Removing Contamination from an Industrial Powder Coating Oven
Nitrofreeze recently traveled to a sports equipment manufacturer in Waterford, Connecticut, for a large-scale industrial dry ice blasting project. The job involved cleaning the interior of a powder coat oven approximately 12 feet high and 80 feet long.
The manufacturer designs and builds athletic equipment and facility solutions for schools, universities, parks, recreation facilities and other athletic environments. Its Waterford manufacturing facility uses powder coating as part of its production operations.
Keeping equipment such as powder coat ovens clean can be an important part of maintaining a controlled manufacturing and finishing environment. Otherwise, contamination problems can result.
The Problem: Falling Particulate Inside the Oven
Over time, particulate had accumulated on the walls and ceilings of the powder coat oven. Some of the material was beginning to loosen and fall from inside the oven, as the rails stacked with product traveled through, creating the potential to contaminate products passing through the powder coating process.
The interior of the oven needed a thorough cleaning to remove powder coat buildup and offgassing residue. The size of the equipment made this a substantial project.
Why Dry Ice Blasting?
Nitrofreeze blasted dry ice pellets to clean the oven. The process uses compressed air to propel solid CO₂ pellets at a surface that sublimate and lift off the contaminants and unwanted residue. No secondary waste is introduced unlike other blasting processes that use sand or other abrasive materials.
This can make dry ice blasting useful for industrial cleaning applications where reducing secondary waste is important. The dry ice particles sublimate after impact, changing from a solid into a gas rather than remaining behind as spent blasting media.
A Two-Day On-Site Industrial Cleaning Project
Due to the oven’s size and the extent of the cleaning required, Nitrofreeze scheduled the project across two days on site in Waterford.
The before photos and video show the scale of the powder coat oven as well as the condition of its interior surfaces before dry ice blasting began.
Before dry ice blasting: particulate and buildup were present on the interior surfaces of the powder coat oven.
Once cleaning was underway, technicians systematically worked through the oven to remove the unwanted buildup, starting with the worst end first.
The Results
The completed project provides a clear before-and-after example of how dry ice blasting can be used for large industrial cleaning applications.
Removing loose particulate and accumulated contamination addressed the immediate buildup inside the oven and provided a cleaner environment for the sports equipment manufacturer powder coating operations.
After dry ice blasting: accumulated particulate and contamination were removed from the oven’s interior surfaces.
Industrial Dry Ice Blasting from Nitrofreeze
Not every piece of industrial equipment can be taken apart and shipped somewhere for cleaning. Large ovens, production machinery and installed equipment often need to be serviced where they operate.
Nitrofreeze provides on-site dry ice blasting services for industrial equipment and facilities. Applications can include manufacturing equipment, ovens, molds, tooling, production areas and other surfaces where accumulated contamination needs to be removed.
Projects like this powder coat oven demonstrate one of the major advantages of mobile dry ice blasting: bringing the cleaning process directly to equipment located at the customer’s facility.
Have Industrial Equipment That Needs Cleaning?
Whether you’re dealing with production buildup, coatings, residue or other contaminants, Nitrofreeze can evaluate the application and determine whether dry ice blasting is a good fit.
Contact Nitrofreeze HERE to discuss your industrial cleaning project or request a quote.