From Sample Test to Capital Approval: Running a Pilot That Convinces
Most laser cleaning purchases die in the same meeting. Someone shows a video of a laser taking rust off a plate, someone else asks how it compares with what the plant does now, and nobody has an answer that will survive a budget review.
A well-run pilot gives you that answer. It replaces "it looked impressive" with numbers from your own parts, your own people and your own site. Here's how to design one.
Step 1: write down the question
A pilot should answer one decision, stated plainly. For example:
"Can a laser replace abrasive blasting for pre-weld cleaning on line 2, at the same or better cycle time?"
"Can we clean moulds in the press and cut changeover downtime?"
"Can our maintenance crew strip coatings from tank internals without containment and media cleanup?"
If you can't write the question in one sentence, the pilot will drift.
Step 2: measure what you do now
You can't show improvement without a baseline. Before the laser arrives, record for the current method:
Time per part or per square metre, from setup to finished part, including masking and cleanup
Consumables used
Waste generated and its disposal route
Rework or rejection rate
Exposure controls in use (blasting containment, respirators, solvent handling)
Downtime caused by the cleaning step
Our post Making the Case to Management lists what to capture.
Step 3: start with a sample test
Send us real parts with the real coating, including your hardest ones, not the easiest. We'll run them, record the settings, time the work and return the parts with a short report. This tells you whether the pilot is worth running at all, and which Netalux machine to pilot.
Step 4: run the pilot on site
A sample test proves the process. A pilot proves it in your conditions.
Use a rental. Run the selected machine at your site for a set period, long enough to cover normal work and a few awkward jobs. Contact us for rental rates and availability.
Train first. Your operators and your Laser Safety Officer should be trained before the first part is cleaned. Untrained operators make the laser look slow.
Set up properly. Controlled area, eyewear, barriers and extraction from day one, so the pilot measures the real process, not a shortcut version of it.
Use real work. Pilot parts should come from production or maintenance, not a special batch.
Step 5: measure the same things
Record the same metrics you captured in step 2, the same way. Add:
Inspection results against your acceptance criteria: cleanliness, profile if required, substrate condition
Operator feedback: ease of use, fatigue, what slowed them down
Safety review: how the controlled area worked, any near misses, what the LSO would change
Site fit: power, cooling, extraction and space
Keep a simple log. Date, part, time, settings, result and notes are enough.
Step 6: write the report
A good pilot report fits on two or three pages:
The question from step 1
Baseline vs pilot results, side by side, for each metric
Inspection results and photos
What worked and what didn't, honestly
Recommended configuration: machine, extraction, safety kit, training and any site work
Costs: capital or financing, site preparation, training, consumables and maintenance
Decision requested
If the pilot shows the laser isn't the right answer for this application, say so. That's a result too, and it saves the capital for something that works.
Step 7: the approval meeting
With a report like this, the meeting is short. The decision makers can see the baseline, the measured improvement, the risks and how they were handled, and the full cost. They don't have to take anyone's word for it, including ours.
Common pilot mistakes
Testing only easy parts. The hardest part in the mix decides the process.
Skipping the baseline. Without it, there's nothing to compare.
Untrained operators. The laser gets blamed for a learning curve.
No extraction or controlled area. The pilot then measures a process you can't actually run.
Too short. One good day doesn't show what a normal week looks like.
How Laserverse supports a pilot
We run the sample test, recommend the machine, supply the rental with the extraction and safety kit, train your operators and LSO, and support you through the pilot from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, plus after-hours support from 5 to 9 p.m. at no extra charge. If you buy, financing is available through Alliance Financing.
Book a sample test, or call +1 (705) 805-2737 to plan a pilot.
