When treating with plasma, high-energy oxygen reacts with organic contaminants and oxides, converting them to gaseous compounds such as water and carbon dioxide and removing them from the surface.
In addition to cleaning, plasma treatment improves the properties and quality of the surface and prepares it for further processing: welding, bonding, painting, adhesive deposition and other coatings.
Plasma treatment is used in a variety of industries – including aerospace, automotive, electronics and medical – and can be applied to a wide range of metals:
- Steel
- Aluminum
- Special alloys
- Copper.
Plasma eliminates chemicals, solvents and abrasives that can contaminate the atmosphere, damage the surface and create scrap for disposal.
During the rolling of steel, iron oxides form on the surface, reducing the quality of the substrate and affecting its properties, interfering with subsequent welding or painting.
Examples of metallic substrates that may benefit from plasma treatment include
- Removal of iron oxides and contaminants from thin steel and stainless steel sheets
- Removal of dust and lubricants from metal bars
- Removing aluminum oxide from aluminum alloys
- Treatment of aluminum or copper wire after rolling
- Cleaning metal tubes and profiles
- Improving surface quality for welding applications.
Plasma treatment is a very precise and versatile technology: it cleans small surfaces without affecting other adjacent areas. This advantage makes it possible to treat components with complex shapes, delicate surfaces such as those used in the electronics industry, thin surfaces such as copper wires, or aluminum to optimize electrical conductivity.
The system can also be integrated directly into the line prior to further processing, allowing the substrate to be processed immediately after cleaning to ensure top adhesion.
In case of heavy contamination, it is recommended to use other cleaning techniques (such as degreasing products, steam treatment or chemical pickling).