Industry: OEM & General Manufacturing, Aerospace, Defense
Application: Optimizing Surface Integrity for Heavy-Gauge Coil Stock Processing
Titanium sheets and plates are critical materials destined for extreme aerospace, defense, and industrial applications. However, before titanium sheets can be rolled into thin-film coil stock or welded into multi-layered packs, mills must completely remove the heavy oxidation and thermal mill scale generated during high-temperature rolling processes.
Achieving a clean, fully descaled surface across thin and thick sheet variations is non-negotiable for downstream coating adhesion and metallurgical purity. At the same time, top-tier industrial facilities must achieve this surface consistency at extreme production speeds without expanding plant manpower or interrupting high-volume material workflows.
At Empire Abrasive Equipment, we design high-efficiency, in-line conveyorized continuous pressure blast systems that bridge the gap between aggressive micro-etch descaling and automated mill throughput.
The Challenge: Manual Blast Room Bottlenecks and High-Volume Scale Removals
An industrial manufacturer running multi-shift metal mill processing lines hit a massive capacity wall utilizing legacy descaling techniques. Their operations faced three severe manufacturing roadblocks:
- The Inefficiencies of Manual Blast Rooms: Workers were forced to manually step into a massive blast room to manually descale individual titanium sheets using handheld pressure nozzles. This process was grueling, highly operator-dependent, and constrained by heavy physical labor.
- Extreme Product Variation: The facility’s production mix demanded a system that could handle everything from micro-thin titanium foil sheets measuring 0.016 inches thick up to massive plates measuring 0.5 inches thick and weighing nearly 800 pounds. The structural variation in part sizes meant that manual operators struggled to give uniform 360-degree coverage.
- Rigid Speed and Finish Specifications: To match the speed of upstream shearing and downstream rolling mills, the surface finishing system had to hit a processing rate of exactly 15 square feet per minute while producing a pristine, uniform matte finish across both sides of the plate simultaneously.
To solve these constraints without increasing labor headcount, the mill required an automated inline configuration that could scale to their heavy product mix.
Our Solution: Lab-Validated In-Line Thin Sheet Continuous Pressure Systems
To eliminate project risk and determine the exact mechanical configuration needed to maintain a high-speed throughput of 15 square feet per minute, our engineers conducted extensive descaling trials inside our Air Blast Testing & Demonstration Lab.
- Empire Lab Testing & Media Analysis
Using a precision robotic blast system to simulate multi-nozzle production environments, we evaluated 36-grit versus 60-grit aluminum oxide media on real-world mill samples.
- The 36-Grit Standard: Trials confirmed that a 36-grit profile delivered aggressive scale removal, registering a consistent surface profile averaging 205 Ra microinches (µin).
- The 60-Grit Alternative: For applications requiring a smoother finish, a 60-grit mix successfully cleaned the substrate down to base metal while lowering the roughness average to 151 Ra microinches (µin).
- The Speed Verdict: The empirical test data verified that by stepping up to 80 PSI blast pressure and running specialized nozzle oscillation speeds of 12 inches per second, a multi-nozzle pressure configuration could comfortably clear the manufacturer’s target throughput.
- The Empire Model #IL911-CP Continuous Pressure System
With the process fully validated by data, we engineered and supplied a heavy-duty In-Line Thin Sheet Continuous Pressure Blast System (Model IL911-CP). The system features:
- Continuous Split-Belt and Roller Conveyors: To process sheets continuously without stopping, we built a 66-inch wide split-belt conveyor assembly inside the cabinet. This is paired with massive 18-foot long powered entrance and exit roller conveyor work tables, allowing operators to easily load raw sheets on one side and retrieve clean plates on the other.
- 6-Nozzle Reciprocating Array: The system deploys six 5/16-inch boron carbide pressure nozzles—three positioned above the sheet and three blasting upwards from below. These nozzles are mounted to a high-speed horizontal oscillator executing a 70-inch programmable stroke to guarantee 100% uniform coverage on both sides simultaneously.
- Bulk Super Sack Replenishment & Continuous Blasting: To completely remove human intervention from media management, the system features a 10-cubic-foot dual-chamber continuous-acting pressure vessel paired with a bulk make-up hopper designed to receive full, industrial-sized super sacks of aluminum oxide.
The Results: Scaled Throughput to 23.25 Square Feet Per Minute
By replacing their manual blast room with the automated Empire IL911-CP inline pressure system, the manufacturer unlocked unprecedented production capacity while operating with zero added manpower.
The system was engineered to handle the factory’s primary product mix dimensions with flawless automated efficiency:
- Width Capabilities: Seamlessly accepts sheets up to a maximum width of 65 inches, effortlessly swallowing the facility’s high-volume width cluster which falls squarely between 36 and 48 inches (averaging 38 inches wide).
- Length Optimization: Relies on precision-spaced rollers on 12-inch centers to smoothly transport their shortest 24.5-inch sheets while continuously guiding their primary 95-inch to 144-inch length volume.
- Massive Production Headroom: While the mill’s initial goal was a processing speed of 15 square feet per minute, our 6-nozzle pressure configuration at 80 PSI smashed expectations—delivering a maximum throughput capacity of 23.25 square feet per minute of continuous, uniform descaling.
The integrated high-volume air knives in the exit vestibule cleanly blow off residual dust before the sheets exit to reassembly or coil stock rolling, keeping product quality pristine and scrap rates at an absolute minimum.
Automate Your Industrial Mill Surface Finishing
When heavy scale removal, high-volume sheet processing, and rigid production deadlines demand a flawless solution, manual cabinets and room setups fall short. We provide the structural engineering and pressure blast automation required to transform your facility’s material handling workflow.
Contact the advanced automation team at Empire Abrasive Equipment today to discuss a custom, inline conveyorized pressure blasting system for your industrial facility.