What is Better for Removing Contaminants: Dry Ice Blasting or Sandblasting?

Key Takeaways:

Among the most popular industrial cleaning methods available, dry ice blasting and sandblasting are very different in their respective mechanisms for cleaning contaminants from surfaces. Dry ice blasting uses the three-step process of kinetic impact, thermal embrittlement, and rapid gas expansion to separate contaminants from substrates.

Sandblasting, on the other hand, uses pure kinetic impact with a grinding effect to scrape contaminants away. While sandblasting has long been a method for industrial cleaning, it is very messy and time-consuming, whereas dry ice blasting is quick and efficient.

Cleaning injection molds by hand is very inefficient, but dry ice blasting can drastically reduce the time needed to achieve a total clean and resume production.

Key Takeaways:

Silgan Plastics reduced the time required to clean its plastic injection molds by as much as 75% by switching its cleaning method away from hand cleaning with solvents to dry ice blasting. The process cleaned packaging molds quickly and efficiently without any damage or leftover residue.

Which Cooling Medium is Best for the Direct-to-Consumer Food Delivery Market?

Key Takeaways:

When choosing a cooling medium for the direct-to-consumer food delivery, it must keep its payload to specification upon arrival in any temperature condition over time and by any means of transportation with a minimum of a 95% success rate to be considered a viable option. Through our testing of dry ice, phase change materials (PCMs), and gel packs, dry ice not only proved to be the least costly, but also the highest performing cooling medium with the lowest mass in any container type.

Which Method Provides the Stronger Clean— Dry Ice Blasting or Soda Blasting?

Key Takeaways:

Dry ice blasting is a popular choice because of its ability to clean effectively in a non-abrasive way, produces no secondary waste, can clean equipment in-place, and is suitable for many applications. Soda blasting has also remained a popular option in industrial cleaning, but produces toxic waste, has limited applications, and still requires shutdown and disassembly of equipment for cleaning.

Curious as to how dry ice blasting and soda blasting compare head-to-head? See our analysis below.

Improve efficiency and increase production with robotically assisted dry ice blasting automation

The idea of automating repetitive processes has a long history of improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and reducing the labor required to achieve a higher rate of continuous production. Introducing automation into dry ice blasting takes a critical step forward in streamlining an organization’s ability to clean and prepare surfaces as well as part finishing in manufacturing.

Laser Cleaning: The Hidden Costs and Limitations You Need to Know

Key Takeaways: Laser cleaning’s primary disadvantages are high upfront costs, slow cleaning speeds on large surfaces, and significant safety risks requiring a designated Laser Safety Officer.

Dry Ice or Soundwaves — Which Cleans Better? 

Quick Answer: Is dry ice blasting better than ultrasonic cleaning?

For most industrial cleaning applications, dry ice blasting is the more versatile and practical choice. Dry ice blasting can clean large machinery in-place without shutdown, disassembly, or moisture while producing zero secondary waste. Ultrasonic cleaning is effective for small, removable parts that can be fully submerged, but it cannot clean live electronics, porous materials, or anything too large to fit inside a tank. If portability, minimal downtime, and a dry, non-conductive process are critical factors, dry ice blasting is the stronger choice.

What do you need to begin dry ice blasting? We cover everything from blasters to safety tips.

Dry ice blasting requires the right combination of equipment, supplies, and training to get effective results and be efficient in your blasting. This guide will walk you through dry ice blasting requirements, provide further insight, and give you tips for a successful cleaning operation.

Dry Ice Blasting Breaks the Strongest Adhesive Bonds 

Key Takeaways:

Dry ice blasting removes industrial adhesives using kinetic impact, thermal shock (-109.3°F or -78.5°C) and gas expansion (800x). Unlike scraping or solvents, it is non-abrasive, leaves no secondary waste, and allows for in-place cleaning without machinery disassembly.

Dry Ice Blasting: Cleaner Molds. Less Downtime. 

Dry ice blasting cleans injection molds faster, safer, and with less downtime than traditional methods — here's how it works and why it's the preferred choice for plastic and rubber manufacturers.

In the plastics and rubber industries, product rejection and poor part quality are detrimental to manufacturers. In injection molding, there is no margin for error. Every part must come out perfect, with tolerances measured in thousandths of an inch.

A dirty injection mold is the usual suspect when quality falls, causing issues that range from warped products to texture imperfections. No matter how small the defect is, it can potentially affect thousands of units, increasing scrap and costs when trying to meet production quotas.