Product category:
Washing and pretreatment
News Release from: Vapormatt | Subject: Wet blast surface treatment, preparation, cleaning
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 10 January 2007
Wet blast prepares composites for
bonding
A mobile wet blast surface treatment unit now features composite materials prior to bonding and heat scale removal from aluminium extrusion dies.
Wet blast surface treatment specialist Vapormatt, has completely upgraded and re-equipped the company's International Demonstration Vehicle (IDV) which, over the past few years, has travelled widely throughout Britain and continental Europe to demonstrate the benefits of wet blasting for a wide variety of surface cleaning, degreasing, finishing and treatment applications These include the surface preparation of composite materials prior to bonding, heat scale removal from aluminium extrusion dies, the refurbishment of automotive parts and the cleaning of aircraft wheels
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 6 Jun 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Wet blast cabinet locates flush against a wall
Designed for both ease and economy of operation, a compact wet blast cabinet is ideal for either the small workshop or production operations and can be located flush to a wall.
System degreases, wet blasts and in one cycle
Turbine-based, automatic airless wet blast cleaning and degreasing machine is specifically designed for the batch cleaning of heavily soiled and oily parts in one automatic cycle.
The IDV - repainted in Vapormatt's new corporate livery - is now ready to take to the road again, giving companies the opportunity to arrange a visit to their own premises to view wet blast technology in action and have the opportunity to process their own sample components.
The spacious interior of the 7m long self-contained vehicle features three fully operational wet blast machines: a 'Vapormate 1', a 'Panther 3' and a 'Lynx 10', which have processing enclosure sizes of 700mm x 700mm x 700mm, 995mm x 700mm x 700m, and 950mm x 950mm x 1350mm, respectively.
These three manually operated machines embrace wet blast applications ranging from workshop or garage small parts cleaning and degreasing to full production surface treatments such as cosmetic finishing and wet peening.
Further reading
Blacking carried out safely at room temperature
Traditional methods of 'blacking' iron and steel components involve the use of aggressive caustic-based solutions, but it now can be done at room temperature with friendlier chemicals.
'Blacking' carried out safely at room temperature
Room temperature 'blacking' process operates at room temperature (18degC to 24degC), by using an environmentally friendly chemical that is non-hazardous to operators.
There is also a comfortable seating area, a DVD player to show installed machines in-production in different areas of manufacturing, a computer link to Vapormatt's informative Website and on-board coffee and tea making facilities.
If you are interested in a visit from the Vapormatt IDV, please phone Sally Staple at Vapormatt.
* More on the wet blast process - the Vapormatt wet blast process utilises water and fine abrasives in suspension, delivered by a slurry pump and accelerated by compressed air to the process nozzle, which is normally manually operated - automatic nozzle manipulation and component rotation are also available for repetitive tasks.
The action of the slurry scours the surface to create a thoroughly clean, lightly abraded result.
To provide simultaneous cleaning and degreasing, the water can be heated and mild detergent added to ensure the effective removal of oily surface contamination.
Unlike dry blasting, no potentially harmful dust is produced.
The ratio between the water pressure and air pressure in the process nozzle is variable, to enable a 'water buffer' to be maintained between the abrasive media and the surface being processed.
This water buffer effect has a number of major benefits.
It lubricates the action of the media, eliminates static build-up - important when processing composite or plastics materials - and washes the surface continuously during processing.
No solvents or other potentially hazardous chemicals are used by the wet blast process, so it is not subject to stringent EU solvent emission, VOC or dust emission legislation.
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