A suite of free-standing self-contained production enclosures that provide abrasive blasting, welding and paint spraying facilities have been installed by Hodge Clemco for Advanced Industrial Solutions (AIS) in North Shields, Tyne and Wear.
AIS manufactures specialised insulation, cladding, access and personal protection equipment primarily for the off-shore oil and gas industries, as well as providing a wide variety of training courses for employees in this sector.
Following the completion of its new £300,000 training and production centre with the Hodge Clemco equipment, its blasting and painting courses for off-shore personnel have been formally approved by the industry skills body OPITO. The new facility has also increased AIS’s fabrication capabilities for engineered products.
All three production rooms are 4m wide x 3m high x 5m long with double doors at one end fitted with two large viewing windows that give a good view of the interiors when training courses are in progress. The insulated Eurobond panels that have been fitted provide a high-quality finish as well as reducing noise levels and improving thermal insulation.
The blast room has a steel floor and is lined with rubber curtains to reduce abrasion and media ricochet. Three air connection points provide for a trainer and two trainees at a time, and air connection for tools has also been fitted. To allow the blast room to be used for production as well as training, a media recovery system allows blasting to continue for up to three hours before the hopper has to be re-filled.

The spray room has high-quality lighting units in the roof and smooth white internal walls to provide optimum visibility without shadows. Paint over-spray is filtered through an exhaust plenum at the rear of the room, while fresh air enters through filters at the front. Three breathing-air connection points have been provided.
For the welding and fabrication room a wall-mounted exhaust fan has been fitted which maintains a negative pressure and draws fresh air through a filter-panel in the doors. Two articulating units with a reach of two metres provide local fume extraction when staff or trainees are welding.