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Kuinka ilmanvaihto ja materiaalin kierrätys toimivat Pekotekin raepuhallushalleissa?

The short answer is: Air is flow in through the suction channels in the floor. This transports the abrasive material and allows it to be reused in the blasting process.

In this article, we explain our concept in detail and show what makes it so unique.

Visualization of Pekotek’s patented solution

Air is flow in through the suction channels in the floor (2). Simultaneously, the airflow transports the used abrasive material, which collects in the channels, to the classifier (14). From there, the reusable material is returned to the abrasive tank (19). The dust-laden air is then directed to the filter (13).

The filter is equipped with an automatic compressed air pulse cleaning system that loosens the deposits at the bottom of the filter (16). The fan (15) either blows clean air out of the hall (8) (in summer) or returns 80% of the air (6) to the chamber (in winter)

Watch an animation that explains how it works.

The Non-Waste system allows the use of multiple abrasives, such as stone/sand, glass beads, granules, aluminum oxide, etc., in the same chamber.

Principle of air-powered material recovery

In the image below, you can see the red flap in the open position, allowing the abrasive material to be recovered and returned to the blasting process.

It is easy to see that this solution has a very long lifespan, as the stress on the moving parts is minimal.

What are the advantages of air-powered material recovery?

Blast rooms with an air-circulating recovery system offer:

• Fewer moving parts, as only one fan drives the recovery process.
• Instead of a scraper floor/stripper floor system, an air-powered floor channel system that only opens and closes.
• Easier and more precise abrasive material changeover.
• Flexible placement and quick installation.
• Fewer wear parts, resulting in reduced maintenance costs.

The Non-Waste air-assisted material recovery system is an extremely reliable and simple solution. Pekotek's patented recovery and cleaning system is straightforward, making it particularly energy-efficient and dependable.

Mikä tekee Pekotekin ilmasiirtoisesta rakeenkierrätysjärjestelmästä niin älykkään?

Pekotek is a company that constantly seeks new solutions to further develop its products and technologies. For abrasive material recycling in large blast rooms, Pekotek has developed a new and modern technology that is also patented.

In this article, we highlight some of the advantages you gain with Pekotek's NON-WASTE solution.

How does air-assisted material recycling work in blast rooms?

The simple answer: Instead of transporting the abrasive material mechanically, which requires extensive maintenance, the material is recovered through an air-assisted system.

We explain how the solution works in detail in this article:
➡️ How do air circulation and material recycling work in Pekotek's blast rooms?

What advantages does Pekotek's NON-WASTE solution offer?

The term NON-WASTE clearly reflects our commitment to environmental awareness and sustainability. Often, sustainable solutions don’t mean higher costs but also bring economic benefits.

Eight advantages of the NON-WASTE system compared to traditional solutions:

• Lower operating costs due to fewer moving parts – reduced from 5 to only 2 maintenance-relevant components.
• Our bag filters last an average of 5 years, compared to traditional cartridge filters that require annual replacement.
• Maintenance costs are significantly lower over the entire lifecycle compared to a scraper floor system.
• Improved working environment and better visibility thanks to continuous air cleaning during the process.
• Flexibility in abrasive choice, such as steel grit, aluminum, or glass beads.
• The ability to blast and paint in the same chamber, as the collection floor is emptied after each blasting cycle.
• Continuous air cleaning keeps the workspace clean.
• Competitive purchase price on the same level as traditional systems.

Conclusion on Pekotek’s material recovery system for blast rooms

Our conclusion: Pekotek's solution offers clear advantages. Contact us – we’d be happy to explain how Pekotek's modern technology works.

Ovatko Pekotekin ratkaisut vakiintuneet ja testattu alalla?

A frequently asked question is how established Pekotek's products are and whether they have been tested over an extended period in the industry.

Specifically, the question primarily refers to the patented air-assisted abrasive material recycling technology used in larger blast rooms. This question is understandable, as this technology challenges existing solutions that have been in use for a long time.

Why is Pekotek’s solution so advantageous?

The simple answer: It reduces maintenance efforts, saves energy, and offers more flexibility in choosing the abrasive material.

