Laser Ablation of Paint from 2024-T3 Alclad Aluminum - Numerical Simulation and Experimental Characterization

Removal of paint from substrate material through laser ablation is a very promising and environmentally safe process as compared to chemical stripping and other processes. Potential thermomechanical damage of substrate material subjected to laser paint removal process plays a vital role in deciding the efficacy and the accuracy of a particular laser beam profile to be used. In the present research work, numerical simulation of thermomechanical behavior of substrate material (2024-T3 Alclad aluminum) with paint layer is developed subjected to laser heating with Gaussian (TEM00) and Super-Gaussian (Top-Hat) beam profiles. It was observed that the Gaussian beam profile had the fastest stabilization time but produced higher thermal stresses on the surface of substrate material as compared to the Top-Hat beam profile. Moreover, the effects of various paint stripping processes (laser and chemical stripping) on the fatigue life and failure pattern of the substrate material (2024-T3 Alclad aluminum) were investigated.