Fabrication & Coatings

Fabrication Sequence

When we combine one of the largest paint rooms in the Midwest with a plant layout designed for maximum safety and efficiency, the Pittsburg fabricating plant becomes a model of economy-providing quality products, delivered on time.

The wheelabrator and blast room are positioned at the end of the production cycle. The elapsed time from shaped, clean material to applied coatings is a matter of hours as opposed to days in competitive facilities- avoiding oxidation which can lead to premature coating and lining failures.

Wheelabrator

The wheelabrator performs surface preparation of steel plates prior to coating.  The process achieves cleanliness standards defined by NACE and SSPC.  Coatings manufacturers require these standards be achieved for surface profile and cleanliness prior to application of protective coatings.

Eight, 100-horse power electric motors propel steel shot/grit on to the surface of the steel at speed up to 400 mph inside a closed chamber.

The machine recycles metal blast abrasive in lieu of single-time usage and disposal.  The steel abrasive minimizes surface contamination occurring with other forms of blast material, including sand.  The closed chamber and automatic recycling reduces potential employee injury and exposure to blast media.  All processed parts receive a consistent surface profile and cleanliness.

Blast Room

The sealed blast room allows environmentally friendly surface preparations for fabricated sections too large for the wheelabrator.  The room is positioned directly between our manufacturing plant and our paint room, complete with overhead crane and cart trolleys for immediate transfer to painting, preventing unwanted oxidation to steel surfaces.  The blast room is a full-recovery shot blast machine that requires no disposal of blast media and is equipped with dust collectors to reduce worker exposure to dust.  The blast room exceeds current EPA and OSHA requirements.

Temperature Controlled Paint Room

Our fully automated paint facility is a 112’ x 90’ room (10,000 sq.ft.).  One of the largest paint rooms in the Midwest, the room is equipped with 15 million BTU air make-up units, allowing the controlled environment to be used for year-round painting.  Exhaust ducts located under the room’s floor are equipped with filters and scrubbers to minimize emissions to meet or exceed EPA standards.

Parts may be painted immediately after they have been cleaned and prepared by moving along the continuous trolley or crane from the blasting areas to the paint room.




Coatings


Our tank erection crews are followed by fully equipped mobile painting crews.  Complete with mobile sandblasting and painting equipment, OSHA approved scaffold and highly skilled workmen Pittsburg outfits several painting crews to put a professional finish on your tank.  Whatever your specification calls for, our experienced crews are trained in proper surface preparation, coating and lining operations.

Environmentally Friendly Coatings

Pittsburg prides itself as being an innovator in the use of environmentally friendly coatings. Many of these new coatings can be applied with minimal or no abrasive blasting required prior to application. They emit low or no VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the atmosphere thus helping to improve the quality of the air we breathe.

Typical Construction Materials

• Carbon Steel
• Stainless Steel
• Special Alloys

Processes & Equipment

• Welding Processes
  
  
• SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)
  
• GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
  
• FCAW (Flux Cored Arc Welding)
  
• GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)
  
• SAW (Submerged Arc Welding)
  
  
• Additional Equipment
  
  
• Submerged Arc Welding Equipment
• Automatic Vertical & Horizontal Welding Machines
• Cranes
• Diesel Generators
• Air Compressors & Mobile Blast Equipment
• Rigging & Fit-Up Equipment
• Scaffolding
• Mobile Equipment Trailers