How the solution works in detail and why it is so intelligent is explained in depth in these articles:
➡️ What makes Pekotek technology so smart?
➡️ How does air circulation and material recycling work in Pekotek's blasting chambers?

Is the technology already used elsewhere?

Pekotek Oy is a Finnish company based in Joensuu, founded in 1983. It develops industrial surface treatment systems and equipment. Pekotek manufactures systems tailored to individual customer requirements and production needs, with a clear focus on quality, sustainability, and energy savings.

Pekotek has delivered over 500 systems to industries in Finland and several European countries. Some of the customers include VR, ABB, Bombardier, Kalmar, Sandvik, Ponsse, Ruukki, Konecranes, Metso, FSP, Löfs, Alucrom, and Carelia Corro.

Is the technology durable and robust?

Many of the blast rooms that Pekotek installed in the early 1980s are still in operation today.

For example, read the customer report about Ponsse, where Pekotek delivered a blasting system that has been in operation for over 20 years. Ponsse is one of the world's largest manufacturers of forestry machines. Over the years, the system has been modernized and expanded.

Trust Pekotek's solutions

With Pekotek, you get a provider that offers versatile solutions for surface treatment and is committed to its customers.

Mitä haittoja mekaanisilla kaavinjärjestelmillä / raapapohjajärjestelmillä on?

How do traditional scraper floors work in blast rooms?

Traditional scraper floors use rubber scrapers to transport the abrasive material to a collection point, such as a floor pit, for recycling. Sometimes, additional screw conveyors, elevators, or other technical solutions are used to move the abrasive material from the floor to the recycling system.

What are the disadvantages of traditional scraper floor solutions in blast rooms?

There is no doubt that scraper floor solutions hold a well-established position and are functional—they have been in use for nearly 50 years.

However, this older technology has several disadvantages compared to more modern solutions. In particular, traditional scraper floor systems contain more moving parts, leading to higher maintenance requirements and increased operating costs.

Image

The image shows that a traditional solution consists of 5 moving parts/moments, while the more modern solution from Pekotek has only two moving parts that transport the blasting media to recycling.

Conclusion on Traditional Scraper Floors in Blast Rooms

The conclusion is clear: Scraper floors have significant disadvantages.

Would you like to learn more about how Pekotek's modern solution works? In this article, we explain the advantages of Pekotek’s patented technology.

Mitä vaaditaan Pekotekin raepuhallushallien luotettavaan käyttöön ja huoltoon?

The maintenance costs for Pekotek’s Non-Waste recovery system are exceptionally low. The air-powered system contains significantly fewer wear parts than traditional scraper floors, making service, maintenance, and spare part costs particularly cost-efficient.

What type of maintenance does the Non-Waste blasting solution require?

The non-waste blasting solution is very easy to operate (no mechanical conveyors) and therefore requires almost no maintenance. An annual condition inspection is sufficient for upkeep.

How long do the filters last?

In our Non-Waste solution, we use durable cartridge filters with an average replacement interval of about 5 to 7 years under normal single-shift operation.

How long do these blast rooms last?

The simple operating principle and ease of maintenance have ensured that even the earliest delivered chambers still serve as references today. We have been supplying non-waste blast chambers since 1983. Several of these chambers are also in continuous robotic blasting operation.

Since the system uses no mechanical conveyors, its lifespan is significantly longer than conventional solutions. Annual inspections by Pekotek can also extend the standard warranty period.

Pekotekin raepuhallushallin tekniset vaatimukset

In this article, we have compiled some frequently asked questions from an installation and design perspective.

The maintenance costs for Pekotek’s Non-Waste recovery system are exceptionally low. The air-assisted system contains significantly fewer wear parts compared to traditional scraper floors. This makes service, maintenance, and spare part costs particularly cost-efficient.

What is the maximum floor load capacity?

The floor structure is designed for an appropriate load of 3–5 tons per wheel, with up to 10 tons per wheel being common. Higher loads can be accommodated using rails or fixed tracks between the grates. For our blasting system, we provide a floor structure with a maximum load capacity of 175 tons.

What is the typical size of the blast chamber?

Variable dimensions are possible, and the number and size of the containers can be customized. Split grated floors can also be implemented. The smallest chamber built to date was equivalent to a 6-meter shipping container, while the largest chamber constructed measured 75 m × 25 m.

