Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad. In this method and apparatus a glazed polishing pad is conditioned by being contacted with a stream of cryogenic pellets.

Abstract: A blasting medium composed of a granulated product which comprises a water-soluble inorganic salt as the main component and which has a weight average grain size of from 1 to 10 mm.

Abstract: Apparatus for cleaning, assembling, testing and inspecting contamination sensitive hardware. The apparatus includes an environmental process enclosure having an inner processing chamber, and a carbon dioxide jet spray cleaning system. The enclosure includes a loadlock pass-through having front and rear access doors for providing access to the inner processing chamber. A blower is disposed in the enclosure for circulating purified gas therethrough. A prefilter disposed prior to an inlet of the blower, and a high purity filter and laminar flow screen are disposed in the inner processing chamber. A heater is provided for heating the purified gas and a temperature controller is coupled to the heater for controlling the temperature of the purified gas. A table is disposed in the inner processing chamber upon which contamination sensitive hardware and testing and assembly apparatus may be placed.

Abstract: Abrasive jet stream polishing, wherein an abrasive is suspended in a flowable jet medium and projected at high velocity and pressure at a workpiece is provide, where the jet is projected at the surface to be polished at an oblique angle. The method is substantially improved by forming the medium of a polymer having reformable sacrificial chemical bonds which are preferentially broken under high shear conditions. Projecting the medium and suspended abrasive breaks the reformable sacrificial chemical bonds while polishing. The chemical bonds will reform, permitting recycling of the medium and abrasive for reuse in the method. The jet is effective at relatively low pressures of about 5 to about 80 MPa.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for cleaning a workpiece with solid CO.sub.2 particles. A flow channel member includes a flow channel therein having an exhaust nozzle at a distal end thereof. A source of pressurized air is provided in selective fluid communication with the flow channel. A phase separator includes first and second portions, with the first portion being in selective fluid communication with the flow channel. A source of liquid CO.sub.2 is provided in selective fluid communication with the phase separator. A liquid flow line includes first and second ends, with the first end being in fluid communication with the second portion of the phase separator, and the second end includes an injector nozzle positioned with the flow channel. The phase separator is operative to separate CO.sub.2 vapor from the liquid CO.sub.2 such that the vapor travels to the first portion for selective communication with the flow channel and the liquid remains in the second portion for injection through the injector nozzle.

Abstract: Abrasive blasting of fine particles is used to remove flash, burrs and dust from a nozzles in a nozzle array plate formed by injection molding. The abrasive blasting is applied from the entry side of the nozzles to remove the flash and roughen the interior of the nozzles. A thin solid flash portion can be formed on the exit side of each nozzle to ensure uniform conditions of all the nozzles before the abrasive blasting is applied.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a tubular member having an entrance end and an interior wall including a source of pressurized gas/solids mixture, a source of pressurized liquid medium, a conveying tube to introduce the pressurized liquid medium into the tubular member through an acceleration locus interiorly of the tubular member from the particulate solids being entrained and accelerated by the accelerated liquid medium substantially at the point of the acceleration locus whereby in situ mixing of the particulate solids and liquid medium occurs just prior to contacting the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: A liquid abrasive jet focusing tube for making cuts in a workpiece at a predetermined non-perpendicular angle, and a method for making non-perpendicular cuts in a workpiece with a liquid abrasive jet. The focusing tube includes a body having an inlet end which defines an inlet opening, an outlet end which defines an outlet opening, and a cylindrical passage which extends between the openings and which has a longitudinal axis. The outlet end has a tip portion with an angled surface adjacent the outlet opening and oriented in relation to the passage axis at the predetermined non-perpendicular angle. The method includes positioning the focusing tube so that the angled surface is generally parallel to the workpiece surface and the passage axis is oriented in relation to the workpiece surface substantially at the predetermined non-perpendicular angle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dry cleaning a semiconductor wafer storage and transport pod. After the pod is located with respect to the cleaning chamber and opened to expose the interior surfaces of the pod to the cleaning chamber, the pod is conditioned in preparation for the cleaning process. The conditioning of the pod includes purging the pod and cleaning chamber with an ionized nitrogen gas to rid the pod and cleaning chamber of airborne contaminants and to neutralize static electrical charges on the pod surfaces. The conditioning process further includes heating the pod surfaces to prevent condensation of moisture and organic contaminants thereon. After the conditioning process, the pod is cleaned with a dry aerosol sprayed onto the pod surfaces. The aerosol spray is comprised of an ionized carbon dioxide/nitrogen (CO.sub.2 /N.sub.2) gas and fine particles of CO.sub.2.

