FOUR WAYS TO REDUCE ABRASIVE CONSUMPTION
Abrasive costs have recently skyrocketed and pose a huge problem for many companies in the industry. It’s imperative to reduce your abrasive consumption. These tips will help you do that.
Posted: September 4, 2008
The high costs of abrasives are becoming hot topic in the airblast and peening industry today, so here are some suggestions on how to reduce the amount of abrasive utilized and maximize the effectiveness of each barrel:
1. Perform regular maintenance on machines
Don't wait until something breaks! Preventative maintenance drastically reduces downtime and expense over time. Additionally, well maintained machines perform better and more efficiently, requiring less abrasive. When budgets are cut, typically maintenance is one of the first things to go; however, maintenance directly affects the amount of abrasive consumed. Spending 20 to 30 minutes to maintain a machine can increase efficiency by 20 percent.
2. Send machine operators to maintenance school
Product manufacturers stress the importance of wheel blast maintenance education. Often, businesses use equipment inefficiently causing excess costs and damage. Ask the manufacturer about seminars and classes that will enlighten you to the ins and outs of your machine.
3. Be consistent with the type of abrasive
Once a machine is set up for a specific consistency and texture of abrasive, switching to a different type can cause the machine to break down. Also, repeated recycling of abrasive can lessen its effectiveness. Not only is it not as aggressive of a product when being reused because of particle breakdown, but the different consistency will wear down the equipment parts more, requiring more frequent and costly replacements.
4. Invest in new technology
A standard barrel of abrasive contains four tons of product. The average "high user" of abrasive uses 15-20 barrels a week, and many contractors report using even more. However, by investing in some of the newer technology, abrasive will decrease up to 18 percent.
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Wheelabrator Group, 1219 Corporate Drive, Burlington, Ontario, L7L 5V5, 905-319-7930, Fax: 905-319-7561, www.wheelabratorgroup.com.
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