The Spanish arm of EADS has recently installed a multi-purpose blast cleaning enclosure designed by USF Schlick, part of the USF Surface Preparation Group (Hall 4, D10).
The enclosure is used for the controlled blast-cleaning of aircraft engine and structural parts using aluminium oxide media.
The product is equipped with 14 suction-fed blast nozzles that can be positioned according to specific component to ensure uniform dimensions. Parts are transported through the machine on a conveyor and the whole cleaning process is automatically controlled via a programmable logic controller.
Two external gloved workstations allow for manual operation and an operator may work inside the enclosure if needed.
Media recovery is carried out via a scraper floor and elevator unit which collects and delivers used media and debris to an airflow separation and recycling system.
Reusable media is returned to the blast nozzles while degraded matter is transferred to waste bins. A cyclone dust extraction and filter unit ensures the enclosure is well ventilated.
Source: Flight Daily News