Pauli Systems Blog

Why a Pauli Systems RAM 31 blast/stripping cabinet is better than competitors' offerings

Posted by Bob Pauli on Sat, Mar 09, 2013 @ 11:42 AM

In these days of tightened budget customers sometimes ask us why a Pauli Systems RAM 31 blast/stripping cabinet is better than competitors' offerings.  Following are my thoughts:

Pauli Systems RAM 31 Features Compared to Competitors

1. Overall design and construction is made to serve for decades.  A simple comparison of weight tells a story of ruggedness: a RAM 31 cabinet and power pack combined weigh 3,175 pounds, double the weight of some competitors' offerings.

 

2. The Pauli Systems Blast Generator--the business end: cleaning a surface with a controlled process.

  • Pressure blast system, vs. many competitors offer suction which does not satisfactorily remove aerospace type coatings
  • Patented FanBlast Nozzle removes coatings at double the rate of competitors' nozzles.  Source: Southwest Research Institute report commissioned by USAF Wright Patterson.
  • Dual blast hose nozzle system: FanBlast for larger work and a delicate 1/4" diameter PTX nozzle for sculpting coatings and cleaning complex surfaces.  The PTX is mated with a "noodle flex" 1/2" diameter blast hose for the easiest nozzle maneuvering in the industry.
  • 1.5 cubic foot pressure vessel (blast generator), compared to competitors' 1.0 cubic foot capacity.  Blast longer without stopping with the Pauli system.
  • The Pauli blast generator has a 60-degree cone bottom with aerated discharge area vs. 50 degree with no aeration for competitors.  50 degree slopes will flow plastic media when it is new, but will not do so smoothly and completely with broken down media.  Only Pauli Systems provides a smooth no-pulsing flow through the nozzle with complete discharge of media from the generator.
  • M-15 media mass flow metering valve at the bottom of the aerated area in the blast generator has horizontal stainless steel metering discs for the best control of media flow in the industry.  Additionally there is a cleanout plug above the metering discs for removal of debris that may enter the system and fail to flow through the media metering valve.  Competitors have metering discs at 45 degree to the horizontal, which give pulsing flow with plastic media that has an angle of repose of nearly 60 degrees.
  • Magnetic separator at the discharge to collect ferrous particles at the moment they are about to enter the blast stream.  This prevents pitting of aerospace structure and components and is not a common feature in blast cabinet systems.
  • Stripping blast flow is controlled on-off by a Feathertouch foot control, with safety lock.  This foot valve pilots operation of an extra-large all brass RCV-100 1" air inlet valve to the blast generator, insuring rapid pressurization of the pressure vessel and quick response to the Operator's command.  Competitors often put full air flow through a 1/2" foot valve, which will respond slowly to Operator commands and prevent use of larger nozzles as supplied by Pauli Systems.
  • Massive 1-1/4" exhaust valve for instant depressurization (stop blasting) on Operator command.  This also, and importantly, prevents back flow in the piping strings and loading of the blast hose during a (competitor's) slow shutdown.

 

3. Stripping/blast enclosure (the cabinet): Where the business end does its magic under control of the Operator.

  • 10 gauge cold rolled steel enclosure withstands abrasive action far longer than competitive units, some of which are a tinny 16 gauge.
  • Brilliant, explosion proof, four-tube fluorescent lighting, giving 260 foot-candles of Operator-friendly illumination.  There is no brighter cabinet on the market.
  • 15" high by 30" wide Operator view window offers unparalled visual access to the work piece.
  • 900 CFM of ventilation air sweeps over the work piece and down, moving dust away from the Operator's visual field.
  • Front top mounted control panel has a piloted air pressure regulator and gauge vs. competitors' units that require the Operator to move around to the rear of the unit for access to the blast generator's pressure regulator or stoop down to a floor level air pressure regulator and gauge.
  • The front control panel has an on-off light switch and pulse control buttons for instant dust collector cartridge cleaning without interrupting the stripping/blasting process.
  • Stripping/blasting hose enter at the top "falling to hand," for ease of operator grip vs. floor entry hoses on some competition's enclosures.

