Especially in industrial environments, there's been a focus in recent years on improving sandblasting and other blasting technology. In fact, depending on the type of surface that you're dealing with, you might find that dry ice blasting, one of the latest technologies, could be the best solution for your situation. Here's a look at what you need to understand about dry ice blasting before you make your choice.
Dry And Dust-Free
One of the biggest challenges for any type of blasting is the amount of dust that it typically generates. Dust is problematic for a number of reasons, including for health purposes as well as simply for cleaning and maintaining the environment. Dust particles can get everywhere, making it hard to keep surfaces and the work area clean. Dust has become such a concern lately that many sandblasting applications now rely on water to help keep that dust down.
With dry ice blasting, you won't have to deal with either one. Dry ice blasting is a completely dry process because the dry ice vaporizes, and it doesn't generate dust particles, unlike what happens with standard dry blasting media. Instead, dry ice blasting simply relies on a thermal shock reaction to eliminate surface contaminants.
Non-Abrasive
One of the things that many people struggle with when sandblasting is the caution required in order to not cause abrasive damage to the surface that's being blasted. It's a fine line between removing the surface contaminants and damaging the residual surface.
Dry ice blasting won't leave the surface affected with abrasive scratches and surface marks. Since the process is entirely a thermal reaction, it removes the debris from the surface without leaving any physical effects behind.
Safe For The Environment
When it comes to choosing sandblasting media, you'll be hard-pressed to find one that's safer for the environment than dry ice. In fact, dry ice blasting is a preferred blasting option for those who are concerned about the environment because there's no debris to worry about contaminating the area, no chemicals to have any exposure risks, and no other hazards to be worried about. The dry ice simply dissipates into the atmosphere, leaving no mess to clean up afterward.
These are some of the many reasons why dry ice blasting is such a great option. If you're looking for a blasting media solution, talk with your supplier about the possibility of dry ice for these reasons and many more. Contact a local service to learn more about dry ice blasting.
