By Bernd Busskamp
Sales Director, OEM Air Germany, Wheelabrator
The revolution currently underway in manufacturing has many names. Here in Germany it’s often referred to as “Industry 4.0”, and globally we’re hearing a lot about the “Industrial Internet of Things”.
But whatever name we pick, the change rung in by this technology-driven new approach to manufacturing is rapid –and it’s everywhere. Blast equipment is no exception.
Whole armies of sensors, cameras and other measuring devices are conquering blast machines from airblast to wheelblast, from high-volume foundry machines to super-high-spec peening applications. All this data capturing and monitoring then helps control and adjust processes and workflows across the whole production.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s already possible today in terms of connected blast technology, and how this benefits production.
The first temptation when faced with a challenge like this is to go back to the drawing board and look purely at the theory of how to develop the best wheel. What do the maths and physics tell us about what would make the wheel perfect?
Shot peening is used in Aerospace to strengthen parts against fatigue. As engineers are striving to make aircrafts lighter and faster, a reduction in the weight of parts is an obvious result. This means shot peening has become an ever more important process to strengthen and protect these lighter parts.
Yet, the recent past has left a legacy that is very much present in manufacturing today. People do things smarter, invest more strategically, plan well ahead. Service, maintenance and equipment modernisation play a key role in this.
And that’s exactly what we’ve built over the last couple of years. Our Wheelabrator Plus Service Technicians are out on the road and on call almost 24/7. They each cover a territory of a 4-6-hour drive radius around their home. Their office is at the customer, and their product offering of technical expertise, process knowledge, hands-on experience are a key component of successful operations and seamless production at our customers’ sites.
