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The recent release of Coating Pro’s annual Surface Preparation Supplement, calls out many solutions… but few effectively achieve the abrading and profiling of steel - and the cleaning, abrading and profiling of concrete. Take a minute to catch up using this concise snapshot on what’s new and happening in the industry. If you don’t have the time, below are some key points…

A new line of Sponge-Jet Feed Unit™ equipment and other products now make the entire blast process more reliable, productive and as safe as ever. The recent launch expands customer options like never before. The new products are designed to fit specific needs - for example production requirements, mobility requirements, unique environments and varied budgets. The largest Sponge-Jet product launch ever includes four new Feed Unit™ delivery systems, multiple configurations of Robotica™ Internal pipe and tank blaster, the B-VAC Pro™ 4 integrated system as well as a new expanded range of SaberBlast™ nozzles for maximizing productivity. These long awaited products continue the company’s legacy of durable, reliable and meaningful workhorse products that meet the needs of professionals who work in the most challenging environments on the planet. The new lineup of equipment and accessories, with links to learn more about each new product follows:

The Society of Protective Coatings (SSPC) released its latest Abrasive Specification – SSPC-AB 4, making it the first update since 2000. The AB series of specifications establish proper quality controls and procedures for using Recyclable Encapsulated Abrasive Media during surface preparation. While these standards are not referred to directly in many coating specifications, they are used from within other SSPC documents – most notably SSPC-SP7, SSPC-SP6, SSPC-SP10 and SSPC-SP5. These are perhaps the most widely cited standards for surface preparation worldwide and certainly within the USA. The SP series of standards has always required that abrasives meet an AB quality standard. Before this AB 4 release, exceptions allowed for the use of composite abrasives like Sponge Media, as no AB abrasive quality standards were applicable.

Check out this article published by Marine Maintenance Technology International that discusses potential pitfalls when choosing high pressure water and hand-tooling over abrasive blasting. Among them, the author addresses:

Sponge Media™ abrasives are again used on a historic vessel for its ability to perform coating removal without damage to the substrate. This time it was on the replica HMB Endeavour and thanks to Sponge-Jet Australian distributor Rezitech Services Pty Ltd the project moved quickly enough to sail the Endeavour in time for the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Review.

Penn State student, Grant Brown weighs in on how environmental contractor Penoco, Inc. and Sponge-Jet Sponge Media™ abrasives are now protecting the health of Penn State University students, professors, staff and the general public who regularly frequent the Palmer Museum of Art. For more information, click here.

Sponge-Jet was recently used to remove paint and corrosion on three centrifugal water pumps. Read this article to see how Sponge-Jet saved the facility service team further dismantling and transport (time/money) of the pumps while protecting nearby equipment from damage and dust. Sponge-Jet Silver 16 Sponge Media™ abrasive was ultimately used to refurbish the pumps in place, creating a 100-micron (4-mil profile) and an Sa2.5 (NACE 2 / SSPC SP-10) finish.

Today, corrosion control is a major consideration for industries worldwide. From bridge maintenance, lead abatement, marine operations, and nuclear remediation, to aerospace, aviation, and power generation, there is a growing demand to enlist equipment sensitive, worker-friendly, environmentally conscious solutions to meet surface preparation challenges.

Midwest Research Institute Reports: Sponge-Jet Alone Is Like Using Containment

As it stands today, ordinary abrasive blasting substitutes continue to get hit hard by regulatory bodies around the world as well as by public interest groups due to associated health and environmental risks and impacts.