Boeing

Laser Corrosion Removal of Aerospace Aluminum

The project addressed the need to assess whether laser ablation could be used to clean aluminum alloys by removing oxides and corrosion products without unacceptable changes to the underlying material. It focused on alloys in the 2000 and 7000 series and examined a range of corrosion conditions, including uniform, pitting, and filiform corrosion, to compare how effectively laser processing removed different types and severities of surface degradation. A test array of materials and oxide conditions was prepared, and laser parameters such as power, frequency, and scan speed were varied to study their influence on cleaning performance. The resulting specimens were characterized to evaluate both corrosion removal and the condition of the base material after treatment. Microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cross sections, bend fracture observations, mechanical testing under different environmental conditions, microhardness measurements, and surface chemical analysis were used to assess residual byproducts, changes in morphology, and possible effects on material properties and microstructure. This work was intended to establish an experimental basis for judging the advantages and limitations of laser-based corrosion removal for aluminum substrates and to identify directions for future investigation.