MICRO-ABRASIVE BLASTING
Micro-abrasive blasting is used in a variety of applications in medical
manufacturing, the aerospace
industry, micro-electronics,
precision
machining, dental
labs and fossil
cleaning.
Micro-abrasive blasting works by uniformly mixing air with an abrasive
media, then propelling the mixture out of a small nozzle tip at high
velocity. The process is sometimes referred to as precision sandblasting
or pencil blasting because the handpiece is held like a pencil and the end of
the nozzle resembles the tip. The consistent flow provided by a MicroBlaster®
model, the micron sized abrasive particles, and the small opening of the
nozzle deliver a stream of abrasive that is very focused, making it an ideal
process for a variety of precision applications.
Micro-abrasive blasting is cost effective and environmentally friendly.
Micro-Abrasive Blasters
The micro-abrasive blaster is the heart of the system.
It generates the abrasive stream by mixing compressed dry air with the
abrasive media. Comco offers three lines of micro-abrasive blasters to meet a
range of applications.
MicroBlaster®:
Tough enough to perform in high volume production environments, this compact
blaster is also an affordable choice for shops requiring micro-abrasive
blasting only a few days a week. It is ideally suited for both manual and
semi-automated applications.
AccuFlo™:
This new blaster provides more flexibility and enhanced powder flow control
for a wider range of applications. It is ideally suited for both manual and
semi-automated applications.
DirectFlo™:
The increased power and powder capacity this blaster offers enables the use
of larger nozzles or multiple nozzles. It is ideally suited for both manual
and semi-automated applications.
PowerFlo®:
Combining the superior power and performance of the DirectFlo with an
internal microprocessor for integration into automatic systems, this blaster
elevates microblasting to a higher level. It is ideally suited for
semi-automated applications.
Lathes
 Comco
has integrated the precision of micro-abrasive blasting with an advanced
machining platform for superior control quality and repeatability.
Standard
Lathe: ideally suited for abrading parts that require precision
material removal, cleaning or texturing. A self-contained workstation the
Standard Lathe delivers a powerful stream of abrasive in a programmable
pattern ensuring a high degree of repeatability and
control.
Advanced
Lathe: is designed for the steady processing of precision parts in a
production environment. The Advanced Lathe has all the features of the
Standard Lathe with the addition of an onboard computer that is network
compatible.
Custom Abrasive Blast Systems
Over the last couple of years, Epak Electronics Ltd have supplied numerous
custom automated systems based around specific applications customer have had
for micro abrasive blasting. In conjunction with customer needs, we have
developed a sophisticated multi-nozzle surface abrader in 150 and 170mm belt
widths, a motorized rotary blast nozzle and several other customer specific
applications. If you have an automation requirement, please contact us to
discuss your needs.
Epak SA150 & SA3000 Surface
Abraders
Epak BV9000 Rectifier Wafer Beveller
Comco System
The micro-abrasive blasting system includes the following components:
micro-abrasive blaster, workstation, air
dryer and dust collector. Accessories are available to
make the application easier and these include many sizes and types of nozzles, a
magnifier, special ring nozzle for wire stripping and options for
the blasters including a touchstart
handpiece, a blast timer, constant air
bleed and splitters for multi-nozzle blasting.
Applications
The versatility of micro-abrasive blasting is one of its greatest
assets. The process is used in a variety of industries from the
manufacture of medical implants to the restoration of prehistoric
fossils. Find out how best to process your parts in our Applications Lab. Whether
your application is among the many tried and tested or something new, we
offer parts testing to find the best method in micro-abrasive blasting. We
would request you send us sample parts that are indicative of those used in
production rather than parts that are un-useable or scrap as it gives you a
better idea of how the process could work as one of your process improvement
steps.
Most applications are performed manually, but advancements have led to a
rise in automated operations.
Micro-abrasive blasting has applications in a diverse group of industries:
- Medical
applications include deburring of needles, bone screws, stents and medical
implants; cleaning medical molding; surface preparation on medical
electronics
- Aerospace
applications include cleaning orifices in turbine blades; removing
magnesium oxide insulator from thermocouple harnesses; engraving optical
lenses and instrumentation; selective corrosion removal on airframe and engine components
 Electronics
applications include conformal coating removal; shockless wafer cutting;
adhesion enhancement on flex circuitry; stripping insulation from fine
wire- Precision
Machining applications include removing EDM recast and discoloration;
finishing and texturing injection mold cavities; cleaning runner nozzles
- Dental
Labs use micro-abrasive blasting for devesting pressable ceramics;
removing oxides from the surface of porcelain crowns; shaping tooth
anatomy
- Fossils
removing fossil matrix
- Other
Applications cleaning and preparation of semi-precious stones and
jewelry
In addition to the micro-abrasive blasting unit, the following components
are required for efficient blasting:
Workstations:
When the abrasive stream is propelled from the nozzle, there must be a means
of containing the spent abrasive. The workstation not only captures the
abrasive particles but also provides the operator with a high visibility work
area. A Magnifier is also available to aid
visibility when blasting small parts.
Air
Dryers: A desiccant bead or membrane style air dryer must be
used to remove moisture, the number one enemy of micro-abrasive blasting.
Dust Collectors : The dust collector is specifically designed to
handle micron-sized particles, maintaining good operator visibility and a
clean workstation.
Powders:
A range of micron-sized media or powder is used as the abrasive element in
the system. The distinctive characteristics of each type of powder influence
the action of the abrading process.
Spares And Repairs : Because
of the abrasive nature of microblasting, regular maintenance and repairs are
necessary on the most common wear items. We offer a full backup and support
service and hold stock of most common nozzles
and normal wear parts and can offer repair advice, assistance and
refurbishment for old or non-functioning blasters.
Company Info
Comco is the industry leader in micro-abrasive blasting
technology and creator of the award-winning MicroBlaster®. Established
in 1968, Comco’s innovative thinking and high quality standards have been
key to Comco’s success.
Micro-abrasive blasters are used for deburring, surface preparation,
selective cleaning, material removal and focused cutting in a variety of
industries including medical manufacturing, microelectronics, precision
machining and the aerospace industry.
Comco prides itself on its high quality products and excellent customer
service and tech support.
The Original MB100 Microblaster
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