaning methods are often tedious, time consuming and possibly dangerous. A Singapore academic and research institute has developed a laser cleaning technology that removes coating, rust and surface contamination, through an environmentally-friendly process that has low dust emission, low noise, and low waste volume. 

It seeks to partner SMEs or MNEs via licensing or commercial agreements with technical assistance.

Description

The Singapore academic and research institute has developed a method, using fibre laser technology, to remove material from surfaces for coating preparation.

Methods like abrasive blasting has been established as the industry standard for cleaning raw materials used to build new ships, as well as for removing contaminants and paint for ship repair. However, this can be an environmental hazard and pose serious health concerns due to the presence of toxic dust and high noise levels produced by abrasive blasting. It also involves high maintenance costs.

In addition, new workplace environmental and health policies require more green approaches to cleaning for environmental protection and health hazard reduction.

This technology includes fibre laser technology that provides the advantages of a compact system, automation capability, and low maintenance and operation cost. The cleaning results also meet the requirements described in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 8501.

This technology involves pulsed coherent light that is directed and focused from about 22 cm from the surface, onto an area of the surface according to the selected parameters. The top layer of the material – such as oxide, coating or contamination – can be quickly ablated from the surface. Selective cleaning can be achieved through the accurate and precise control of laser beam movement.

The method may comprise selecting parameters which include the following:

• Wavelength: 1055 nm to 1075 nm
• Line density: 50 to 75%
• Line width of the pulsed coherent light and frequency: 16 to 100 KHz
• Power: 400 to 2000 Watts
• Peak power density: 0.3 to100 MW/cm2
• Scanning speed: 10 to15 m/s
• Pulse energy: 20 to 200 mJ

This technology is applicable in the following industries:

Marine & offshore
• Spot cleaning for recoating work
• Degreasing
• Cleaning in confined spaces

Automotive
• Precisely and selectively de-painting for repair work
• Fully de-paint and de-rust
• Surface roughening

Aerospace
• Coating removal
• Glue removal
• Surface patterning to enhance bonding

Other industries
• Surface cleaning
• Surface profiling
• Metal recycling
• Building conservation
• Conservation of artworks

The Singapore academic and research institute is interested in working with partners (MNEs or SMEs of all sizes) to either license the technology or be a commercial partner with technical assistance rendered by the Singapore institute.

Advantages and Innovations

•	Environmental friendly work process that eliminates blasting noise, dust and grit disposal problems
• Economical process with low maintenance and operating cost
• Compact system
• High flexibility for automation capability, providing users with a very short turnaround time
• Cleaning results adhere to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 8501 standard

Stage Of Development

Available for demonstration

Stage Of Development Comment

Technology is available for commercialisation and ready for introduction to the market by the proposed partner.

Requested partner

The Singapore institute seeks to partner MNEs or SMEs of all sizes via the following types of agreements:

i) Licensing - The partner can license the technology and further develop it into products to introduce to the market

ii) Commercial agreement with technical assistance - The R&D institute would provide support in the installation and maintenance of the transferred technology.

Cooperation offer is closed for requests