Iris NV expands use of metal spraying

Citation

(2010), "Iris NV expands use of metal spraying", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 57 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2010.12857cab.003

Iris NV expands use of metal spraying

Article Type: Methods From: Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Volume 57, Issue 3

Metallisation customer, Iris NV, based in Belgium, has expanded its use of metal spraying and purchased additional Metallisation equipment to accommodate this expansion. Iris was founded in 1946 as an industrial painting company specialising in the treatment of gas pipes, electrical stations, high-tension networks and power pylons.

The services offered by Iris became very popular, very quickly, throughout Belgium and it responded by expanding its services to include the protection of bridges and train stations. The company has continued to develop over the years and, in the late 1990s, built a brand new workshop measuring 100×20 m, to enable the company to handle structures weighing up to 35 ton and measuring 35 m². Iris is now one of the leading companies in Belgium providing surface treatment, particularly anti-corrosion, to all types of structures.

Recently, two of its most important clients, both in the petrochemical industry, requested metal spraying for a number of vessels and columns. Iris has been treating one of those clients’ pressure vessels, storage tanks and silos since 1964, so has an excellent understanding of the anti corrosion requirements. Metal spraying was the natural development for the protection of these vessels and tanks, as it is proven to be a very robust coating solution for protecting against corrosion under insulation (CUI) of refinery/process plant vessels and steel fabrications. Both Shell and Exxon Mobil have embraced this process for the protection of steelwork against CUI applications.

As a result of the increased demands by many of its clients Iris decided, under the guidance of the workshop foreman, to teach more of its operators how to metal spray. The additional operators underwent an intense training course and completed the necessary qualifications to become proficient metal sprayers. This was critical to the client’s demands and specifications. It also ensured more members of the team now meet all of the industry standards and have an excellent understanding of all aspects of metal spraying.

Prior to spraying the distillation columns, for one of its petrochemical clients, the surface was prepared by grit blasting with steel grit to SA 2.5, with a surface roughness between 75, and 110 μm. This was then arc sprayed with aluminium Grade 1350 to a thickness of 250 μm. A seal coat was then applied to the columns with Sigmatherm paint to a thickness of 25 μm.

To meet this high demand Iris is now experiencing from its clients’, the company has purchased an additional system, to add to the five Metallisation systems it already uses. The new system, the Metallisation Arc140/S350-CL, will be located in the workshop, where two existing systems are in constant use. The other four machines are frequently used on the job. In the field, Iris also uses the wire flame spray equipment. By investing in this extra, state-of-the-art, metal spray equipment the company can now specialise even more in this technique. By specialising in metal spraying, Iris is able to treat all kinds of materials under different, more complicated circumstances. Iris believes in and trusts these long standing techniques, such as aluminium metal spray, and is happy that this will ensure its leading position in the industrial painting industry.

For more information on metal spraying solutions, please contact Stuart Milton on: 01384 252 464 or visit: www.metallisation.com