Several cleaning methods are in use today, including chemicals, ultrasonic, and socium bicarbonate (baking soda). Each of these methods has its specific disadvantages: chemicals are harmful for people and planet, ultrasonic may damage the roller, and baking soda brings a moderate cleaning result in the best scenario. Traditional methods do not deliver a 100% cleaned roller, certainly not if rollers are poluted by polymers.
Laser cleaning has no disadvantages, does not use water or granulates, no chemicals, and always deliveres the best cleaning result. Only laser cleaning restores the surface tension of rollers, which allows for use of original ink receipe and hence the best printing quality against lowest ink use. Laser cleaning is also the most environnement friendly method.
Although laser cleaning exists for many years, it is only since the last years that it became the recognised preferred method of cleaning, especially because Laserclean developed a light, fast, and user friendly laser machine (ALCS 2500).