2um, 104m Replica tape (60um of plastic _< 3 backing) Figure 2.5 Metric micrometer for testex measurement in microns. 4mm = 1000um 25.4um = 0,001 inch (1 thou.) 40 thou inch = 1mm 25.4mm = 1 inch Example: Micrometer is reading 93m, subtract 50um for testex plastic backing. The surface amplitude is therefore 434m Rev 2 January 2010 —— Surface Preparation TWI won cenne Copyright © TWI Ltd 2010 Sonne TECHNOLOGY100 microns Testex {allow 50 microns 0.05mm for plastic backing) Micrometer is reading 80 microns (0.080mm) subtract 50 microns (0.050mm) for testex plastic backing, the surface amplitude is therefore 30 microns. Rev 2 January 2010 — ‘Surface Preparation TWI worn cou Copyright © TW Ltd 2010 MT ‘ewe reenso.00%Testex Micrometer is reading 4.6 thou (rOee tne) for plastic (0.0046 inch), subtract 2 thou backing (0.002 inch) for testex plastic backing, the surface amplitude is therefore 2.6 thou (0.0026 inch) Figure 2.7 Imperial micrometer for testex measurement in 1000 of an inch. Reading the gauges There are four common scales for dial micrometers, one of which, the 2um scale is also used on the needle gauge. The common scales are: 0.01mm 10 microns/small division 0.002mm 2 microns/small division 0.001 inch = 1 thou/small division 0.0001 inch= "/;o thou/small division With all four scales the value given represents the smallest increment on the periphery of the large scale. The small dial at 11 or 1 o-clock position gives the number of complete revolutions of the needle on the main scale. Typically the 2um scale is 200m per full revolution. Most profiles are around 75-100ym. Therefore the small dial can be virtually ignored for normal use. =~ s Asses: ing a profile to BS 7079 Pt C ISO 8503. Grit and shot abrasives produce different surface profiles, therefore two comparators are specified. One for grit blasted profiles, G. and one for shot blasted profiles, S. When a mix has been used then the reference comparator should be G. In all 2 entire area should be blasted to SA2"/ or SA3 grade (discussed later). Rev 2 January 2010 Surface Preparation TWI wonuncenrae Copyright © TWI Ltd 2010 Sonne TECHNOLOGYUse of the comparators Three methods can be employed to assess the roughness characteristics of blast cleaned steel. 1 Naked eye 2 Visual aid, not exceeding 7x magnification 3 Tactile (Note: The comparators are not for assessing cleanliness.) The comparators to BS 7079 are approximately 8cm square with a 2cm diameter hole in the middle, and are divided into four segments, by smooth strips. On each strip is an arrow indicating the segment number. Segment one is the smoothest and the degree of roughness progressively increases up to segment four. Using the comparators With all three methods it is important to remember that the prepared surface should Not be touched (contamination). For the tactile method the fingernail or a clean wooden stylus may be used. The principle is to compare the surface profile of the blasted steel with the segments ‘on the ISO/BS comparator, looking for two segments between whose profile the test surface lies. The grading used sing -Profes equal to segment one and up to, but excluding segment two. edi -Profiles equal to segment two and up to, but excluding segment three. (omre -Profiles equal to segment three and up to, but excluding segment four. Any profile below the lower ‘Any profile above the upper limit for coarse grading is referred to-as-coarser than coarse, Because the blasted surface is considered to be a secondary profile, the primary profile is the surface of the steel prior to abrasive blasting. The primary profile is therefore going to have an effect on the secondary profile. It is customary to report on the condition of the substrate before preparation in the following manner. Rev 2 January 2010 Surtace Preperation WY vosscouts Copyright © TWI Ltd 2010 JOINING TECHNOLOGYPreparation of steel substrate before application of paints and related products (_[Bustorades. BS 7079 PLA, ISO B50T, SS 05 59 00) The numbers given alll refer to the same book, which gives high quality pictorial standards for condition and cleanliness before and after surface preparation, by abrasive blasting, hand and power tool cleaning and flame cleaning. The steel can SXthen be graded. eg B. SA 3, from the definitions below. rust S ‘Bustgrasa B._Steel surface, which has begun to rust and from which the mill scale has begun to flake. Rust grade C: Steel surface on which the millscale has rusted away or from which it can be scraped, but with slight pitting visible under normal vision. Rust grade D:_Steel surface on which the