How much compressed air does a non-waste blasting system require?

The non-waste blasting system requires compressed air only for the abrasive tank and minimally for filter cleaning impulses. The compressed air demand depends on the size of the nozzle used. The transport and recovery of the abrasive are handled by a dedicated fan and airflow system.

Is it possible to separate manufacturing and installation?

Yes, that is possible. The project can be flexibly tailored to the customer's needs. One option is for the customer to handle the chamber construction, floor structures, and mechanical adjustments themselves.

Mitä on korroosiosuojamaalaus?

Corrosion is the physico-chemical reaction of metal when it interacts with its environment.

As a result of corrosion, rust forms. When we talk about corrosion protection coating, it means creating a protective layer to prevent rust formation on steel or iron.

Corrosion protection coating is effective

Painting a metal surface is the most effective method for corrosion prevention. A dense, intact, and sufficiently thick layer of paint prevents ions from penetrating the metal surface, thereby reducing the formation of local electrochemical cells. Corrosion can be prevented by using corrosion-protective paints containing corrosion-inhibiting pigments, as well as by applying a sufficiently large cathodic protection layer onto the surface of steel or iron.

"When we talk about corrosion protection coating, it means creating a protective layer to prevent rust formation on steel or iron."

Planning and choosing the right technical solution

Painting a metal base is called corrosion protection coating and serves to protect the metal base from destructive environmental influences. The most common methods for corrosion protection coating are spray painting and powder coating. Spray painting is often used for heavy workpieces, while powder coating is popular for sheet metal products, for example.

When planning corrosion protection coating, various factors must be considered: the structure, function, and lifespan of the component; environmental conditions and specific stresses; design and construction; surface cleaning and pretreatment; choice of paint; coating location; timing and environmental conditions; quality control of painting work; as well as options for maintenance painting.

Pekotek’s wet painting solutions provide strong corrosion protection.

Pekotek’s wet painting systems, also known as wet coating systems, feature gas and air humidity monitoring as well as efficient heat recovery, ensuring low energy consumption. Learn more about Pekotek’s spray painting solutions here.

The systems are reliable and low-maintenance. All fans are equipped with frequency converters, allowing the air balance and airflow in the chambers to be automatically adjusted for optimal energy consumption and environmental conditions. An automatic gas monitoring system ensures clean and safe working conditions by regulating the exhaust air according to actual demand, enabling efficient air circulation.

Jauhemaalaus – kuinka se toimii ja onko se ympäristöystävällinen?

Pekotek provides modern powder coating lines with a strong focus on environmental sustainability.

What is powder painting?

Powder coating lines can be designed with either chemical and/or mechanical pretreatment, such as centrifugal wheel blasting.

The powder itself is a coating applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. Unlike conventional liquid coatings, which are applied using a volatile solvent, powder coating is typically applied electrostatically and then cured by heat or ultraviolet light. The powder can be either a thermoplastic or a thermosetting polymer.

Powder coating requires either an oven or infrared heating to cure the powder, resulting in a durable surface that is harder than conventional paints.

How environmentally friendly is it?

Powder coating offers several ecological advantages compared to other methods.

The greatest benefit lies in the low environmental impact, as no solvents are used. In powder coating, no liquid solvents are applied, which reduces the emission of harmful substances into the air. This is a significant advantage over traditional wet painting, which uses liquid paints and solvents that may contain hazardous substances such as VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

Further environmental benefits include:

• Minimal waste: The powder coating is applied electrostatically to the surface, so no excess material is lost — everything can be reused. Additionally, no hazardous waste is generated that requires special disposal.

• Energy-efficient process: Powder coating usually requires thermal pretreatment of the objects. However, modern technologies allow for low-temperature processes, reducing energy consumption compared to traditional wet painting methods.

• Durability: Powder coating provides a tough and resilient surface that is more durable than many other coating methods. As a result, coated objects have a longer lifespan and need to be repainted less often, which reduces resource consumption and waste generation in the long term.

In summary, powder coating is a more environmentally friendly surface treatment method compared to other processes.

Powder Coating by Pekotek

Learn more here about modules, solutions, and fully automated production lines for powder coating.

