Cold Jet introduces dry ice cleaning technology in the composite industry at JEC World 2024
Preventative maintenance for composite tool cleaning & surface preparation of composite parts manufacturers of composite parts are always looking for environmentally responsible cleaning and surface preparation methods for both tooling and finished parts.
Dry ice cleaning systems provide composite manufacturers a variety of solutions to help achieve these goals by cleaning tooling in-line (or off-line) at operating temperatures, and the surface preparation of composite parts prior to painting, coating or bonding.
Dry ice cleaning can remove a variety of contaminants from many different types of tooling substrates. It is very common to clean sacrificial release agents, epoxy, Teflon® tape, tacky tape, silicones, oils, polymers, phenolic, carbon, graphite and Kevlar®. The molds themselves are manufactured from a variety of materials: steel, aluminum, Epoxy, Urethane, Teflon-Coated, Composite and some with Gelcoat. Cold Jet has worked with all of them, ensuring ‘no foreign object debris’.
Most would agree that tooling is the heart of making a good composite part. Cold Jet treats the molding surface of tooling as they would a finely painted automotive surface. A tremendous amount of work goes into the design of tooling: proper tooling base material; permanent and semi-permanent release agents, coatings, etc. Maintaining the quality of the tooling surface is vital to the continued production of quality parts. Dry ice cleaning provides a non-abrasive way to clean the tools without causing the tool wear that is seen with some traditional cleaning methods: razor blades, scrapers, brushes, rags, etc.
At Cold Jet, they understand these applications offer solutions to clean molds and composite parts faster, cheaper and better. They do so in a non-abrasive, sustainable, environmentally responsible manner. Their dry ice technology is proven to clean better, while reducing cleaning time up to 75% without causing mold wear or damage to the parts.
They also offer automated, integrated cleaning solutions. Cold Jet systems are prepared for easy integration into automated systems for cleaning or the reapplying of an even coat of sacrificial mold release agents.
Today, proven LEAN manufacturing management methodologies, such as 5S and TPM are encouraging organizations to embrace maintenance as a critical business function. Dry ice cleaning is assisting companies in reaching those objectives.
At JEC, they are showcasing their i3 MicroClean 2®, the latest patented, gentle cleaning microparticle SMART dry ice blaster adapted for the composite industry.
Photo: From left to right: PCS® 60, IceRocket PLT, i3 MicroClean® 2, PE 80
Meet Cold JET at JEC World 2024, hall 6, booth D89.
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