Our Sites

Fraunhofer IWS develops laser-based surface cleaning process

René Jungnickel/Fraunhofer IWS

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology (IWS) in Dresden, Germany, has developed LIGHTblast technology, a laser-based surface cleaning process that serves as an alternative to sand blasting. This technology now is being transferred to the semiconductor manufacturing and automotive supply industries.

“This is like sandblasting at the speed of light,” explained Dr. Patrick Herwig, who heads the Laser Cutting Group at the institute. “We are thus enabling industry to process equipment and components faster, more environmentally friendly, and cleaner than before.”

Instead of sand grains, the process uses a high-energy laser beam with a diameter of less than 50 µm to clean and roughen the surface. The final surface roughness can be finely adjusted.