Laser ablation (also known as laser decoating) is a progressive laser method for removing painted and coated layers of interior and exterior parts in order to create visual 2D or 3D graphics. Recent design trends in the automotive industry indicate that lighting design is becoming a crucial aspect of personalizing both vehicle interiors and exteriors. Lights are now integrated into a variety of components to highlight intricate structures, logos, and lines. Laser decoating is widely used in the production mainly due to the saving of consumables such as masking jigs and tapes.
Laser ablation
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To enhance exterior design and emphasize brand identity, more intricate geometries, unattainable with traditional methods, are becoming increasingly popular. Laser paint ablation meets these demands by creating patterns on bumpers, spoilers, and radiator grilles, giving vehicles a unique look.
This approach not only aligns with the design language of car manufacturers but also allows for the integration of functional elements such as signal, position, or communication lights into painted components. These elements remain invisible until illuminated, ensuring the vehicle’s design remains unchanged when the lights are off. Read more about laser etching.
Creation of visual patterns
Material ablation technology allows the finest details to be created with precision and resolution, giving graphic designers the freedom to innovate. The picture shows the so-called H pattern (line width is only 0.2 mm), which was created by selectively removing the black plated layer of the headlamp. As this technology does not affect the base material (polymer) in any concrete way, there are no defects in the headlight body that would interfere with the lamp translucency.
Large format decoating
Precision laser machining can be used in the production of large and complex parts. By applying 3D laser decoating, it is possible to reveal the red base polycarbonate of the rear headlight by removing the metal layer, creating a unique polygonal effect over the entire area of the part with a width of approx. 600 mm. The process preserves all the optical characteristics of the headlamp, reduces production costs, reduces production time, and above all replaces the unreliable masking process, which often makes it impossible to meet complex graphical requirements.
Logo creation
Laser decoating is not limited by the underlying material used, thus it is possible to apply the technology to opaque polymers without any issue. Individual parameterization for individual graphic objects can precisely adjust the laser process to compensate for inaccuracies in the production of the part itself, such as inhomogeneous thickness of the plated layer. The result is a logo with a homogeneous course of contrast in its entirety.
Additional services
For laser decoating applications, we offer a standardized compact cell Vario Compact with manual loading and internal dimensions of 1500 x 1000 x 500 mm. There is also the possibility of implementing up to 4 axes or even camera analysis of the marked object with verification of its position.
Selected projects
Project implemented for the leading manufacturer of headlights, where the main requirement was a high accuracy and repeatability of the process.
The front and rear light pattern is created by cutting-edge 3D laser selective decoating technology, that removes the metal layer with minimal impact on the base material.
