A self-contained Hodge Clemco blast-room with high-performance abrasive recovery system and sound insulation has expanded finishing facilities for specialist castings produced by Furniss & White Foundries in South Yorkshire.

Established in 1980, Furniss & White manufactures bespoke castings in carbon and stainless steels and nickel-based alloys for the oil, gas, marine and defence industries. A £1 million project has recently expanded heat-treatment, inspection and finishing facilities for stainless steel and high-alloy products, weighing up to 2.5 tonnes when finished. Following casting in the foundry, the various gates and runners are cut off from the main body, which is then heat-treated in a gas-fired furnace. Blasting with specialist non-ferrous media produces a final high-quality finish that is a feature of Furniss & White products.

The new Hodge Clemco blast-room has a chamber 3 metres long x 3 metres wide x 3 metres high designed for three-tonne castings to be delivered by fork lift truck. The floor incorporates a mechanism that sweeps used abrasive to the input end of a separator system where contaminants, fines and dust are removed. A magnetic separator has also been included to remove ferrous material. Clean abrasive is returned to a three-tonne-capacity storage hopper that automatically refills the blast machine.

Double-skinned panels with an acoustic lining used for the walls and roof reduce noise levels outside the room by 30dBA. Air inlets and extraction points have been designed and positioned to achieve four air-changes a minute and ensure good visibility for operators.

The blast cleaning machine is a high-production unit on wheels that is connected directly to the outlet of the storage hopper. Abrasive is projected through a 3/8in. (10mm) ID boron-carbide-lined nozzle designed to maintain maximum blasting velocity, uniform abrasive distribution and high work-rate in the long term. The system includes a fail-safe dead-man’s handle, convenient air pressure regulator and a water separator/air filter.

Hodge Clemco also supplied a high-performance Apollo 600CE helmet and provided certified training for the customer’s operators.