THEO TM-300 300W Pulsed Laser Cleaning Machine

Strip Rust, Paint and Oxide Without Changing the Metal Underneath — 300W MOPA Pulses, Up to 1 m² per Minute

The THEO TM-300 pairs a 300W pulsed MOPA fiber laser from Maxphotonics with a 7,500 mm/s scan head, three interchangeable field lenses and an air-cooled, 100–240V cart, in your choice of Gaussian (≤1.8 mJ) or Flat-Top (≤15 mJ) beam.

Grinding, sandblasting and chemical stripping all get the coating off, but each takes something with it. Abrasives remove base metal and leave a profile you may not want, blasting media has to be contained and swept up, and strippers create waste you have to pay to dispose of. On a weld seam, a mold, a car body panel or a stainless food-service surface, that collateral damage is often the bigger problem than the rust itself.

The THEO TM-300 removes the contaminant with light instead. Each pulse is absorbed by the rust, paint, oxide or grease layer, which heats instantly and lifts away as vapor or fine particulate that a fume extractor can capture. Because the TM-300 uses MOPA pulsed technology rather than a continuous beam, the base material gets time to cool between pulses, so a correctly set-up pass leaves the substrate essentially untouched. It is built by THEO, the handheld laser brand of Maxphotonics, a fiber laser manufacturer producing over 200,000 laser units a year, and it is backed by THEO's service center in Westborough, Massachusetts.

Clean Without Melting the Substrate: Why the TM-300 Uses MOPA Pulses

Many laser cleaners use continuous-wave (CW) sources. A CW beam delivers constant heat, and on thin sheet, polished stainless or a precision mold that heat can melt or discolor the surface even after the coating is gone — the part can look clean while the metal underneath has already changed. The TM-300's MOPA (Master Oscillator Power Amplifier) source instead fires short, controlled bursts with a pulse width adjustable from 10 to 500 ns. Each burst hits the contamination hard, then the material cools before the next pulse lands, which limits heat spread into the base metal. In practice that means you can prep a weld joint, strip a painted panel or clean a mold cavity without warping, bluing or changing dimensions.

Pick the Beam That Fits the Job: Gaussian or Flat-Top

Both TM-300 versions share the same 300W platform, cart, head and controls; the difference is how energy is spread across the laser spot. The Gaussian version uses a 30 µm fiber core and a beam quality of M² ≤ 1.6 to concentrate energy into a tight, high-intensity spot with pulse frequency up to 8,000 kHz. THEO positions it for deeper contamination such as heavy oxide and rust. The Flat-Top version uses a 100 µm core and delivers up to 15 mJ per pulse across a wide, even spot, which THEO describes as fast and forgiving. It is the pick when the base material must stay untouched — mold stations, car bodies and industrial kitchens. Both handle everyday rust, paint and oxide removal, pre- and post-weld cleaning, and surface prep before coating.

Cover Up to 1 m² per Minute With a 7,500 mm/s Scan Head

The cleaning head sweeps the beam at up to 7,500 mm/s, and THEO rates the TM-300 for cleaning speeds up to 1 m² per minute. Four scan patterns — line, circle, wave and dynamic — let you match the motion to the part: a line for seams and edges, a circle for bosses and fastener areas, and wave or dynamic patterns for broad panels. Fill spacing (hatch pitch) is adjustable from 0 to 50, so you can tighten the pattern for a denser, more thorough pass or open it up for speed on light surface oxide. Compared with hand-grinding a weld seam or masking and blasting a panel, that is minutes of work instead of an afternoon, with no media cleanup afterward.

Swap Lenses to Trade Coverage for Concentration

Three field lenses ship in the box — 160 mm, 254 mm and 330 mm — and they change the job the machine is best at. The 160 mm lens gives a 70 × 70 mm cleaning field that puts the full 300W into a tighter, more aggressive pass for stubborn rust or tight spots. The 254 mm lens opens the field to 130 × 130 mm, and the 330 mm lens covers up to 150 × 150 mm for faster work on large flat surfaces. Circle scan radius scales with the lens, from 5–35 mm up to 5–75 mm. Being able to change focal length in the field means one machine can handle precision spot-cleaning on a machine component in the morning and wide-area paint removal on a frame in the afternoon.

