Guyson Corporation has designed a pass-through blasting system for processing structural materials of fiber glass reinforced composites. Nondestructive dry blast surface preparation facilitates subsequent bonding and coating operations.
Through-Feed Blast System
The 66-inch wide by 60-inch deep (1676 x 1524 mm) cabinet is fitted with eight suction-blast guns securely mounted on adjustable telescoping brackets. Each gun can be locked in a fixed position at the correct offset and angle to direct its blast stream at a portion of the target surface, with the blast patterns of multiple guns overlapped to provide uniform 360-degree coverage of the work. The feed rate of the continuous work through the driveless in-line blast system is determined by the user’s in-plant material handling system.
Both the entry and exit side of the finishing enclosure have a rubber-flapped vestibule to isolate the blasting process. The exit vestibule houses air knives to blow off media and dust. The machine manufacturer claims that this three-chamber design reduces the potential for carry-out of blasting media from the cabinet and lowers the operating noise level of the surface preparation system. A full-width side-hinged door at the front of the blast cabinet provides access for gun adjustment, inspection and maintenance.
To support its use in pass-through surface preparation of continuous structural material, the blast system is optionally equipped with a storage hopper that automatically adds media whenever electronic sensors detect a low media level, well in advance of the point when the condition could interrupt the flow of media to the guns and compromise the finishing process. Electronic sensors at the entry and exit port of the blast enclosure are linked to the system’s programmable logic controller (PLC), which automatically turns off the blast guns when no work is present and turns them back on when feeding of material resumes. Sensors and fault indicators are also provided to signal if there is a drop in the plant air supply pressure, when the dust collector drum is full or if media should be added to the dispensing storage hopper.
The interior of the blast machine is fully lined with abrasion-resistant rubber that is bonded to the continuously welded steel plate walls and cabinet hopper. Likewise, the inlet elbow, body and cone of the cyclone media reclaimer are rubber lined. Thick cast urethane rubber ducting pneumatically conveys reclaimable abrasive from the blast cabinet to the cyclone separator. These features, along with bronze blast guns, boron carbide blast nozzles and urethane media delivery hoses, are designed for extended service in production blasting with harsh abrasive grit media.
Prospective users of automated blasting systems are encouraged to submit sample components for free laboratory testing and application engineering evaluation at the Guyson factory in northeastern New York State.
