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Golden Gate Bridge uses NEUTEK Extractor/Dryers
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It¡¯s one of the biggest paint jobs in the word¡ªand probably -the toughest. Keeping the structural steel and wire cables of San Francisco¡¯s Golden Gate Bridge covered with a protective coating of its distinctive international orange paint is a monumental job for the permanent crew of the painters, ironworkers, and operating engineers.
It¡¯s a job that, practically speaking, never ends. The total length of the bridge, including the approaches, is 8,981 feet, or 1.7 miles. The length of the suspension span, both main and side spans, is 1.2 miles. Each of the two main cables is 7,650 feet long. The towers are 746 feet above the water. It all has to be painted, every square food.
Like all paint job, big or small, surface preparation is the key to quality. Golden Gate painters use a compressed-air-operated abrasive blasting system to remove oxidized, loose and chipped paint prior to applying a new coat. In a typical operation, surfaces are blasted in the morning, weather permitting, and painted with a primer base coat in the afternoon.
Getting The Most Value From Compressed Air
Compressed air is a cost-effective power source for many industrial applications. However, it requires treatment before use because ambient air contains contaminants that are drawn into the compressor. Dirt and dust, liquid water and water vapor find their way to compressed air lines and seriously affect the performance of air-operated tools by causing sticky valves, rust and corrosion, air leaks, and pressure drops. In the Golden Gate painting operation, water and oil droplets in the air line not only reduced the nozzle pressure of the blasters, they also mix with the abrasive medium to produce a sticky, rough surface that dose not allow the paint to adhere properly.
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