Abstract: A slurry blasting process employing a liquid carrier medium such as water contains a dispersed water-soluble particulate abrasive to enhance blast cleaning efficiency. Slurry blasting is performed at liquid pressures below 500 psi with an air to slurry mass ratio of generally at least about 0.05. The slurry can be recovered and continuously reused.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for surface treating a substrate used in a photosensitive imaging member including: (a) impinging a honing composition comprised of particulate material against the substrate surface to create a surface roughness sufficient to substantially suppress formation of a pattern of light and dark interference fringes upon exposure of the photosensitive imaging member, wherein the particulate material is capable of being dissolved by a solvent; and (b) rinsing the substrate surface having the surface roughness with a cleansing composition comprised of the solvent, wherein any particulate material remaining on the substrate surface having the surface roughness is dissolved by the solvent.

Abstract: A grinding method is provided in which abrasive is projected onto a steel product through a nozzle to perform grinding thereon such as in a continuous casting process or in a subsequent process, wherein high-pressure water jet mixed with the abrasive is projected onto the surface of the steel product to grind defects on the surface, etc. thereof. A grinding system for executing this grinding method is also provided, the system including supply sources of high-pressure liquid and abrasive, a nozzle device connected with these supply sources, an abrasive recovery device for recovering the used abrasive as needed and restoring the same to the supply sources, and combined detection systems.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and apparatus for peening objects by means of ultrahigh velocity waterjet. The apparatus includes means for holding and producing relative motion in three dimensions of both the workpiece and the jet. Control means are provided to allow uniform and variable depth peening of complex shapes and automatic variations in relative speed, standoff distance, angle and pressure. The method includes the use of entrained disappearing particles in the waterjet to facilitate peening.

Abstract: A machine tool for cutting workpieces includes a cutting head with at least two cutting units each providing cutting beams directed at the workpiece so as to impinge thereon closely adjacent each other to cooperate in the cutting action. The machine tool includes a worktable to support the workpiece, and the workpiece and cutting head are relatively movable to provide a cutting line in the workpiece. At least one of the cutting units is movable relative to the other so that the angular relationship of the cutting beams may be varied, and the supply of the cutting medium is separately controlled for the cutting units. In one embodiment the cutting beams are high speed water jets which may contain abrasive and the cutting characteristics of the jets may be varied.

Abstract: A method for polishing radially expandable surgical stents is disclosed where fluid abrasive media M flows over surfaces of the stent 10 causing the surfaces of the stent 10 to be polished and streamlined. The stent 10 is temporarily provided with cylindrical support ends 20, which are not radially expandable to support the stent 10 during the polishing process. An interior polishing fixture 100 is provided which has cylindrical chambers 135 therein adapted to receive a stent 10 therein. Fluid abrasive media M then flows into bores 108 in the fixture 100 leading to the cylindrical chambers 135 and adjacent the inner diameter surfaces of the stent 10. Surfaces of the stent 10 forming the outer diameter are polished by placing the stent 10 within an exterior polishing fixture 200 which has a cylindrical recess 220 therein.

Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, treating an elongate rotary tool that presents a sharp cutting edge are described. The method includes the steps of emitting under pressure from a nozzle an abrasive fluid stream comprising an abrasive grit entrained in a fluid; and impinging the abrasive fluid stream against the sharp cutting edge of the elongate rotary tool for a preselected time so as to transform the sharp cutting edge into a relatively uniformly honed edge. The apparatus includes a rotatable fixture that releasably holds the elongate rotary tool. A nozzle that emits under pressure an abrasive steam. The nozzle and the elongate rotary tool are relatively moveable so that the abrasive stream impinges the entire length of the sharp cutting edge.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for polishing a glass surface by directing an abrasive fluid through a nozzle exit maintained in close proximity to the surface. The fluid is constrained between the nozzle exit and the surface so the fluid flows radially outwardly tangential to the surface as it changes from high pressure in the nozzle to high velocity in the tangential direction. Polishing is controlled by regulating the proximity of the nozzle exit to the surface. Apparatus is provided including a nozzle extension for delivering the abrasive liquid to the surface and a nozzle body supporting the extension for relative movement automatically to balance the axial forces on the nozzle extension.

Abstract: Abrasive jet stream cutting, wherein an abrasive is suspended in a flowable jet medium (64) and projected at high velocity and pressure (75) at a workpiece (76) is substantially improved by forming the medium of a polymer having reformable sacrificial chemical bonds which are preferentially broken under high shear conditions. Projecting the medium and suspended abrasive breaks the reformable sacrificial chemical bonds while cutting. The chemical bonds will reform, permitting recycling of the medium and abrasive for reuse in the method. The jet is effective at pressures of about 14 to 80 MPa.

Abstract: A convergent-divergent Single/Multiple Expansion wave contour wall and wave Reflection solid wall Nozzle (S/MERN) for use with particle blast systems is provided which includes a single contoured converging-diverging wall opposing a generally flat, solid wall disposed generally parallel to the direction of the jet flow. The transition from a circular delivery hose to the rectangular throat of the S/MERN nozzle is preferably in only one dimension, with the distance between the side support walls being substantially the same as the diameter of the delivery hose. The S/MERN nozzle relies on reflection from the flat, solid wall for Mach wave expansions, rather than reflections of opposing expansion waves as in conventional nozzles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shot blast cleaning a workpiece. The method comprising the steps of applying a composite stream of a slurry consisting of carrier liquid and particulate abrasive material under high velocity to the workpiece in a blast cabinet, reclaiming spent slurry after undersized abrasive material have been removed, cleaning the carrier liquid for reuse and pumping the cleaned carrier liquid at the workpiece for washing and conditioning the workpiece or pumping the cleaned carrier liquid together with the reclaimed abrasive material as a composite stream at the workpiece. A nozzle which has a divider within it for separating the abrasive material and carrier liquid is used in combination with a slurry discharge head to discharge the abrasive material and carrier liquid in a substantially overlapping blast pattern.

Abstract: A machine tool for cutting workpieces includes a cutting head with at least two cutting units each providing cutting beams directed at the workpiece so as to impinge thereon closely adjacent each other to cooperate in the cutting action. The machine tool includes a worktable to support the workpiece, and the workpiece and cutting head are relatively movable to provide a cutting line in the workpiece. At least one of the cutting units is movable relative to the other so that the angular relationship of the cutting beams may be varied, and the supply of the cutting medium is separately controlled for the cutting units. In one embodiment the cutting beams are high speed water jets which may contain abrasive and the cutting characteristics of the jets may be varied.

Abstract: A blast media for use in wet blasting to clean contaminants from a substrate surface comprises abrasive particles, at least one surfactant and a defoaming agent so as to reduce the amount of foam which is produced during the wet blasting process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows the removal of solid material from a workpiece utilizes a high velocity stream of ice which is caused to impinge on the workpiece. A working liquid, such as water, is supplied at high pressure to a discharge nozzle with an orifice for forming the needle-like stream. The water is cooled before it reaches the nozzle to a temperature below its freezing point so that at least some of the stream is transformed to ice. Optionally, the stream is cooled after it is emitted from the orifice by flowing an envelope of cryogenic gas around the emitted stream. The apparatus includes an inner conduit that carries the working liquid through a cutting tool where the liquid is at least partially solidified by an evaporator that utilizes a cryogenic fluid to cool the working liquid.

