The application of laser processing technology in rail transit manufacturing, in addition to welding, cutting, surface modification of key components, marking, punching, and micromachining, has also become a popular application in rail transit manufacturing in recent years.

Railway rails are laid in the open air environment, which is affected by factors such as rain and sunlight, and the surface is prone to rust (or fouling). When the rust layer on the rail surface and inside is serious, it is easy to cause poor rail circuit shunting, affect the transmission of railway signals, and endanger traffic safety. At present, two methods of manual grinding and rust removal and large rail rust removal grinder are mainly used to remove the rust layer dirt on the rails in operation.

Manual grinding and rust removal is the main way of current rail maintenance, but its labor intensity is high, the operation is difficult, the work efficiency is low, the rail is easily damaged, and the cleaning quality is difficult to guarantee.

Large-scale rail rust removal and grinding machine, with large power and large volume, requires its own generator, which needs to be driven by a traction locomotive and run on the railway. Before operation, it is necessary to submit a transportation plan. The occupation of the line during on-site operation affects the transportation, and the cost is too high, which has a significant impact on the surrounding environment of the railway track.

Laser cleaning is a new technology that is different from the traditional cleaning process in the past. It has received more and more attention because of its green, energy-saving and environmental protection. It has a very important application prospect in the rail transit industry. Laser cleaning equipment is suitable for operators to work alone, with low cleaning cost, environmental protection and high efficiency. The cleaning quality is good and does not hurt the rail substrate. It does not need to apply for railway transportation plans. It can be easily towed by one hand or automatically completed by remote control. These advantages cannot be replaced by existing cleaning methods, and its development prospects are greatly optimistic. Shanghai Shengtong Intelligent Laser Equipment Group is a laser cleaning manufacturer with more than 10 years of operation. Over the years, it has jointly developed, produced and sold laser cleaning equipment with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and scientific research institutions. Laser cleaning machines range from 50 watts to more than one kilowatt. They are widely used in rail transit, including wheelset cleaning, brake beam cleaning, rail cleaning, and so on.