PMB

Plastic Media Blasting For Applications Other Than Aircraft Airframes

Part 2
Thursday, May 8th, 2008

Advantages of PMB for Non-Aircraft Applications

The major economic and environmental rewards associated with the application of PMB
to aircraft airframes have been advertised and discussed extensively in technical reports
and in aircraft publications. Often overlooked, however, are advantages inherent in the
technology that relate to non-aircraft applications. These include:

1. The ability, often, to remove coatings one layer at a time, leaving primer
and surface fillers intact if desired.

2. The ability to remove coatings from most metal substrates without

pitting, etching, stretching, warping or metal loss.

3. The ability to remove coatings from both flexible and rigid urethane and
engineered plastic parts without laborious hand or mechanical sanding.

One has only to talk to an experience re-finisher of ground transportation equipment to

appreciate these advantages.

If there is one facet of the PMB technology which most impresses the layman, it is the
appearance of substrates after stripping. Steel substrates, for example, appear brand new
and the look on a customer’s face when he picks up his parts often borders on disbelief.
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Plastic Media Blasting For Applications Other Than Aircraft Airframes

Part 1
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

PLASTIC MEDIA BLASTING

FOR APPLICATIONS

OTHER THAN AIRCRAFT AIRFRAMES

As Presented at the:

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

TRI-SERVICE

ADVANCED COATINGS REVOMAL CONFERENCE

Orlando, Florida

March 1, 2 & 3, 1988

By Kenneth E. Abbott, Mgr. Member

Envirosystems Manufacturing, LLC
 2555 N. Coyote Dr.
Tucson, Arizona 85745, USA

Founder and Former President

Stripping Technologies, Inc. (STI)
Tucson, AZ
I. INTRODUCTION

Overview

Envirosystems Manufacturing, LLC (ESLLC) formerly STRIPPING TECHNOLOGIES,

INC. (“STI”) is involved in virtually every aspect of Plastic Media Blasting (“PMB”),
ranging from the extensive use of PMB for the removal of coatings to its development
and marketing of advanced, state-of-the-art PMB turnkey systems. These turnkey systems
include plastic media blasting and reclamation systems, compressed air equipment, dust
control systems, blast rooms, cabinets, accessories, masking supplies and plastic blast
media.

Prior to forming STI, the principals of STI had in-depth experience in the application of
PMB to aircraft airframes, including the stripping of the UH-60A Blackhawk helicopter,
Gates Learjets, Sabreliners, Bell JetRangers and scores of small aircraft.

Although there continues to be a pressing need for the PMB process to replace the toxic
chemicals used for stripping airframes, we recognized other applications that we believe,
ultimately, will dwarf the aviation market. These applications include both the military
and private-sector marketplace and encompass military ground support equipment, motor
vehicles, marine vessels, machinery and equipment and a vast range of commercial and
industrial components and structures.

As is evident from the papers presented at this Conference in the last few days, there are
still many factors to be considered before there is a consensus on the application of PMB
to aircraft airframes, especially where the process is to be applied to advanced composites
and thin aluminum and magnesium substrates.

It was felt, therefore, that a presentation on some of the non-controversial applications for
PMB might be a welcome change.

For many years STI employed PMB to strip a broad range of products other than whole
aircraft airframes. These products included aerospace ground support equipment for the
355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron stationed at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in
Tucson, Arizona; Maverick Missile airframes for Hughes Aircraft Company; aerospace
and aircraft parts; metal and fiberglass automobiles and boats; large aluminum trailers;
and a host of commercial and industrial components and structures. In short, they found
the application of PMB to be limited only by the imagination. All of our applications
have been performed rapidly and economically and without any damage to substrates.