Laser Cleaning
Light for Art is active in the application of laser technology to the historic-artistic heritage, following the tradition of the EL.EN. group that has always taken part in national and international research groups. It has in fact been an industrial partner in the Research Project promoted by the IEQ (Istituto di Elettronica Quantistica - Quantistic Electronic Institute) of the CNR and the high tech network of the Regione Toscana. From this and other synergies with the most significant Italian research and restoration centres, it has developed a line of products for restoration and conservation.
Consevation Lasers - Light for Art >>>Laser Cleaning Applications: Conservation of Artworks
There are four main advantages in using laser technology in the cleaning of surfaces of historic and artistic interest:- Minimum invasiveness: the laser is characterised first and foremost by the absence of physical contact between the instrument and the surfaces to be treated, allowing for operating on extremely fragile or heavily altered surfaces, even before consolidation. Moreover, due to acting directly on the surfaces, laser does not require the addition of abrasive materials or the use of chemical agents. Laser cleaning only requires - where permitted by the conditions of the art work - a slight dampening of the surface to be treated with water.
- A high degree of control: the removal of the deteriorated layer can be gauged in such a way as to involve only a few microns of thickness per single pulse, permitting the defining of the depth to be reached with utmost precision.
- Selectivity: laser exploits the physical principle of the different light absorption coefficient by the various materials depending on their colour. The altered layer to be removed, in the majority of cases horizons with very dark or black colour deterioration, absorbs the light completely, allowing for an almost instantaneous removal process (ablation) by the laser. Vice-versa, the substrate of the material to be preserved, usually lighter tones, reflects the light to a much greater degree, consequently limiting or impeding the laser action.
- High precision: the cleaning process only involves the area illuminated by the laser beam, without any mechanical or heat effects on the surrounding areas. Moreover, lasers that use optic fibres allow for treating even considerably complex modelled surfaces. The use of the variable-focus handpiece offers additional flexibility of use, at the same time allowing for the treatment of large surface areas, or precision working on extremely minute details.
Laser Restoration of art works - Laser Stone Cleaning
The demand is growing in the field of conservation of the cultural heritage for increasingly more accurate cleaning techniques, characterised by an elevated selectivity and minimum impact on the original art works.
The solution proposed by the laser system meets this need and supplies the restorer with a new instrument for backing up and integrating with the other mechanical and chemical means used to date. The adopting of laser therefore meets the modern restoration industry's growing demand for technological updating, induced by new standards and the more and more frequent requests from the public authorities in charge of protecting the cultural heritage.
Thanks to ongoing research, the field of application on different metals is constantly spreading, and laser is now used on a regular basis in the restoration of stone surfaces of individual monuments and the architectural surfaces of buildings of great historic and artistic value.
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