millscale has rusted away and on which general pitting is visible under normal vision ° (ee grade A: Steel surface largely covered with adherent mill scale with little if any The original rust grade is then given a degree of cleanliness, ie a grading relating to how much contaminant.is left_on the surface after_preparation The degree of ss is mainly dependent on the time spent on the area and the velocity of the Abrasive blasting grades Before surface preparation commences any oil or grease should be removed (by specified solvent or proprietary degreaser) and heavy rust and scale removed by chipping. After preparation the surface should be free from dust and debris. Sa1__Light blast cleaning, When viewed without magnification, the surface shall be free from visible oil grease and dirt and from poorly adhering mill scale, rust, paint coatings and foreign matter. Sa2: _ Thorough blast cleaning When viewed without magnification, the surface Shall be free from visible oil grease and dirt and most of the millscale, rust, paint coatings and foreign matter. Any residual contamination shall be firmly adhering. ‘Sa 2'b: Very thorough blast cleaning. When viewed without magnification, the surface shall be free from visible oil grease and dirt and from mill scale, rust, paint coatings and foreign matter. Any remaining traces of contamination shall show only as slight stains in the form of spots or stripes. .Sa 3:__Blast cleaning to visually clean steel. When viewed without magnification the surface shall be free from visible oil grease and dirt, and shall be free from mill scale, rust, paint coatings and foreign matter. It shall have a uniform metallic colour. Xf From the above definitions it can be seen that Sa 1 and Sa 2 are not achievable on tust grade Aa er lographs for the grades. Rev 2 January 2010 7 Surface Preparation TWI wonncenree Copyright © TW Ltd 2010 WLM ‘crwesreene.00%The American SSPC and NACE (Steel Structures Painting Council and National Association of Corrosion Engineers) have their own systems and compare as below. SSPC White metal SP5 Sa 2% Near white metal SP10 Sa2 ‘Commercial finish SA6 Sat Light blast and brush of SP7 Equipment 1 _ Wheel These are sometimes known as centrifugal blast units are a mechanised way of preparing components for coating. They are ideal for long production runs on similar section components such as pipes in a pipe coating mill, or bridge steelwork. They are usually referred to by the number of ‘wheels’ which they operate eg six wheel. Special machines are designed for special circumstances eg flat steel plated for fabrication yards or ship yards, pneumatically driven operator controlled machines for blasting decks or internal tanks, magnetic crawlers for tank externals. The operators of these machines prefer shot as an abrasive, grit cuts the impellers and entails large amounts of downtime, but when the specification demands, it must be used. The abrasive is gravity fed into the centre of the wheel. Centrifugal forces carry it to the end of the impeller where it is impelled at the component to be cleaned at a speed of approximately 220mph in a fan pattern. The fast moving metallic abrasive shatters mill scale, cuts_a profile etc, ricochets and eventually, its kinetic energy Spent, drops. The floor of the unit is open grating over a V shaped pit, in the bottom of which is a rotating screw which carries the spent abrasive plus detritus into a hopper. A conveyer system then carries the abrasives to the top of the machine, dispenses it, to start a gravity fed path back to be re-used. As an integral part of the system the abrasive passes aver a tilted plated, known as a weir plate. As the abrasive and detritus cascades over the edge of the weir plate, a current of air is drawn through it. This draws out low density materials such as rust, mill scale, flakes of paint etc, and finings, abrasive worn so small that it is no longer useful. This is known as an air wash separator, the same principle is used in enclosed grit blasting pens. Meanwhile the cleansed abrasive is fed back into a common hopper with feed lined to all the wheels, to be re-used. As mentioned previously new abrasives need to be added periodically to maintain an adequate working mix. * Considerations The quality can be controlled by adjusting the feed roller speeds and therefore is More consistent. Because the system is totally enclosed there is efficient use of abrasives. More operator safety because the operator is not involved. Rev 2 January 2010 ~ wT Surface Preparation TW wonncenree Copyright © TW Ltd 2010 LMT eines ctso.000