LABORATORY

THE LASER IN THE RESTORATION

In the field of conservation of cultural heritage, the demand for ever more accurate cleaning techniques is growing, characterized by high selectivity and minimal impact on the original structure of the artefact.

The adoption of lasers responds to the growing need for technological adaptation induced not only by new regulations, but also by the advantageous characteristics of the use of this technology:

MINIMUM INVASIVITY: ithe laser is characterized above all by the absence of physical contact between the instrument and the surface to be treated allowing it to operate on extremely fragile or heavily altered surfaces, even before consolidation. Furthermore, the laser does not require the use of abrasive materials or the use of chemical species, since it operates directly on the surface.

HIGH DEGREE OF CONTROL: the removal of the degradation layer can be calibrated so as to affect a few microns of thickness for a single pulse, by doing so it is possible to define with the utmost precision the level of depth to be achieved.

SELECTIVITY: the laser exploits the physical principle of the different absorption coefficient of light by the different materials, according to their color.

HIGH DEGREE OF PRECISION: the cleaning process only affects the area illuminated by the laser beam, without any mechanical or thermal effect. Extremely precise on even small details.

Thanks to the continuous commitment to research, the field of laser applications on different materials is continuously expanding, proposing extremely innovative solutions in the conservation of our historical and artistic heritage not only stone but also on metals, on wooden works (including furniture), on tapestries, on gilding and on contemporary paintings.

THE LABORATORY EQUIPMENT

Ultraviolet investigation lighting system.

Infrared reflectoscopic system.

Nikon binocular stereoscopic microscope.

Photographic equipment connectable to the microscope to perform Macro.

Vacuum system.

Low pressure vacuum table.

Instruments for pH and conductivity control.

Micro-motors and ultrasonic scaler.

Short pulse laser instrumentation for cleaning operations on different media.