Numerical simulation of paint stripping on CFRP by pulsed laser

Carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite is widely used in aerospace industry. The protective paint on the CFRP of aircraft needs to be removed after reaching a certain useful life. Laser cleaning has the advantages of high efficiency and environmental protection. However, the main obstacle to the application of laser cleaning on CFRP is the thermal damage caused by the laser radiation absorbed on the surface or inside of the substrate. In order to understand the interaction between laser and each layer of material, and the influence of laser parameters on the substrate temperature rise. Based on the 'element death' technique of the finite element (FE) method, a numerical model of material removal on a heterogeneous fiber-matrix mesh was established, which can accurately simulate the heat transfer process between carbon fiber and resin matrix. The effects of laser energy density, spot overlap rate and adjacent scanning line interval on material removal and the peak temperature of the substrate were investigated. The results show that the pulsed laser paint removal process will produce two high temperature zones on the resin layer and the heterogeneous material, and the superposition of adjacent pulse energy can significantly increase the temperature rise of the substrate.

Automated summary

This study investigated the thermal damage issue when using laser cleaning on CFRP, and explored the influence of laser parameters on the temperature rise of the substrate through establishing a numerical model. The results showed that pulsed laser cleaning process can create high temperature zones during the paint removal, and the superposition of adjacent pulse energy significantly increases the temperature rise of the substrate.