Set Up Fast With Presets, a Distance Meter and Handle-Side Controls

The 10.4-inch touchscreen comes loaded with presets, so a new operator can start from a proven setting instead of guessing at power and frequency. A built-in distance meter with real-time visual feedback locks the focal point, which matters because laser cleaning results drop off quickly when the head drifts out of focus. A 1.8-inch screen on the handle lets the operator adjust settings at the workpiece without walking back to the cart, and the cleaning head weighs about 2 kg (4.4 lb), light enough for extended sessions without the fatigue of holding a grinder or blast nozzle. The companion THEO Toolbox app handles machine registration, a parameter database and access to THEO Academy training.

Built-In Safeguards That Protect the Operator and Everyone Nearby

The TM-300 is a Class 4 laser, and THEO designed its controls around that. Smart shut-down means the laser fires only when the head is aimed at the workpiece. Dual-channel interlocks stop operation unless every safety condition is met, and fiber breakage detection monitors the cable constantly, with instant alerts and pinpoint diagnostics. The cart adds an emergency stop, a key switch, and external safety (EX SAFETY) and control (EX-CTRL) connections. Unlike sandblasting or chemical stripping, there is no toxic dust cloud or chemical runoff; THEO recommends a fume extractor and proper laser PPE, including a powered breathing system, whenever you clean. The machine carries CE, FDA and FCC certification.

Roll It to the Job: Air-Cooled, Wide-Voltage and Chiller-Free

Some industrial laser cleaners need a separate water chiller, which adds weight, plumbing and another machine to maintain. The TM-300 is air-cooled, accepts 100–240V, 50/60 Hz input (THEO lists 120V or 230V at 16A), and rides on a wheeled cart with dedicated holders for the head and fiber cable. The 5 m (16.4 ft) fiber gives a generous working radius around the cart. At roughly 46 kg (101 lb), it rolls between bays or onto a trailer for field work, then rolls back without rigging or a forklift.

Who the TM-300 Is Built For

• Fabrication and welding shops doing pre-weld oil and scale removal and post-weld oxide cleanup on stainless and aluminum
• Mold and die maintenance where residue must come off without changing cavity surfaces
• Automotive restoration and collision shops stripping paint and rust from panels and components
• Industrial maintenance teams cleaning machine components, tooling and equipment in place
• Coating and finishing operations preparing surfaces before paint or powder coat
• Food-service and commercial kitchen equipment cleaning where the Flat-Top version's gentle profile protects stainless surfaces

What's in the Box

• THEO TM-300 300W air-cooled laser cleaning unit (Gaussian or Flat-Top version) on wheeled cart
• Handheld cleaning head with 5 m fiber cable
• F160 field lens (160 mm)
• F254 field lens (254 mm)
• F330 field lens (330 mm)
• Protective lens for the field lenses

Specifications

The THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine is engineered by Maxphotonics and carries a 1-year warranty that extends to 2 years once the machine is registered with THEO, with North American service from THEO's center in Westborough, Massachusetts. Purchases from The Maker's Chest include our 75-day return window. Download the THEO TM-300 brochure and full specifications (PDF).

The Maker's Chest Difference

• 🇺🇸 Sold through a licensed THEO distribution partner, so your machine is eligible for THEO's full warranty and its 2-year registered coverage
• ↩️ 75-day return window on the TM-300 when you buy through The Maker's Chest, far longer than typical industrial equipment return terms
• 🔍 Gaussian or Flat-Top? Send us photos of your parts and coatings and we will help you choose the beam profile that fits the work before you order
• 🔬 Lens and parameter guidance: we help you decide when to run the 160, 254 or 330 mm lens and how to start from THEO's presets on your materials
• 🌬️ Fume and safety planning: we help you plan extraction, laser PPE and a controlled laser zone before the machine arrives
• 🛠️ Warranty and parts help: we coordinate with THEO's Westborough, MA service center on registration, claims and replacement lenses
• 💬 U.S.-based support from The Maker's Chest by phone and email, alongside THEO's own support team

Compare TM-300 Gaussian vs. TM-300 Flat-Top

Choose the TM-300 Gaussian if your work is mostly heavier rust, scale and oxide, weld-seam cleanup and precision spot-cleaning, where a concentrated, high-intensity spot cuts through deeper contamination.

