General information about dry ice blasting

The ASCO Dry Ice Blasting machine accelerates with compressed air the dry ice pellets to a speed of approx. 300 m/s (984,25 ft/s). The pellets hit the object to be cleaned. The surface is shock-frozen in a fraction of a second. Due to the sudden thermo shock generated on the surface to be cleaned, the coating/dirt contracts, becomes brittle and cracks. Due to the cracking of the surface, the pellets can reach under the dirt and remove it. The additional kinetic energy removes the coating/dirt from the surface. Immediately after impact, the pellet sublimates and goes back to atmosphere as a pure gas (CO₂) without leaving any moisture behind. The only thing left is the coating/dirt removed from the surface and no blasting media has to be disposed of. Since the hardness of the pellets is only approx. 2 Mohs, the cleaning is virtually non-abrasive, and the surface quality is maintained.

The thermo shock

As a result of the sudden and intense temperature shock on the surface, the coating or impurity contracts.
 

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The cracking

As a result of the contraction the coating cracks and the material becomes brittle due to the cold.
 

The cleaning

The dry ice pellets hit the surface with great speed and remove the detached coating and clean the surface material.
 

Dry ice blasting basically removes all material which reacts strongly to differences in temperature. Paint, varnish, adhesive, oil, wax, residues in bakeries, bitumen, synthetic residues and foams (e.g. PU) etc. are removed easily without damaging or altering the surface. Even delicate parts like switch boards and other electric components can be cleaned gently. As ASCO Dry Ice Blasting is virtually non-abrasive, this technology is especially highly recommended for gentle and effective cleaning of moulds of any type and material in all industries (e.g. ingot moulds, core boxes, injection moulds, high pressure die casting moulds, moulds for PU-products, waffle irons etc.).

Gentle

ASCO Dry Ice Blasting is virtually non-abrasive. This means that in comparison to traditional blasting methods with sand or glass beads, the cleaned surfaces are not damaged or altered. So for example the edges of ingots moulds (especially in closing areas) will not be rounded out. Any arising of fins will therefore be avoided.

No dismantling

ASCO Dry Ice Blasting has the advantage that it can be applied directly to the moulds/plants without disassembling them. This saves you valuable time. Even hot moulds such as ingot moulds in foundries can be cleaned on-line. ASCO Dry Ice Blasting has minimal effect on mould temperature allowing virtually continuous production. This way ASCO Dry Ice Blasting can easily be applied regularly and integrated in the daily working process, thus supporting quality assurance and process reliability.

Dry

ASCO Dry Ice Blasting is a dry cleaning method. Therefore even delicate parts like switch boards and other electric components can be cleaned gently. Also in other industries where moisture would lead to problems (e.g. food industry) this cleaning method is applied regularly.

No residual blasting media 

ASCO Dry Ice Blasting leaves no residual blasting media behind because the dry ice pellets sublimate immediately after impact on the surface. Therefore the time and costs associated with disposal of blasting media are eliminated.

Ecologically friendly

ASCO Dry Ice Blasting is ecologically friendly. As mentioned, no residual blasting media has to be disposed of and no solvents or chemicals are needed.

CO₂ is gained as a by-product of other production processes (for example from the production of ammonia or from combustion processes). In all industrial countries CO₂ is not produced separately and the combustion of fossil fuels in order to produce CO₂ only has disappeared completely.

All advantages listed here in detail

In the field of this technology ASCO has specialised in offering individual and complete solutions for the specific needs of customers. These individual solutions can start with a single dry ice blasting machine. Further solutions using in-house dry ice production can increase quality and flexibility in cleaning. Or they can include special projects like noise control booths, automation or customized products like especially developed blasting guns.

ASCO is therefore a cleaning method plus a complete individual solution package aimed at increasing quality and flexibility in the daily working process.

In-house dry ice production starts paying at a need of several hundred kilograms dry ice per week. ASCO is in a position of providing interesting all-in-all CO₂ concepts, these can be realised without making any major investments. 

Advantages of an in-house dry ice production:

• Less dry ice loss due to sublimation
• More flexibility as you always have freshly produced dry ice at your disposal
• Better and faster cleaning results because the fresher the dry ice, the more effective the cleaning
• Less dry ice used
• Shorter production standstills
• Less time and money spent on buying and transporting