LIUNA Training of Michigan Purchases First-Ever Blast Room from Titan Abrasive Systems
Will Be Used to Help Train Students on the Pipe Preparation Process
IVYLAND, PA (January 15, 2024) – Titan Abrasive Systems, a premier designer and manufacturer of quality surface preparation, surface finishing, and sandblasting equipment, announces the purchase of a new blast room by LIUNA Training of Michigan (LTM).
Unlike the blast rooms in manufacturing environments, the Titan room – located in LTM’s Perry, Michigan facility – is used for training both veteran laborers and apprentices in all aspects of pipeline work. For veterans, it serves as a refresher to keep their skills sharp; for apprentices, it provides valuable, hands-on experience to prepare them for actual field work.
LTM is a local affiliate of LIUNA, The Laborers’ International Union of North America, the most progressive, aggressive, and fastest-growing union of construction workers.
Abrasive blasting plays a key role in the process of pipe preparation, which is why it is included in the course curriculum. Each class starts off with the students blasting a small piece of pipe to clean the surface and meet the manufacturer specifications for a particular coating. The pipe is blasted until it fits the proper blast profile required for that coating.
Once the proper profile is achieved, students prepare the coating (such as fusion bonded epoxy (FBE), polyethylene, or polyurethane), apply it, then wait for it to dry. They will then check the coating thickness and drying rates – the same rigorous inspection they would perform if the pipe were going into the ground. If the inspection shows the pipe does not meet the proper standards, they will blast off the coating and start the process again on the same pipe.
Jeff Smrz, LTM’s assistant director of training, noted that students may need to blast the same piece of pipe 10 times “before they really know what they’re doing.”
While LTM has been actively teaching blasting techniques for some time, the new Titan blast room eliminates many of the issues that the lack of such a facility created.
“In the past, we just used an open area in one of our sand bays,” said Jeff Smrz, LTM’s assistant director of training. “We would put up some temporary barriers, but it was still extremely noisy and dirty. And if we had other people in the room performing other activities, we would sometimes end up with blast media in the coatings.”
Some preparations had to be made before the blast room could be installed. Smrz noted that concrete and steel were needed to fortify the flooring in the sand bay. Further, careful planning was required to ensure that the ancillary equipment, like the reclaim system, could be accommodated. Smrz said that steel grit, which is clean and highly reclaimable, will be used as the primary blast media.
About LIUNA Training of Michigan
LIUNA Training of Michigan (LTM) is dedicated to the development of safe, skilled, and productive Construction Craft Laborers who have the expertise and motivation to provide quality to the clients they serve, the union they represent, and the contractors who employ them. Using state-of-the-art technology combined with activity-based, student-centered learning processes, our ANSI-certified training staff is committed to mentoring and training a diverse group of apprentices and journey workers. For more information, visit https://www.lt-mi.org/.
About Titan Abrasive Systems
Founded in 1953, Titan Abrasive designs and manufactures quality surface preparation, surface finishing and sandblasting equipment at an affordable price. In fact, Titan is the industry’s only manufacturer of abrasive blasting equipment to sell directly to their customers, resulting in significant savings. The company’s client base ranges from industry giants such as GE Aviation, the United States Army, and Lockheed-Martin to small businesses across the country in a wide spectrum of vertical markets. Titan prides itself on exceptional customer service, innovative engineering, and on-the-ground installers who ensure that the company’s blast rooms, blast cabinets, and other components are properly installed and working to peak efficiency. For more information, visit www.titanabrasive.com.
Media Contact
To book Brandon Acker, President of Titan Abrasive, for an exclusive interview or as a podcast guest, please contact Art Sesnovich, Bulldog Communications, at 508-485-0776 or email art@bulldog-communications.com.
