Lower-cost blastrooms from Vacu-Blast
Lower-cost blastrooms from Vacu-Blast
Keywords Blastroom,Flooring, Vacu-Blast
Vacu-Blast, part of the USF Surface Preparation Group, has introduced two lower-cost options for companies with a requirement to use a blastroom on an intermittent basis, or those that do not want to invest in a blastroom with a full blast media recovery system.
These are the Wafflestrip partial pneumatic recovery system and the Pulsostrip mechanical scraper system. Both are also suitable for companies with an existing building that they may wish to convert for use as a blastroom, or the "d-i-y" user who wants to build their own blastroom.
The systems enable a blastroom to be constructed quickly and easily and can be extended as production requirements evolve. If required, they can be used in conjunction with a Vacu-Blast Closed Circuit Power Pack generator-reclaimer, with a Ventus cabinet machine media recovery system or in the case of the Pulsomatic only an associated "Pulsomatic" elevator mechanism and blast pot.
The Wafflestrip is based on Vacu-Blast's proven Waffle-Floor pneumatic recovery blastroom floor principle, and facilitates the construction of shallow-floor blastrooms without the need for floor excavation (Plate 5). It comprises a series of one foot square (0.3m2) inverted pyramid shaped hoppers in the form of a 2ft(0.6m2) wide strip, connected to a common duct. The strip can be supplied in any length up to 18ft (5.48m), depending on the size of the blast enclosure. As spent media and debris fall to the floor during blasting, they are automatically removed by the Wafflestrip under vacuum/positive air pressure and directed to the media reclaimer.
Plate 5 A section of Vacu-Blast's new Wafflestrip blastroom floor system
Based on the Pulso principle developed by Vacu-Blast's French sister company in the USF Group, Matrasur the Pulsostrip utilises a powered mechanical scraper mechanism to remove spent media and debris.
Closed-Circuit Power Packs are available in a range of capacities and power both the blast nozzle and media recovery system. They provide highly controllable media flow, as well as high-efficiency blast media separation, recovery and recycling. They can also be disconnected from the blastroom system and fitted with a Closed-Circuit self-contained blast gun for separate use in other parts of a factory or on-site as a dust-free, stand-alone abrasive blasting system.
Vacu-Blast economy blastroom systems can be designed for use with any type of abrasive blasting media metallic (ferrous and non-ferrous) or non-metallic. They can also be used with other types of media recovery systems specified by the user.
We are also informed that Vacu-Blast's Ventus 92 cabinet blasting machine has been upgraded to enhance operator comfort and improve acoustic performance. The cabinet's exterior has also been redesigned to include additional lifting points that facilitate installation and relocation.
The Ventus 92, which has a 896mm × 796mm × 800mm high blast enclosure, claims to cover the widest variety of surface preparation, finishing and treatment applications. A realistically priced mid-range blast cabinet, the machine is quality-engineered to the high standards synonymous with the Vacu-Blast name and ensures a low long-term cost of ownership.
There are four variants of the basic Ventus 92 design catering for all types of blast media and production requirements. The powerful "92P" high-output pressure fed model,designed for higher work rates, and the "92S" suction fed version, more suitable for gentler applications, have integral media recovery systems. The "92PR" and"92SR" variants each offer a separate free-standing media recovery system designed for more critical applications that demand higher integrity media separation.
Typical applications embraced by the Ventus 92 range include rust, heat-scale and corrosion removal,paint stripping, surface preparation prior to painting or bonding, mould cleaning, glass etching, cosmetic finishing, surface texturing and simple shot peening.
All Ventus 92 machines feature a full-width, gauze-protected viewing window, high internal illumination to maximise visibility, easily accessible blast pressure adjustment, heavy-duty full length gauntlets, and an integral blow-off gun to clean components in the enclosure.
The recovery system automatically recycles reusable blast media to the blast nozzle and includes a COSHH-compliant reverse-jet dust collector with a quick-release filter cartridge.
The large 640mm ×740mm access door has been designed to eliminate dust spillage and is safety-interlocked, and the blast enclosure features a raised workplate which avoids potential damage to the door seal when loading and unloading the machine.
Details from Vacu-Blast Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)1753 526511; Fax: +44 (0)1753 538093.
