Creating the perfect surface for the finishing of aerospace components

The history of Vapormatt can be traced all the way back to the invention of the jet engine when the first wet blasting machine was developed for the surface finishing of sufficient quality for cast turbine parts. Wet blasting (or vapor blasting) continues to be a highly effective finishing solution for aerospace components such as turbine blades, and composite parts like propellers, landing gear, and wheels.

But what Vapormatt wet blasting machines (vapor blasting machines) are most suited to the task?

They basically split into two types:

Creating the perfect surface for nitriding aluminium extrusion dies

Dies must withstand temperatures in excess of 375 degrees Celsius and pressures of well over 100,000 psi (by way of comparison a power washer runs at 2,500 psi).
 
To help dies withstand these extreme conditions they go through a nitriding process after inspection and correction.
 

Configurable to your extrusion die cleaning needs

Our robust automatic Cougar + wet blasting machine (or vapor blasting machine) has been designed with tough extrusion die cleaning operations in mind.
And because the requirements for extrusion die cleaning vary from one manufacturer to the next, we’ve designed the Cougar + to be highly configurable so it’s an excellent fit for all sorts of operations.

The advantages of cleaning extrusion dies by wet blasting

Did you know wet blasting (or vapor blasting to give it its other name) has several advantages over other die cleaning processes…
 
- Unlike dry blasting, dies do not have be dry from the caustic dip stage before being wet blasted - saving valuable time.
 

Why wet blasting is the most effective way to clean extrusion dies

 To inspect dies properly they must be thoroughly clean.
 
Wet blasting (or vapor blasting to give it its other name) is exceptionally good at cleaning dies because…
 
· It thoroughly removes all discolouration, caustic trace, and residual aluminium particles.

How to prepare a metal surfaces for optimum sterilisation

To start with, we need a recognised standard for metal surfaces, which the European Hygienic Engineering and Design Group (EHEDG) provide.
 
They recommend a surface roughness (Ra) of less than 0.8 micrometres for optimum sterilisation.
 

Creation of a ‘wet-out’ surface for composite bonding

The image above is an excellent demonstration of the effect wet-blasting, or vapor blasting to give it its other name, has on composite surfaces.
 
Note how the water evenly sticks to the clean wet-blasted area on the right and is repelled from the un-finished surface on the left. A similar effect occurs with adhesives, lacquers, and paints.

Wet blasting machines for composite bonding preparation

As covered in previous posts, wet blasting is highly effective at preparing composite surfaces for bonding, lacquering or painting, but what Vapormatt wet blasting machines are most suited to the task?
 
They basically split into two types:
 

Perfect preparation for composite lacquering or painting

In the same way wet blasting perfectly prepares composites for bonding, it can also prepare composites for lacquering, painting or other coatings.
 
Wet blasting removes waxy residues, grease, and other contaminants, whilst creating a ‘wet-out’ surface to a specific Ra surface roughness that is perfect for the even application of coatings.
 

Composite surface finishing without risk of damage

Dry blasting, brush finishing, peel ply, wet and dry abrasive papers and other types of finishing can result in damage to composite fibres, that in turn can compromise the integrity of the component.
 
The danger of this is increased when operator error is taken into consideration, dry blasting for too long for example.

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