Mitkä ovat yrityksen ympäristövaikutukset?

Pekotek’s unique airflow-based abrasive material recovery system is environmentally friendly in many ways.

Here are some factors where Pekotek’s blast rooms offer clear environmental benefits!

Low operating costs mean environmental benefits

A chamber that handles all process steps without additional transport also enables fast coating and drying of components, resulting in significant savings.

Fewer wear parts reduce maintenance efforts and are gentler on the environment.

The maintenance costs for Pekotek’s Non-Waste recovery system are exceptionally low. The air-assisted system has significantly fewer wear parts compared to traditional scraper floors, making service, maintenance, and spare parts costs especially cost-efficient.

The solution also improves the working environment

Material, additives, and particle recovery is handled by a specially sized fan. This fan is located in a separate, clean room, which improves air quality and working conditions. Of course, personnel working in the blast room must wear appropriate protective clothing and respiratory protection.

Flexibility and mobility optimize resource utilization

Container-based blast rooms with coating and drying can be delivered as complete, transportable units. A full production line is assembled according to capacity requirements.

Voiko maalata ja hiekkapuhalltaa samassa käsittelykammiossa?

The short answer is yes! Pekotek in fact offers flexible efficient and cost reducing solutions to solve multi-purpose challenges and handling processes.
But before describing our solutions, for many companies it can prove more complicated than perhaps first anticipated to use or adapt chambers already in use for new purposes. For instance, due to the following circum stances;

• Most container solutions are stationary, if originally for instance used for painting, they are frequently unsuitable to being adapted to blasting and recycling. This is at least hard to do swiftly or without considerable investments - but they can theoretically be adapted for combined purposes.

• Also - conventional treatment halls, containers, or chambers that can be adapted for multi-purpose processes often still offer limited flexibility. Scraper floors, used to remove blasting abrasives, for instance necessitate meticulous cleaning and preparations prior to the chamber being used for other purposes than blasting.

• Or, if one wishes to blast in a chamber that has been used for painting, but the chamber or container offers limited ventilation and no reliable means to collect, filter, and dispose of residual abrasives or dust - then one faces considerable challenges and possibly even safety hazards.

• And, on top of this many conventional blasting systems (for collection, filtering etc) are designed and fitted to handle one or two specific abrasives or materials rather than multiple different abrasives. This in itself presents no obstacle to using one chamber for various purposes and processes, but it may need to be taken into account regarding service and maintenance work, possibly also warranties etc.

But - Pekotek does as mentioned offer flexible cost efficient solutions to the challenges above!

If or when one desires to paint, dry, blast in the same chamber, Pekotek’s innovative Non Waste System, an abrasive recycling system that keeps the blasting media clean and dry. After each blasting cycle, the floor is kept clean which allows for the painting process to start without delay. The system uses suction hoppers to circulate material through classification and filtration units - all powered by a single fan. No conveyor belts are needed or used; it has fewer moving parts - thus causing much less maintenance headaches. More information on Pekotek´s Non-Waste System.

Regarding mobile booths (the Pekotek MOBL concept) seamlessly integrate grit blasting, painting, and drying into a single containerized unit - ready to operate in ~48 hours.
These modular systems are compact, equalling about half the size and cost of traditional fixed setups. Yet they are simultaneously highly expandable, one can in fact even add painting or drying modules as needed. More information - combined Blasting + Painting Chambers, the MOBL Concept.

Multi‑Material & Multi‑Process Ready - with the MOBL concept it is very easy to switch between abrasives (e.g. steel grit, glass beads, alumina) via a control-panel toggle and magnetic separator. Once blasting is done, the same chamber - free of dust - can transition to painting and/or drying without moving the parts, thus saving space, time, and transfer costs.

Mobility & Build Options - delivered in sea container or steel-frame modules, the work booths can be set up onsite and relocated as needed. Larger operations can scale up by linking modules into full finishing lines—ideal for projects that need to grow or shift locations.

In short: It is possible to conduct combined and uninterrupted work in the same work chamber. Pekotek’s combined booths offer a flexible, efficient, and portable solution for end-to-end surface treatment - blasting, painting, and drying done in one clean, modular chamber.

Pekotek MOBL movable 3-in-1 chamber