Abstract: An improved slurry blasting process is disclosed wherein a liquid carrier medium such as water contains a dispersed water-soluble particulate abrasive to enhance blast cleaning efficiency and wherein the liquid carrier comprises a saturated solution such as the dissolved particulate abrasive so as to minimize the dissolution of the particulate abrasive therein. Slurry blasting at relatively low pressures below 500 psi and at room temperature provides effective and cost efficient cleaning of substrates. The slurry can be recovered and continuously reused. A recrystallization agent can be added to the slurry to increase abrasive particulate growth in the saturated solution.

Abstract: A closed-environment wet-abrasive blasting system includes a vacuum device for recovering a waste stream of water, abrasive particulate and surface debris. The waste stream is filtered resulting in cleaned water recycling through the system. During operation, water is pumped from a water holding tank to a blast head. Also, abrasive particulate is forced from canister to the blast head. The abrasive material and water form a blast stream which impacts on a surface to treat the surface. The blast head is held to the surface during use by the suction force and defines a work volume over the surface under treatment. In effect, the blast head defines a closed environment in which abrasive particulate water and surface debris do not escape into the surrounding environment, but instead is captured. The vacuum force pulls the surface debris, abrasive particulate and water (i.e., waste stream) from the blast head along a vacuum hose into a recovery tank.

Abstract: Abrasive jet stream cutting, wherein an abrasive is suspended in a flowable jet medium (64) and projected at high velocity and pressure (75) at a workpiece (76) is substantially improved by forming the medium of a polymer having reformable sacrificial chemical bonds which are preferentially broken under high shear conditions. Projecting the medium and suspended abrasive breaks the reformable sacrificial chemical bonds while cutting. The chemical bonds will reform, permitting recycling of the medium and abrasive for reuse in the method. The jet is effective at pressures of about 14 to 80 MPa.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing water soluble salts from a metal substrate in a wet blast system in which a bicarbonate abrasive is blasted in a pressurized water stream against the surface of the metal substrate to prepare the surface for the application of a coating. The method includes the steps as indicated in FIG. 3 in which a high pressure wet blast pressurized water and sodium bicarbonate abrasive is first applied by a nozzle (14) against the surface of the metal substrate with the water soluble salts being removed or neutralized. Iron salts are present where the metal substrate is of a ferrous material such as iron or steel. Next, pressurized water without abrasive is applied by the nozzle (14) against the surface of the metal substrate for washing the surface clean and removing the neutralized water soluble salts. The water for the wet blast system is of a very high purity characterized by a conductivity of between 0.5 and ten (10) micromohs/cm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for the blast cleaning of the surface of an object using solid carbon dioxide pellets as the abrasive projected by a gaseous carbon dioxide propellent. The method and apparatus of this invention subjects a portion of a quantity of liquified carbon dioxide contained within a storage vessel to adiabatic expansion to provide a solid phase carbon dioxide and then compressing or extruding the solid phase carbon dioxide to form a plurality of pellets. Another portion of the liquified carbon dioxide is vaporized to provide a volume of gaseous carbon dioxide at above atmospheric pressure which is then used as a carrier and propellent to project the carbon dioxide pellets against the surface of the object to be cleaned. This invention eliminates the need to use a separate compressed air or nitrogen propellent system for a blast cleaning operation.

Abstract: A blast media for stripping contaminants from a solid surface comprises water soluble abrasive particles and a surfactant which reduces the amount of water soluble residues of blast media remaining on the targeted surface and which enables any residues which remain to be readily removed by fresh water.

Abstract: Argon gas and nitrogen gas are mixed together and cooled by a cooler to a liquefying temperature of argon gas specific to its pressure, to form argon fine droplets in the mixed gas. The gas is then jetted out of nozzles and blown into a vacuum chamber to adiabatically lower the temperature further and change fine droplets to solid fine particles which are used to clean the surface of an object.

Abstract: To reduce dust and improve the productivity of wet blasting, a blast nozzle and a method of using same are provided for directing a stream of abrasive particles entrained in compressed air to a targeted surface and for injecting a pressurized water stream into the stream of abrasive particles at a point downstream of the orifice of the blast nozzle and in the expansion portion of the nozzle. At the injection point, the velocity of the entrained abrasive particles is substantially equivalent to the velocity of the injected water stream.