 

4. Power Pack: where used media and debris are collected, separated into clean air, reusable media and discards.  The reusable media is returned to the blast generator for reuse.

  • Twin cartridges, both removable in sacks inside the dust collector enable disposal without ever being exposed to the atmosphere outside the dust collector.
  • Highest efficiency cyclone and air wash in the industry, with separate controls for air wash volume and air wash velocity.  This feature, unmatched in the industry, ensures that the customer gets maximum use from every pound of blast media purchased.
  • Vibratory screen beneath air wash to remove oversize particles, which are removed via and eye-level door.
  • Magnetic separator removes ferrous particles prior to blast, another unusual and highly important feature to prevent pitting of aircraft structure and components.

 

5. The Pauli Systems reputation. As the industry's pioneer, Pauli Systems units have served in production aerospace dry paint stripping use for more than 28 years.  RAM 31 machines, which started it all in component stripping, are still in daily used in military and OEM aerospace facilities around the world. 

Tags: blast cabinets, paint stripping systems

Time for a New Paint Stripping System?

Posted by Rob Portil on Wed, Dec 12, 2012 @ 07:56 AM

Considering a new system?  The following 6 fundamental sub systems will help you understand the basic fundamentals of most dry stripping systems.

All Dry Paint Stripping Facilities (DPSF) consist of the following sub-systems:

  • Enclosure: Enclosures fall into four general size categories:
    • Very large, sized to fit an entire aircraft or railroad car.
    • Large, generally known as a blast room, into which both Operator and work piece enter.  The blast room enclosure is sized to fit the work piece.  A popular size is 15’ wide by 12’ high by 20’ long.
    • Medium, with a cabinet sized enclosure into which a work piece is placed while an Operator stands or sits outside, arms and hands in gloves while manipulating the nozzle. A popular size is 5’ wide by 4’ deep by 3’ high.
    • Small, dust-free vacuum-return closed-cycle equipment in which the blast nozzle is surrounded by a vacuum return chamber that collects the blast media at the point of impact. The collection device surrounding the blast nozzle varies in size from a man’s fist to a hard bound book.
    • An enclosure that is well lit and ventilated increases Operator productivity by illuminating the work piece and removing dust from the working environment.
  • Recovery: The recovery sub-system, usually pneumatic, collects spent media and debris and transfers it from the enclosure to the reclaim system. 
  • Reclaim: The reclaim sub-system treats spent blast media and removes debris to make it suitable for re-use. An effective reclaim system is important to the economics of a dry paint stripping systems by ensuring every pound of stripping media is recycled the maximum number of times. 
  • Stripping/Blast Cleaning: The stripping/blast cleaning sub-system accepts particles of clean media from the reclaimer and accelerates them against the surface to be cleaned or stripped. The working force is accomplished by the use of compressed air in a converging-diverging venturi nozzle, a device that accelerates air to supersonic speeds and media particles to sub-sonic speeds.
  • Ventilation of Enclosure: The ventilation sub-system circulates air through the stripping/cleaning enclosure, thus ensuring good operator visibility.
  • Operator Safety Equipment: Each operator is supported by a NIOSH approved breathing air safety helmet and clothing.

Not mechanical systems or sub-systems, but vitally important are well trained Operators and a regular preventive maintenance program.

Future blogs will describe details of each system, and how the right equipment and Operator training will maximize an operation's ROI.

 

 

Tags: paint stripping systems

Groundbreaking Court Decision after being Exposed to Chemical Paint Strippers.

Posted by Rob Portil on Sun, Nov 18, 2012 @ 08:12 PM

Royal Air Force Corporal wins groundbreaking court decision against the UK MoD after being exposed to chemical paint strippers.

An RAF Corporal who was left with a devastating degenerative neurological condition after he was exposed to dangerous toxins while working in ‘Victorian conditions’ has won a groundbreaking decision after the Court of Appeal dismissed the Ministry of Defence’s case.

