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Assembly
Plants |
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| Autobody Weld
Lines |
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ice blast cleaning is used at many auto plants to clean
robotic welding arms and fixtures that hold parts in
auto body weld departments. Dry ice blasting effectively
cleans weld slag and spatter as well as epoxy sealer
from such surfaces as transfer cases, shuttle jigs and
diamond plate. This can be done during scheduled maintenance
and in place. There is no "metal-to-metal" hammering.
Expensive parts are not damaged or shape distorted, thus
increasing productive product life. Dry ice blasting
does not damage fittings or connectors. There are no
explosive gasses or fumes. Dry ice blasting produces
minimal secondary waste, no grit to dispose of or chemicals,
so costs are lowered. |
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Man Fans |
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A major automaker has
formally identified dry ice blasting as a "Best
Practice" for cleaning man fans throughout the plant.
Dirty fans fail frequently and are very important for
assembly line worker productivity during hot weather.
Dry Ice cleaning requires no flammable chemicals, and
requires only ventilation for general use. Dry ice blasting
is not corrosive to electrical wiring, motors or switches,
and is non-conductive. Since dry ice blasting is electrically
safe, it may be done in place. |
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Spray Booths |
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Dry
ice blast-cleaning is used in paint booths to clean paint
over-spray from various parts. Metal hooks in electrostatic
paint operations need to remain clean to assure a good
ground for the part being cleaned. Automotivelighting
plants blast-clean spray booths used to apply a coating
to head lamp and tail lamp assemblies. Dry ice blast-cleaning
can save 65% or more in cleaning time when compared to
power washing, chemical or manual cleaning, as there
is no secondary solvent or water to clean up.
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| General
Maintenance |
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| Dry ice blast cleaning
is used throughout auto assembly plants to clean dirty
production equipment and remove grease, dirt and oil
prior to disassembly. Dry ice blasting does not require
an expensive secondary contaminated waste disposal nor
produce potentially explosive gases, so it is safe in
the vicinity of electrical arcs. Unlike conventional
sand blasting, dry ice blasting does not leave sand and
grit behind that must be removed to prevent damage to
bearings and other moving machinery. |
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| Lubricating
System |
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| Cleaning fixed systems
or distribution areas many be nearly impossible with
conventional cleaning methods. Dry ice blasting lets
these seemingly impossible areas be cleaned, without
disassembly, solvent or extended down time. It is faster
and less labor-intensive than other cleaning methods.
The wide choice of dry ice blasting units, are easily
adapted for special purposes. |
Above - Lubricator before
cleaning |
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- Lubricator after Dry ice blast cleaning |
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| Glue Applicators |
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| With dry ice blasting,
electrical, pneumatic and other connections need not
be removed. There is no electrical hazard, toxic or flammable
fumes produced, fittings and connections are safe and
not damaged. Small tight areas may be cleaned without
disassembly, saving time and possible damage due to disassembly
or difficult areas. |
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Above - Glue applicator before
cleaning |
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- After dry ice blast cleaning |
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| Automotive
Foundries and Metal Forming |
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| Permanent
Molds |
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| Dry ice
blasting allows the molds to be cleaned in place, they
need not be removed, and they may be cleaned hot. Reduce
line down time up to 90% over conventional cleaning.
Permanent core molders of aluminum wheels and transmission
casings use dry ice blasting to clean mold release agents,
which cause mold fouling and lubbers. No added solvents
or water needed; dry ice leaves no residue. It also cleans
the slot and screen vents at the same time. |
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Above - Before dry ice blast
cleaning |
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Right
- After dry ice blast cleaning |
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| Automotive
Rubber and Plastic Molders |
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| Tire Molds |
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| Nearly every major
tire manufacturing plant cleans molds hot and in-place
using dry ice blasting. Compared to cooling the molds,
removing them from the press and cleaning them in a remote
location, dry ice blasting results in significantly greater
productivity. Dry ice blasting eliminates wear on the
molds, no wearing from grit, or need for scraping with
other tools. |
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| Seat
and Gasket Molds |
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| Headlamp molds and
spray booths, oil and fuel filter assemblies, and brake
assemblies. A variety of manufacturing and processing
equipment can be effectively cleaned using dry ice blast
cleaning. Built up adhesives and latex are cleaned without
any secondary waste management issues, even buildup of
2 or more inches in thickness. Flashing can also be removed
using dry ice blasting. |
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| Automotive
Interiors |
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| Molds
used to manufacture fibrous acoustical and thermal
management materials, dash and door assemblies, automotive
headliners and steering wheels are cleaned using dry
ice blasting. These are situations where the ability
to clean tooling hot and in-place results in significant
reductions in down-time and greater productivity. |
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