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PROJECT BACKGROUND
Canam Bridges, a North American leader in steel bridge design and construction, sought to modernize its surface preparation and coatings operations. Key considerations included addressing skilled labor shortages in a heavily unionized region, enhancing safety, and reducing reliance on subcontracted metalizing that required off-site transport of large, heavy components.
CHALLENGES
Canam Bridges, a North American leader in steel bridge design and construction, was facing several operational pressures at once:
- Skilled labor shortages in a heavily unionized region
- Manual handling and operator exposure concerns
- Inconsistent production flow tied to outsourced metalizing
- Costly transport of large, heavy components for subcontracted coating work
- A need for more repeatable, high-quality surface prep and coating application
They needed a solution that would not just improve one part of the process, but transform the entire workflow.
SOLUTION
BlastOne engineered and delivered a fully integrated robotic blasting and metalizing package that combined automation, throughput, and safety into one streamlined system.
- 24′ x 24′ x 150′ industrial metalizing booth
- 2 robotic metalizing systems mounted on 3-axis positioning systems
- Two 600-amp thermal arc spray metalizing systems
- High-capacity dust collection system
- Advanced automation and safety controls
- 28′ x 30′ x 165′ robotic blast booth with pass-through design
- Blastman robotic blasting system
- Steel grit abrasive recycling system
- Automated abrasive blasting equipment
This solution allowed Canam to move critical finishing operations in-house while building a foundation for long-term production gains.
WHAT IS METALIZING?
Corrosion protection has traditionally been achieved through a process called galvanizing – coating steel with zinc, either by dipping it in molten zinc or applying it manually in the field. While effective, these methods can be difficult to scale, inconsistent, and challenging for large or complex structures.
Automated Thermal Metalizing uses the same proven zinc protection but applies it by spraying onto a prepared surface. With automation, this process delivers more consistent coverage, better control, and higher throughput, especially for large steel components compared to manual application.
RESULTS
The installation of robotic blasting and metallizing booths enabled Canam to streamline production, enhance safety, and ensure consistent, high-quality results across its bridge components. These advancements not only reduced production time but also positioned Canam as an industry leader in adopting automation to deliver long-lasting, corrosion resistant structures and provided a scalable foundation for future production expansion. The solution increased production by 207%, tripling the previous production rate while optimizing surface preparation by rapidly removing contaminants. It also ensured accurate, uniform application of sacrificial coatings, improving safety, reducing operator involvement, and helping resolve labor shortages through automation while lowering transport costs.
CASE STUDIES
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