Blog

Imagine for a moment that ACME Coatings Contractor has recently completed an important water tank exterior coatings project. The job, which involved removing lead-based paint from the 40 meter (135-ft) tall, 3.7-million liter,legged tank, went well from start to finish. The owners are happy, final payment has been rendered, and the project manager is filing the last bit of paperwork when the owner’s representative calls and asks, “Out of curiosity, how can we be sure that ACME didn’t leave lead dust under or around the tank?”

B. C. Tilghman: The Father of Sandblasting and Abrasive Nozzles

The process of sandblasting as we know it today started around 1870 with a man named Benjamin Chew Tilghman, who observed abrasive wear on wind-blown desert windows. Tilghman also noticed the effect that high-velocity sand could have on hard material and began designing a machine that could propel sand at speeds much faster than the wind - and could concentrate this flow into a small stream.

When making decisions regarding lead abatement, facility managers naturally consider a whole host of complex variables. Their recommendations will be used to ultimately decide whether lead-coated surfaces be enclosed and encapsulated, replaced—or removed altogether.

Sandblasting (or abrasive blasting as it’s more properly known) was invented in the late 19th century. The simple process of introducing abrasive into a stream of air and propelling it at high velocity onto a surface has grown with the advancement of technology. Equipment can be as basic or as specialized as desired.

The Sponge-Jet Global Training and Technology center has published its 2018 Third-Party class schedule which features a broad range of accredited classes from leading industrial trade associations like the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE International), The Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC) and committee meetings which include the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

Surface Preparation (or Surface Prep for short) is the process of cleaning and readying surfaces for new coatings. Due to varying attributes and performance characteristics of the many coating types, surface preparation requirements can also be unique from project to project. As a result, it’s very important to always read the coating specification and all coating technical data sheets.

Dust is a notorious side effect of abrasive blasting. Blast nozzles introduce a tremendous amount of air to a small area, whipping small pieces of grit, many hundreds of miles per hour into a surface that may be very dirty. As abrasive media come into contact with a substrate, dust is created as the coating is removed, as the abrasive profiles the substrate, and as the abrasive shatters.

Sponge-Jet is phasing out modular sound-proof blast room and dust collectors which have previously been part of our KwietKave™ product line. Sponge-Jet will continue to offer all other stationary blasting, vacuuming, recycling and reloading solutions –now called Sponge-Jet Custom Integrations™replacing the KwietKave branding.

Corrosion is everywhere - from a speck of rust on a bridge’s bolt to the advanced chemical erosion of a process pump, to blistering paint on a building’s structural steel, fences, and railings. When coatings fail and metal components oxidize, property and infrastructure risk further damage. Corrosion weakens metal from the outside in - untreated metal can rust away completely, leaving behind gaping holes.

Every manufacturing facility and production plant around the world have tanks on their property. These tanks contain a number of different things - some tanks contain liquids like water used for cooling, while others store waste from the manufacturing process. Some tanks hold finished product in the form of liquids or gas. All tanks are built to meet specifications created to prevent tank ruptures. Unfortunately, a tank can perfectly conform to design specifications and still be affected by corrosion and coatings failure. Over time corrosion can lead to structural or tank wall failure creating both an environmental and safety impact.