Choose the TM-300 Flat-Top if you clean molds, painted car bodies, stainless kitchen equipment or other finished surfaces where an even, forgiving energy profile matters more than penetration.

Frequently Asked Questions about the THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine

Q: What's the difference between the TM-300 Gaussian and TM-300 Flat-Top?
A: Both are 300W pulsed MOPA cleaners on the same platform. The Gaussian uses a 30 µm fiber core for a tight, high-intensity spot (≤1.8 mJ per pulse) and is THEO's recommendation for deeper rust and oxide. The Flat-Top uses a 100 µm core for a wide, even spot (≤15 mJ per pulse) and is recommended where the base material must stay untouched, such as molds, car bodies and commercial kitchen equipment.

Q: What can the THEO TM-300 remove?
A: It removes rust, paint, oxides, corrosion, grease, oil and scale, and is used for pre- and post-weld cleaning, surface prep before coating, and restoration work.

Q: What materials can the TM-300 clean?
A: THEO rates it for stainless steel, aluminum, structural steel, copper and stone, as well as select woods and plastics when parameters are set correctly.

Q: Is a pulsed laser cleaner better than a continuous-wave laser cleaner?
A: For surfaces you need to protect, yes. A continuous-wave beam delivers constant heat that can melt or discolor the substrate. The TM-300's MOPA pulses deliver energy in short bursts with cooling time between them, so contamination is removed while heat spread into the base metal stays minimal. High-power continuous cleaners can be faster on very heavy rust on thick structural steel, where surface finish matters less.

Q: How fast does the TM-300 clean?
A: THEO rates it for up to 1 m² per minute, with a 7,500 mm/s scan speed. Actual speed depends on the coating thickness, the lens you choose and the finish you need.

Q: What power does the TM-300 need, and does it need a chiller?
A: It accepts 100–240V, 50/60 Hz input, with THEO listing 120V or 230V at 16A. It is air-cooled, so no external water chiller is required.

Q: How heavy is the TM-300?
A: The machine weighs about 46 kg (101 lb) and rolls on a wheeled cart. The handheld cleaning head weighs about 2 kg (4.4 lb).

Q: Is laser cleaning safe, and what safety equipment do I need?
A: The TM-300 is a Class 4 laser with built-in smart shut-down, dual-channel interlocks and fiber breakage detection. You still need laser-rated eye and skin protection, a controlled work zone, and a fume extractor to capture removed material. THEO recommends wearing a powered breathing system whenever you clean.

Q: What warranty comes with the THEO TM-300?
A: THEO provides a 1-year warranty, extended to 2 years when you register the machine (registration is done through the THEO Toolbox app). North American service is handled by THEO's center in Westborough, Massachusetts.

Q: What is the return policy on the TM-300?
A: Purchases from The Maker's Chest include our 75-day return window. If the TM-300 is not the right fit for your shop, contact us within 75 days to arrange a return.

Q: Why buy the THEO TM-300 from The Maker's Chest?
A: You get THEO's full factory warranty plus a 75-day return window, and a U.S. team that helps you choose between the Gaussian and Flat-Top versions for your actual parts before you buy, then supports lens selection, fume and safety planning, registration and warranty questions afterward.

THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine Specifications:

THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine Warranty Details:

• THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine comes with a 1-year warranty, extended to a 2-year warranty once the machine is registered with THEO.
• 75-day return window on purchases from The Maker's Chest.
• Dedicated, local US-based support from The Maker's Chest, with North American service from THEO's center in Westborough, Massachusetts.

THEO TM-300 Laser Cleaning Machine Product Brochure:

Download the THEO TM-300 brochure and full specifications (PDF)