Plastic Blasting Media Development - A Manufacturer's View

Environmental and economic considerations have energized the Plastic Media Blasting (PMB) approach to coatings removal. However, little innovation has been evident since the initial introduction of Plastic Media in the early eighties. Challenges to manufacturers of plastic media include meeting higher quality requirements in the face of increasing costs for raw materials and removal of modern coatings from delicate composite substrata.

The user's responsibility to select the correct media for the coating / substrate combination encountered is discussed. The problems caused by poorly manufactured media are identified and the causes discussed. Custom made media, the proposed solution to the problem, is presented.

The media characteristics required are explained from a functional perspective. Obtaining all of these characteristics requires a continued search for new materials and R&D in order to design custom media from known materials. The required R&D is outlined.