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Military Jet engine intakes cleaned by advanced closed loop ''Activated Head'' blasting technology

Elland, West Yorks, UK, 12th March 2007
Preptec Solutions have developed in conjunction with the UK MOD, a closed loop activated Blast head technology, for the removal of surface coatings for the air intake ducts on the Tornado aircraft in a Zone 1 environment.

The fully automated closed loop blast activated head will prepare the surface of military jet engine air intakes, eliminating the need for a man in full PPE to be placed in this enclosed area, free blasting. Periodic testing of these intakes means that the coatings must be removed to check for corrosion and micro-cracking.

Conventional methods would involve staff entering the intakes in full PPE and removing these coatings by open abrasive blasting, chemical stripping or hand abrading. There are numerous health and safety concerns carrying out this work by conventional methods, particularly with regard to the air supply for operators working in such confined conditions.

The Preptec system when placed in the air intake duct will automatically remove the surface coatings and prepare the surface for testing without the need of operators being inside the intake during the process.
The closed loop blast tool automatically removes the coatings from a predetermined section of the intake and rotates a full 360 degree arc. There is a camera positioned within the tool so that operators always have a full visual of the process remotely via a monitor.

The activated head process has been granted an International Patent. The technology will work with any OEM specified blast media and is operated by the Preptec Z-1 500 vacuum and reclamation system.
The Z1-500 is “Zone 1” compliant and has such can provide surface preparation on fuelled aircraft. This system controls all aspects of the surface preparation process and provides the highest quality of surface preparation in the industry. This technology can work on any type of aircraft.

For more details on this system click here

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Specialists in closed loop surface preparation

Preptec Solutions Ltd. Unit 1, Heathfield Industrial Estate, Elland, West Yorkshire  Tel: +44 (0)1422 370866  Fax: +44 (0)1422 327222
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