Laser cleaning system for a stator slot

A device for removing a coating located in a slot of a stator core of an electric generator wherein the slot includes a bottom surface and first and second sidewalls that extend from the bottom surface and wherein the first and second sidewalls each terminate at a respective top surface, comprising:

• a first transport system for moving a carriage in a first direction relative to the slot, wherein the first direction is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the stator core and wherein the first transport system includes a first pair of guide rails to enable movement of the first transport system in the first direction;
• a second transport system mounted to the carriage, wherein the second transport system enables movement of the carriage in a second direction relative to the slot, wherein the second direction is along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a laser beam emitting head attached to the carriage wherein the laser beam emitting head moves within the slot in either the first or second directions or both the first and second directions and wherein the laser beam emitting head emits a laser beam that is reflected by a reflective surface that orients the laser beam away from the first direction and toward at least one sidewall to enable removal of coating between the top and bottom surfaces of the at least one sidewall.

A method for removing a coating located on a slot of a stator core of an electric generator wherein the slot includes a bottom surface and first and second sidewalls that extend from the bottom surface and wherein the first and second sidewalls each terminate at a respective top surface, comprising the steps of:

• moving a carriage along guide rails in a first direction relative to the slot, wherein the first direction is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the stator core;
• moving the carriage in a second direction relative to the slot, wherein the second direction is along the longitudinal axis;
• providing a laser beam emitting head on the carriage, wherein the laser beam emitting head includes a reflective surface;
• moving the laser beam emitting head within the slot in either the first or second directions or both the first and second directions;
• and
• emitting a laser beam from the laser beam emitting head wherein the reflective surface orients the laser beam away from the first direction and toward at least one sidewall to enable removal of coating between the top and bottom surfaces of the at least one sidewall.