If you want to use your metal structures over and over again, you need to make sure that they are always in good condition. Removing old coatings, paint residues, lacquers or corrosion is therefore important and has several techniques. Besides grit blasting, or sandblasting, there is also induction and vaporblasting. In this blog we would like to give you some more explanation on how vaporblasting works and when it is best to choose this technique to clean your metal constructions.
Vaporblasting explained
Unlike grit blasting, vaporblasting is a technique that combines dry blasting and wet blasting. The abrasive is mixed with the water in a kettle, pressurized and pumped through a jet lance with compressed air. This creates a fine mist that is as powerful as grit blasting, but creates a lot less dust.
The water vapor in turn creates more mass, which means greater impact when blasting. So you need less abrasive and can remove coating and paint residue more efficiently. Moreover, you do not have to deal with puddles of water with toxic substances flowing away, as the water evaporates during the treatment process.
Vaporblasting is suitable for almost all metal structures such as, for example, steel, copper, stainless steel, brass and aluminum. The abrasive is always adapted to the material of the surface to be cleaned. The price of vaporblasting depends on the material, surface, roughness and degree of corrosion.
Benefits of vaporblasting
But why should you use this technique to make your metal structures clean and ready to use again? We briefly list the key components for you:
- Little dust formation
We mentioned briefly, vaporblasting causes less dust formation than grit blasting up to about 92%. This is because the fine particles of the abrasive are encapsulated by the water droplets from the added water. The droplets prevent the abrasive from pulverizing and cause the particles to fall down immediately instead of flying up.
- Healthier and better for the environment
The reduction of dust with vaporblasting also makes this technique a lot healthier than grit blasting. It also produces a lot less waste, up to 80% less, and does not require as much water as conventional wet blasting, making vaporblasting a lot more environmentally friendly.
- Lower cost because less abrasive required
Because vaporblasting combines dry blasting with water, you need a lot less abrasive. That makes a big difference in the cleanup and disposal of waste residue and, consequently, the cost.
- Fine finish with less surface distortion
In vaporblasting, water provides a finer finish and a smoother surface than in gritblasting. This is because it leaves no impressions on the metal structures. In addition, the water immediately degreases the surface which is a great advantage for re-coating.
Applications of vaporblasting
In addition to removing corrosion, paint and industrial coatings, vaporblasting is also used for other purposes such as lead and asbestos removal, building stripping and cleaning, monument and artifact restoration and general building and grounds maintenance.
Would you like more information about vaporblasting and whether this technique is suitable for your metal structures? Then contact us soon. We are happy to advise you.