TPi January 2018

Optimisation of the surface profile after blasting for a better corrosion protection

preparation specifications demanded by end-users in recent years. The high-performance grit, for applications in multiple industries, is designed for use in wheel-blasting machines. Surfium is available in different size ranges, depending on the profile depth required. Owing to its very narrow hardness range (±1.5 HRC), the abrasive generates highly consistent roughness profiles and shows a better lifetime compared with standard GL grit products, which leads to more consistent coating performances (adhesion strength and lifetime) and a decrease in abrasive consumption of about 10 per cent. Surfium also achieves a reduction by more than 15 per cent of the residual dust particles generated during the abrasive blasting process, leading to a stronger coating adhesion, with reduced risks of osmotic blistering. After extensive validations in the field with key partners and major pipe coaters, this exclusive product is available everywhere in the world, and is particularly well suited for pipe and rebar coating applications, although it performs well in any surface preparation application in wheel-blasting machines. With the addition of Surfium to its premium range, W Abrasives offers a comprehensive solution package to support companies looking to improve their total cost of blasting and deliver optimised surface profiles for long-lasting coating.

The size, frequency and distribution of the microscopic peaks and dimples created on the substrate material’s surface, or its ‘roughness’, also influence the unit volume of the coating applied to achieve the thickness required. Far beyond being a simple abrasives supplier, W Abrasives has developed a turnkey solution called Surf Prep Pack to help measure and control all of the key parameters of such surface preparation. It comprises a range of technologies. • WA Clean: an opto-electronic device that assesses blast cleaning grades as specified in different international standards (ISO, SSPC) • WA Dust: an opto-electronic device designed to evaluate dust quantity ratings and dust size classes included in the ISO 8502-3 specification (under development) • WA 3D: a technology that replicates the surface topography of the parts after blasting, at the customer site, followed by 3D scanning of the replica off-site to obtain the precise parameters needed to control commercially important factors such as paint consumption • WA Cost: a proprietary cost model based on hundreds of cost evaluations, this model allows the calculation of total blasting cost, and accurately evaluates true savings achieved at the customer site Training, consulting and testing services are provided to assist surface quality optimisation. W Abrasives has also developed Surfium, a premium abrasive blasting media to deal with increasingly binding surface T he surface preparation of metal substrate is a vital process before coating. When abrasive blasting is used to clean and prepare a surface prior to coating, the size, consistency and uniformity of the blasting media chosen have a big influence on the quality of the surface finish achieved. In turn, that quality affects the reliability of the coating applied and its adhesion to the freshly blasted surface: a controlled blasting process is critical to prevent corrosion phenomena all along the component life.

W Abrasives – France www.wabrasives.com

58

TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL January 2018

www.read-tpi.com