PLASTIC MEDIA BLASTING

摘要

Plastic media blasting (PMB) is a process for the rapid, economic, and safe removal of coatings from almost any product. Although resembling sandblasting, PMB does not use hard abrasives such as silica sand Rather, the process uses recyclable plastic particles that are pneumatically applied at low pressures of 20 to 40 psi. The plastic particles vary in hardness from 3.0 to 4.0 Mohs compared with hard abrasives that are in the 7-Mohs range. Because the plastic granules are harder than coatings but softer than underlying substrates, PMB can quickly remove primers and topcoats without harming sensitive substrates such as aluminum, brass, copper, magnesium, thin steel, and titanium. Additionally, the process can be utilized on surfaces where chemical strippers cannot be used or must be applied with caution such as panels of honeycomb construction, engineered plastic, fiberglass, and advanced composites. PMB technology has been in use since the mid 1980s, principally for the stripping of aircraft and aerospace components; however, with the increase in environmental awareness and stricter environmental regulations, the process has matured into a distinct technology, applicable to the depainting requirements of a broad range of industries.