What a laser cleaner costs to run

Electricity

The honest number, and it is modest. Our 100W backpack draws ≤300W and the 200W version ≤800W — less than a workshop heater. At the other end, a fully configured 6000W CW cabinet draws up to 25 kW on three-phase and does need to be planned into the supply.

Consumables

Protective lenses, replaced every 500–2000 hours. That is the list. No abrasive media, no chemicals, no masking, no rinse water.

Waste disposal

Usually the largest hidden saving. Contaminated blast media and spent stripper both carry collection and disposal costs, plus the administration around them. Dry laser cleaning replaces those with filter media from the extraction system.

Labour

One operator, no masking, no rinse-and-dry cycle, and no waiting for dwell time. In the projects we have documented, cleaning time fell by 70% on automotive rust removal and 60% against traditional methods on aerospace coating stripping.

The honest caveat

The machine costs more than a blast cabinet up front. Payback comes from consumables, disposal and labour, so it arrives quickly for equipment used daily and slowly for equipment used monthly. Tell us your hours per week and we will tell you honestly whether the numbers work.