Walther Trowal presented the THM series troughed belt continuous blast machines with the Smart Abrasive option for the first time at GIFA 2023. The energy requirement is significantly reduced thanks to the targeted control of the abrasive delivery rate and the service life of both the abrasive and the entire system is extended.
Until now, large continuous blasting systems with multiple turbines have always operated with an excess of abrasive in the circuit to ensure that all parts are perfectly blasted. Walther Trowal has developed the Smart Abrasive Option for the THM 700 and THM 900 blast machines, which are equipped with up to four turbines. This adapts the delivery rate of the abrasive in the entire circuit to the characteristics of each type of workpiece. The delivery rate of the turbines is automatically reduced, and the speed of the screw conveyors is adjusted accordingly as soon as only a lower abrasive output is required for process-related reasons.
Longer service life
Thanks to this control system, energy can be saved on the one hand, and it also extends the service life of the blasting medium, as it is circulated less frequently in the system. It thus increases the service life of the entire system and reduces maintenance requirements. Specific tests are carried out for each type of workpiece to determine which parameters - including turbine speed and abrasive flow rate - lead to the desired result. The data is used to create recipe families, which are stored for the individual systems.
THM systems are used by all in areas of the automotive industry, for example for forged aluminum chassis parts such as control arms, steering knuckles, or pivot bearings. More and more manufacturers of die-cast or forged parts are also using this material as a blasting medium for workpieces made of aluminum, as it can be used to process the surface of the workpieces very gently.
"With the increasing share of hybrid and electric vehicles, more high-strength chassis parts will be produced in the future, because more strong parts are needed due to the higher vehicle weight and greater torques in the powertrain. This is where the Smart Abrasive THMs are the economical solution," explains Meik Seidler, Sales Manager Vibratory finishing and blasting technology at Walther Trowal.
THM troughed belt systems
THM troughed belt systems are designed for bulk material as well as for complex, sensitive individual parts. The advantages of THM continuous belt systems are particularly evident with sensitive workpieces, as the workpieces are distributed in the machine over the length of the trough. In the process, the individual parts do not collide with each other; at most, there is only slight contact. The parts also do not fall on top of each other, but roll gently on the polyurethane coating of the trough bars. In this way, the troughed belt system can ensure that the workpieces leave the plant without being damaged.
