Within the frame of the TresClean project, ALPhANOV acquired a new Tangor-350 W laser and a customized motorized scanning system.

The TresClean project has been initiated in 2016 by ALPhANOV and the University of Parma (UNIPR). This project, with a duration of three and a half years, is funded by the European Union (H2020) and brings together academic and industrial partners. The main objective of the TresClean project is to develop laser-textured antimicrobial surfaces using high power ultra-short lasers. These innovative surfaces produced without any chemical treatment can meet a large range of applications such as self-cleaning and aseptic surfaces for food packaging industry or household appliances.

ALPHANOV contributes to develop laser processes able to adjust the wettability of treated surfaces, making them hydrophobic and super-hydrophobic by generating surface nano- and micro- structures (LIPSS). The processes developed throughout the TresClean project should meet the industrial needs and expectation especially in terms of productivity, being able to reach a processing speed of 40 mm/s. In order to achieve this high throughput, ALPhANOV has acquired a Tangor 350 W laser from Amplitude Systèmes. The laser runs at central wavelength of 1030 nm and can deliver up to 350 W of average power at very high repetition rate (up to 13 MHz) with pulse duration of 500 femtoseconds.

The laser is connected to a polygonal scanner, developed by RAYLASE, also partner of the TresClean project, allowing the laser beam to move at an exceeding speed of more than 100m/s.

The Tangor laser is connected to a complete, fully motorized scanning system for the laser machining of molds. The system, realized by ISP Aquitaine, consists of an automated 3-axes mechanical movement with linear run up to 700mm. The texturing laser processes developed within the frame of the TresClean project are expected to be used for multiple purposes like packaging tubes treatment for liquid food, or for injection molds of all kinds of household appliances.