Shaun Wood, 52, from Northallerton, was diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy-P (MSAP), a Parkinsonian condition that affects the nervous system, after exposure to a lethal cocktail of solvents as a painter and finisher at RAF sites across the world.

There is no cure for the condition, which has left him needing to use a wheelchair.
Today (Thursday, July 7, 2011) the Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by the MoD bringing to an end Mr Wood’s 18-year-battle for justice. It ruled that on the evidence presented – which was not rebutted by the MoD – that there was in legal terms a “probable connection” between heavy solvent exposure and neurological damage.

The decision paves the way for other people who develop neurological conditions in similar circumstances to pursue compensation.

His job involved painting aircraft and motor vehicles.

Shaun, whose father served as a Lancaster Bomber Navigator in the Second World War, joined the military from school in 1975 signing up as a painter and finisher in the belief it would provide him with an interesting career, which would lead onto further employment opportunities after he was discharged.

He worked in RAF sites across the UK and abroad, including RAF Abingdon, RAF Bruggen and RAF Leeming.

Mr Wood’s job involved painting aircraft and motor vehicles and through that exposure to solvents, now banned by the European Union for consumer use as known carcinogens (including trichloroethylene and dichloromethane), for sometimes in excess of 12 hours a day - particularly in the lead up to the first Gulf War - he contracted his illness.

At the time he had no idea the exposure to the cocktail of chemicals would damage his health in the long term.

Protect your work force by using the safe and efficient Pauli Systems dry media paint removal method utilizing starch and plastic grit. Eliminate hazardous waste considerations from your paint stripping operation.

Tags: solvents

Abrasive Blasting - NOT Sand Blasting

Posted by Pauli Systems on Sun, Jan 08, 2012 @ 11:22 AM

 Abrasive blast processes, most commonly and incorrectly referred to as sandblasting, are the use of abrasive material to clean or texturize a material such as metal or masonry(1).

Custom Blast FacilitiesPauli Systems, Inc., an industry leading designer and manufacturer of abrasive blasting systems and equipment, adamantly supports the discontinuation of the use of sand as an abrasive media. 

Why should you avoid the use of sand? Sand has a very high breakdown rate resulting in the production of large volumes of dust. When the sand fractures during impact it releases particles of free silica into the immediate atmosphere. 
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) changed the classification of silica to a Type 1 carcinogen known to cause Silicosis (3). Silicosis, an occupational lung disease, is a respiratory disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust. 
Although there is no cure for Silicosis it can be prevented with occupational safety measures (4). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) issued an alert in 1996 warning that exposure to crystalline silica dust can cause serious or fatal respiratory disease. In the conclusion of this alert NIOSH noted that efforts to prevent silicosis may be inadequate if any of five conditions exist (2):

  • Lack of awareness of silica exposure as the cause for silicosis.
  • Failure to substitute abrasive blasting material with alternate media
  • Inadequate engineering controls
  • Inadequate respiratory protection for workers
  • Failure to conduct adequate surveillance programs
    As a result of these findings NIOSH issued thirteen workplace recommendations including (2):
  • Do not use silica sand or other substances containing more than 1% crystalline silica as abrasive blasting materials.
  • Use engineering controls and containment methods such as blast-cleaning machines and cabinets.
  • Conduct air monitoring to measure worker exposure and ensure that controls are providing adequate protection for workers.
  • Use adequate respiratory protection

Pauli Systems’ equipment is specifically designed for use with alternate blast media and to provide a safe working environment for the operator. 

Please maintain the safest possible working environment for abrasive blast operators and NEVER USE A PAULI SYSTEMS PRODUCT with sand abrasive.

References:

  1. Emission factors. (1997, September). Metallurgical industry, 42(13.2.6)
  2. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (1996). Preventing silicosis and deaths in construction workers. Retrieved on March 23, 2010.
  3. SilicosisFYI, Goldsmith, D.F. PhD. (n.d.). Are other health effects of silica exposure being overlooked? 
  4. SilicosisFYI, Goldsmith, D.F. PhD. (n.d.). Silicosis prevention? 


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