Abstract: A method of cleaning, either continuously or intermittently, a pneumatically operated pulverized coal system by injecting into this system a stream of generally uniformly sized coke breeze particles. This coke breeze stream would abrade the interior surface of the pulverized coal system thereby cleaning it. Additionally, due to the high carbon content of the coke breeze, this substance will replace or displace a portion of the coal stream delivered to the furnace. Furthermore, such use of coke breeze will eliminate the need to dispose of this by-product in cases where alternative uses are not available.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning or removing coatings, such as paint, from a surface with a stream of particles. A carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) pelletizer forms carbon dioxide pellets, which are delivered by a delivery system against a surface to be cleaned. The delivery system includes a hopper for containing the pellets and a high pressure air supply. A feeder introduces the pellets from the hopper into the high pressure air. The combined high pressure air and pellets are directed along a delivery hose to a nozzle, which directs the air and pellets against a surface to be cleaned. Temperature sensors are provided to monitor the temperature of the pressurized air at various points in the delivery system. Signals from the temperature sensor are provided in a feedback control manner to a control valve. The control valve controls the introduction of liquid nitrogen (N.sub.2) into the air stream at a mixing chamber in the delivery system.

Abstract: A process for removing paint by high pressure waterjet blasting of painted surfaces wherein the waterjet comprises a ferrofluid or other liquid containing tiny magnetic particles suspended therein. The particles may be in colloidal suspension or be suspended by agitation and are preferably polymer coated. The liquid-magnetic particle mixture lends itself to electromagnetic process control, run-off maintenance and waste processing capabilities. Thereby, the process can employ process control and waste remediation options.

Abstract: A nozzle expels liquid CO.sub.2 through an orifice for converting the liquid into CO.sub.2 snow. The nozzle is contained within an elongated cavity within a body which in turn is coupled to an exhaust nozzle for directing the CO.sub.2 snow toward a workpiece. A mixing device is provided for receiving and mixing pressurized air at ambient temperature with liquid nitrogen for precooling the air and then directing the resulting mixture of gases into the cavity and toward the nozzle. In this manner, the precooled shop air will enhance the efficiency of the conversion of the liquid CO.sub.2 into CO.sub.2 snow particles.

Abstract: A blast nozzle for directing a stream of abrasive particles against a surface to remove surface contaminants therefrom further includes an externally attached atomized water nozzle which directs a stream of atomized water particles to the surface to suppress dust formation.

Abstract: An improved wet blasting process is disclosed wherein the liquid carrier medium contains a dispersed particulate abrasive to enhance the blast cleaning efficiency and wherein the particulate abrasive is soluble in the carrier liquid. To minimize dissolution of the soluble particulate abrasive, the liquid carrier comprises a saturated solution such as the dissolved particulate abrasive in the liquid.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and devices for hydroblasting wherein a hydrolyzed solution of a silica compound and water, the hydrolyzed solution containing solid particles of the silica compound, is ejected at the surface to be cleaned.

Abstract: This invention relates to a carbon dioxide blast cleaning system for propelling dry-ice pellets by cryogens, namely high pressure nitrogen, helium and/or oxygen, against a surface being cleaned. Carbon dioxide pellets, in a pellet hopper, a blast unit and a blast gun are located at a blast site near the surface being cleaned. A portable cryogenic liquid nitrogen, liquid helium and/or liquid air tank with an ambient air vaporizer is also located at or near the blast site. Cryogenic liquid nitrogen, liquid helium and/or oxygen flow through the ambient air vaporizer to the liquid and is vaporized to form a high pressure gas. The high pressure, cryogenic gas is then brought into the blast unit and mixed with the pellets. The mixture of the high pressure gas and the pellets exit the gun nozzle at high velocities to blast the surface being cleaned.

Abstract: The invention is an abrasive fluid cutting composition comprising a carrier fluid, and an abrasive. Preferably, the composition may also include a surface active agent. The invention also comprises a method for removing material from a substrate through application of the abrasive fluid of the invention comprising the steps of projecting the fluid composition onto the substrate. Reactive materials such as explosives, propellants, flammables, combustibles and the like may be cut using the composition of the invention.