Dry Ice Blasting for Faster, More Efficient Mold Cleaning

Cold Jet highlights its PCS60 and i³MC2 dry ice blasting machines as best suited for the quick, safe and efficient way to clean any type of molds and a variety of mold finishes up to and including A1 surfaces and textured surfaces, all while improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) operational efficiencies. This includes injection, blow, PET preform, LSR and LIM, thermoform, technical, HDPE, medical device, extrusion dies and metal injection molds, just to name a few.

Dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive process, does not produce secondary waste and enables users to clean their molds in the press at operating temperatures. Cold Jet says this leads to improved productivity, higher quality parts and reduced costs. 

The i³ MicroClean 2 (top) and Aero₂ PCS60 (bottom). Photo Credit: ColdJet LLC

Designed to give the user complete control, the Aero₂ PCS60 applies Cold Jet’s patented Particle Control System (PCS), which cuts the dry ice into diamond-shaped particles in the exact dimensions chosen by the operator (0.3-3 mm), enabling the user to fine-tune blasting parameters for each application. A 7" LCD screen and digital controls provide an intuitive display, and the machine features a programmable application recipes, so users can set and save blasting parameters, such as blast pressure, particle size and feed rate.

The i³ MicroClean 2 also features intuitive controls, and IoT capabilities. It utilizes dry ice block or pellets and can operate with as little as 12 cfm (0.3 m³/min) at variable air pressures from 20-145 psi (1.4-10 bar). It also is said to boost performance and reduces overall consumable usage by more than 25%.

According to a testimonial from Cold Jet customer TE Connectivity, “In addition to cleaning our molds faster and more frequently, we no longer need a team of people to help us disassemble, clean and reassemble molding equipment.”