Tag: Liquid Metal

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Case Study: Liquid Metal Lays Anti Slip Flooring Surfaces at PepsiCo Plant in Chile

An anti slip flooring surface created using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and silicone carbide grit at an industrial plant in Chile

Getting a grip in Chile – Liquid Metal combined with silicon carbide grit lay new anti slip flooring at PepsiCo Plant

An industrial plant operated by PepsiCo in Chile required a cost effective method for laying new and replacement anti slip flooring across the site – a problem solved by combining Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and silicon carbide grit.

Case Study Data

Site
PepsiCo industrial plant
Location
Chile
Repair Type
Creation of anti slip surfaces

Products Used

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating
Brush applied to bond silicon carbide grit to floors, creating an anti slip surface

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Case Study Details

PepsiCo needed to lay anti slip flooring at various points in their industrial plant in Chile, both to replace existing surfaces which had lost their effectiveness and create new ones across the site.

12 different sections needed laying. These included the gritting of stainless steel ladders and staircases; the tiled floor of a warehouse; concrete corridors; a metal ramp; and the surface of an open lift used to transport goods between floors.

  • Exisiting anti slip flooring at the PepsiCo industrial plant had become worn and in effective prior to being repaired using Liquid Metal and silicone carbide grit
Existing anti slip surfaces had become worn and needed replacing

Because of the scale of the application, the maintenance team carrying out the job wanted to find as cost effective and convenient method for laying anti slip surfaces as possible.

One of the ways they intended on doing this was by finding an epoxy coating capable of bonding to the variety of surfaces upon which the anti slip flooring was required.

  • A stainless steel floor prior to having a new anti slip flooring surface applied using an epoxy coating
Stainless steel floor with worn anti slip surface

Sylmasta therefore recommended the use of Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating combined with silicon carbide grit. Liquid Metal is a metal-filled, brushable epoxy which is painted onto surfaces.

Whilst sticky, it offers high strength adhesion. It cures on all materials, forming an ultra-smooth metallic layer. A gel time of 90 minutes allows for the coating to be mixed and carefully applied without the threat of premature curing, an important consideration for larger, more complex tasks.

Masking tape was used to mark out where the anti slip strips were required. The surface was then painted with Liquid Metal, silicon carbide was sprinkled over the epoxy coating, and the masking tape removed.

Liquid Metal and silicone carbide grit are used to create anti slip flooring at the PepsiCo industrial plant in Chile
Completed refurbishment of the anti slip surface on the stainless steel floor using Liquid Metal and silicone carbide grit

Once the Liquid Metal had cured, the grit was permanently bonded to the floor, creating a new anti slip surface. This method was used successfully across all 12 areas requiring attention on the site, no matter whether the surfaces were metal, concrete or tile.

The entire application was completed in 24 hours from when the final area was coated with Liquid Metal. The ease and speed of the installation has since led the maintenance company to use Liquid Metal for surface gritting at other plants, as well as for creating anti slip surfaces for delivery vans.

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com

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Case Study: Reinforcement of Weakened 22 Degree Cast Iron Pipe Elbows

Reinforcement of 22 degree elbows on cast iron water mains carried out by Sylmasta

Ending a potentially explosive situation – Sylmasta provide reinforcement for pipe elbows following a blowout in a valve chamber

A blowout in a valve chamber in Grimsby, United Kingdom, alerted a water company to the fact that numerous 22 degree 450mm cast iron pipe elbows were below specification and required urgent reinforcement to prevent further incidents occurring.

Case Study Data

Site
Valve Chamber
Location
Grimsby, United Kingdom
Repair Type
Elbow joint reinforcement
Defect
Below specification 22 degree elbow joints on 450mm cast iron water mains

Products Used

Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating
Offered protection to the pipework from factors such as corrosion and created a PCC-2 compliant load transfer layer with SylWrap HD.

SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage
10 layer application reinforced each elbow joint by providing an impact-resistant protective sleeve.

Case Study PDF

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Case Study Details

Numerous large diameter water mains made from cast iron were operated by the water company with most of these approximately 50 years old.

After an incident in a valve chamber in Grimsby where a 22 degree bend on a 450mm main blew apart, analysis of the cast iron showed that the original castings were below specification.

The incident was believed to have occurred when the water main pump from the reservoir to the treatment works stopped and the non-return valve closed, causing a pressure surge which peaked at 10 bar from zero.

Analysis of the cast iron pieces showed no corrosion along the crack lines. The blowout was therefore most likely caused by the low strength of the original casting which had a hardness of only 107.

To prevent similar incidents occurring again, the water company needed to carry out reinforcement of all remaining pipe elbows of the same specification.

  • Pipework in a valve chamber where Sylmasta carried out the reinforcement of 22 degree cast iron pipe elbows
Pipework in the Grimsby valve chamber

The length of the repair area was 350mm between flanges and the application needed to withstand 8 bar operating pressure with fluctuations up to the 10 bar which had caused the original blowout.

Sylmasta advised using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage to strengthen the elbow joints against future pressure surges and other factors including corrosion.

Each pipe was cleaned prior to being coated with Liquid Metal, a metal-filled brushable epoxy which sets to a smooth, metallic, hard-wearing surface over pipework.

Coating the elbow joints with Liquid Metal provided corrosion protection and improved adhesion between the pipework and the SylWrap HD Bandage, creating a PCC-2 compliant load-transfer layer.

10 layers of SylWrap HD were then applied over the Liquid Metal. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water-activated resin which sets rock hard in minutes, providing reinforcement to pipework pressure resistant to 30bar.

  • Reinforcement of elbow joints in a valve chamber made using Liquid Metal Epoxy Coating and SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage

Each elbow joint could be reinforced in two to three hours and there was no need to turn off the water supply to complete an application. Sylmasta’s repair saved the water company considerable money compared to replacing the below specification pipework and the necessary shutdown of equipment.

After the repair, the strategic water operations manager told Sylmasta: “The wrapping materials have proved central to our project in securing the structural condition of some 22 degree bends found to be in weak condition.”

“The early success of the project in Grimsby has seen it already adopted by other sites in our network, with Hartlepool also happy with it as a preventative measure and more to follow.”

If you have an application you would like to enquire about, then please get in touch

Call: +44 (0)1444 831 459
Email: sales@sylmasta.com