An Introduction to Laser Cleaning Possibilities (Day 1)

This is an intensive full day introduction to laser cleaning for cultural heritage applications. Participants will learn about the physics of what happens during laser cleaning treatments, important safety protocols, and the general benefits of using environmentally friendly precise laser cleaning as an alternative to chemical or abrasive methods. Effective applications as well as its limitations of laser technology will be discussed. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of ablation thresholds and damage thresholds and how tuning laser parameters can give a wide range of results. This workshop will feature the patented highly tunable GC-1 laser cleaning system, which was invented by Bartosz Dajnowski specifically for cultural heritage conservation applications. Real world examples of successful laser cleaning projects ranging from small artifacts to large metal monuments and architectural structures will be presented. During the live laser cleaning portion of the workshop a variety of cleaning results, based on the laser parameters chosen, will be demonstrated on metal and stone samples. Participants are welcome to bring their own samples for laser cleaning tests.

Laser Operator Training and Certification (Day 2)

This optional course builds off of the knowledge from Day 1 and is focused on training and certifying participants to know how to use and tune G.C. Laser Systems effectively and safely. This course involves a lot of participant hands on time with the laser equipment, independently tuning laser parameters, completing specific laser cleaning training exercises, and has a written exam for laser operator certification. Participants who complete this course will have a more intuitive understanding of the capabilities of laser cleaning and will be certified and authorized to use, rent, or purchase G.C. Laser Cleaning Systems for their own applications. A prerequisite for participation in this day 2 program is successful completion of a general Industrial Laser Safety Training (3 hour online course) from the Laser Institute of America (LIA.org) or an equivalent laser safety organization from the participants country. G.C. Laser Systems has incorporated the LIA laser safety course as an additional layer to its own safety requirements.

Short bio

Objects conservator Bartosz Dajnowski has an MS from the Winterthur/University of Delaware Masters Program in Art Conservation. He studied art, culture, and conservation at the Jagiellonian University in Poland, Studio Art Centers International in Florence, the Loyola Rome Center in Rome, and has a BA in Art History and Economics from Northwestern University. Bartosz has been using, researching, servicing, and repairing a variety of lasers in art and architecture conservation for over 15 years and studied laser applications, programming, and engineering at the Military University of Technology – Institute of Optoelectronics in Warsaw, Poland. He is Vice Director of his family art conservation business, The Conservation of Sculpture & Objects Studio, Inc. and co-founder and president of G.C. Laser Systems Inc., a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing laser systems for art conservation. Bartosz invented and patented the GC-1 Laser cleaning system and has engineered laser cleaning solutions for a variety of applications worldwide.

Contact information
G.C. Laser Systems Inc., 900 S. Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park, IL 60130, USA
Bartek@gclasers.com
http://www.GCLasers.com
Tel Office: (844)-532-1064
Fax: (773)-594-0583
Cell: 773-860-5555