Cleaning process four times faster
BERNMOBIL previously cleaned the gearboxes, which are installed on the chassis, manually with brushes, cleaning rags and detergent. This process took about one hour and a half per gearbox. In addition, the final result was not very successful because dirt residues were left behind and moisture got inside the gears. Thanks to the dry ice blasting unit ASCOJET 1701, BERNMOBIL now only needs approx. 20 minutes per gearbox to get it completely clean and the gears remain dry inside.
Additionally the ASCOJET 1701 is used for wheel changes. This is done every 280`000 km and this is necessary to clean the "steel bandages" selectively with the ASCOJET 1701. This prevents the wheel bearing grease from being "washed out", which could eventually lead to shrunk laminar rings and thus to expensive repairs.
Mr. Michael Aufdenblatten (Project Manager Tram) of BERNMOBIL adds: "Dry ice blasting is a somewhat unknown cleaning system in our industry, but which offers many advantages, both technically and economically. We would not give up the ASCO Dry Ice Blasting Machine anymore".
The ASCOJET Dry Ice Blasting Technology is a gentle and environmentally friendly cleaning method without blasting agent residues. Dry ice pellets (solid carbon dioxide) are used as blasting media which are accelerated in the ASCOJET dry ice blasting unit with compressed air to a speed of approx. 300 m/s. The pellets hit the object to be cleaned and 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 pellets sublimate and go 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.
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Caption: Logo BERNMOBIL
Caption: Tram BERNMOBIL
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