SA3.0 Standards Surface Preparation 

Steel Surface Preparation-Corrosion Removal

What is surface preparation treatment?

The standards of steel and ore surface preparation are the preparation of a surface through a treatment. The reason for the surface to be prepared is to increase the adhesion capability of coatings and paints.

Industry professionals say that the most crucial factor that influences the long-term performance of coatings is the quality of the surface preparation of the steel. Traditionally, this was achieved chemically or mechanically, but an emerging modern-day approach is to treat surfaces with laser technology.

Blasting techniques in steel fabrication and shipbuilding, and rail repair have been developed for surface preparation of steel to a standard equivalent to SA2.5 as defined by ISO Standard 8501. The usage of consumables, such as abrasive materials, air, and water, constitutes a recurring cost in these processes. When sandblasting works are carried out in the open space, such as during dry-docking, abrasive sandblasting generates much dust, which in turn pollutes the environment with consequential social and economic costs. Laser blasting or laser cleaning, which has now been introduced commercially in Steel fabrication, Bridge Infrastructure maintenance, and shipbuilding repairs, offers an alternative for green manufacturing and green maintenance. Laser cleaning has significant advantages in these issues over conventional blasting techniques. Laser Cleaning is a well-controlled process with unique properties, such as precise treatment, high selectivity, and high flexibility. A cleaning method using a high-power laser cleaner has now been developed for the surface preparation of steel. Laser Industries Cleaning Machines have the advantages of a compact system, automation capability, and low maintenance cost. 

Reports indicate that the laser cleaning results using a DC 6000 high-power laser cleaning can meet the SA 3.0 requirements of blast cleaning as described in the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standard 8501.