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What is the Right Cold Jet Blasting Machine for the Job?

A Short History of Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting has been around since 1945 when the US Navy experimented with accelerating dry ice particles as a degreasing method. Lockheed Martin developed the technology further as a method for removing paint and coatings and were awarded a patent in 1977.

Reference: US4038786A – Sandblasting with pellets of material capable of sublimation – Google Patents

Well into the 1980’s, blasting technology was still integrated with dry ice production, so remained locked in an industrial process. Uncoupling the blaster from dry ice production allowed blasting machines to become smaller, mobile and more affordable.

Today’s blasters, using a single hose combining compressed air propulsion and 3mm dry ice pellets, were perfected by Cold Jet (Dry-ice blasting – Wikipedia).

Reference: US4744181A – Particle-blast cleaning apparatus and method – Google Patents

Final Hurdle: Dry Ice Blasting Pellet Supply

The last hurdle to widespread adoption was reliable dry ice supply. 3mm pellets have to be fresh because they sublimate more quickly than any other form of dry ice. The properties that make them effective for blasting: density (striking force) and CO2 content (explosive expansion upon contact) degrade quickly. Old, degraded dry ice doesn’t clean effectively, feeds poorly causing sputtering, and can block blast lines. National dry ice manufacturers focused on high volume customers for block and 16mm pellets couldn’t supply fresh 3mm pellets for blasting. The solution was for local dry ice manufacturers like Top Dry Ice to become dedicated service providers for Cold Jet’s growing customer base. In 2023, we invested in 3mm tooling to produce blasting pellets on demand for blasting customers throughout the Northeast . With on demand manufacturing, dry ice, blasting operators get top performance and Cold Jet can deliver on their promise of quality and durability.

Pictured below: 3mm pellet production at Top Dry Ice with a Cold Jet PR750H Pelletizer These dense, milk-white strands will break down to rice-sized particles. If your pellets don’t look like these – if they are transparent, rounded off, clumped together – your blasting rice is degraded!

At a Glance: History of Dry Ice Blasting

Invention	US Navy experiments with dry ice for degreasing	1945
Industrialization	Lockheed Martin develops blasting technology for manufacturing	1970’s
Innovation	Cold Jet improves particle feeder, adopts single hose design	1980’s
Commercialization	Machine customization, PCS patent, Localized Dry Ice Manufacturing	1980 – Present

Which Dry Ice Blaster is Best for Your Application

Understanding the strengths of each machine helps ensure you invest in the right cleaning solution for your operation.

Aero Series: Proven Industrial Workhorse

Cold Jet collaborated extensively with Industrial Contract Cleaners when developing the Aero Series. The result is a blasting platform designed for durability, reliability, and aggressive cleaning. These machines will be staged anywhere, so flexibility and reach are important. Cold Jet innovated their SureFlow system to maintain feeding down long hose runs and to eliminate blockages. Operators can run a full hopper of 40 or 80 pounds of dry ice through up to 100 feet of hose without interruptions. Fitted with analog controls, rugged wheels, and steel cabinets these machines are designed to take abuse .

The Aero Series are used for:

Smoke and Mold remediation
Asphalt removal
Automotive fleet, train and tram cleaning
Power generation facility (HRSG’s and Turbines) and substation cleaning

Pictured below: a battle-tested Aero 40. High flow nozzles designed for different applications can be seen next to the coil of blast hose.

Remote dry ice blasting requires:

Air Source: tow behind diesel compressor
After Cooler to cool and dry hot humid air air from the compressor
Air Hoses
Blasting Hoses
Aero Blaster
3mm Dry Ice Pellets

Image from Cold Jet: The importance of dry air with dry ice blasting

Pictured below: Top Dry Ice box truck loaded with equipment and dry ice for a smoke remediation job.

i3 MicroClean 2: Precision Cleaning Specialist

The i3 MicroClean 2 is specially designed for applications where traditional pellet blasting would be too aggressive. The system was first developed to shave dry ice blocks to produce a snow-like media that delivers thermal shock to dislodge contaminants without the kinetic force of full-size pellets. The machine includes touch screen controls and is IoT-enabled, allowing Cold Jet to remotely monitor these machines for trouble shooting and maintenance programs. The latest innovation in MicroClean allows the operator to feed 3mm pellets as well as block dry ice.

Designed for facilities where floor space matters, its compact design and quiet operation makes it the ideal blaster for:

Electronics manufacturing
Semiconductor manufacturing
Plastic injection molds
Historic preservation

Pictured below: i3 MicroClean 2 and Top Dry Ice blasting pellets cleaning plastic injection molds

Aero2 ULTRA Series: Flexibility and Smart Technology in an All-in-One Platform

Ultimate Flexibility

The Aero2 ULTRA Series is Cold Jet’s most advanced dry ice blasting platform. These machines combine the power of the Aero series with highly customizable functions, digital controls and IoT capability for remote monitoring and operation.

At the core of its versatility is the patented Particle Control System (PCS). The PCS grinds pellets precisely to a desired diameter. Operators can select particle sizes from 0.3mm to 3mm, and set the pellet flow rate (lbs/min) and air pressure (psi) to calibrate the cleaning power to match each application. These cleaning recipes can be saved in the machine to eliminate operator error. The Aero2 ULTRA can clean heavy fouling from asphalt, adhesive, and plastic deposits as well as delicate circuit boards and wire harnesses. The Aero2 ULTRA is the most versatile dry ice blaster available anywhere, making it the choice for:

Medical device finishing
Aerospace component finishing
Food Processing Plants
Automation and Robotic Applications

Pictured below: an Aero2 ULTRA cleans wire harnesses on a packaging line using a precision nozzle. Recipe: .05mm particle size, 1 lb of pellets per minute, and 50 psi airflow

Pictured below: an Aero2 ULTRA aggressively strips decals off an emergency vehicle using a high flow nozzle. Recipe: 3mm particle size, 3 lbs of pellets per minute, and 130 psi airflow

Smart Machine Technology

The Aero2 ULTRA line includes:

7-inch LCD touchscreen controls
Programmable cleaning recipes
Digital parameter adjustments
IoT-enabled diagnostics and support
Robotics compatibility for automated processes

Automation Enabled

Aero2 ULTRA machines can be installed as a permanent fixture of line cleaning and parts finishing processes. Nozzles can be mounted in blasting cabinets with foot pedal controls to allow operators to hand manipulate parts for finishing under a constant stream of dry ice. Aero2 ULTRAs are incorporated into robotics processes as well. Here’s some great content from Cold Jet of fully automated part finishing:

Cold Jet Dry Ice Blasting – Deburring Medical Implants (Automated Solution) Increase Productivity!

Which Blaster Is Right for You?

Blaster	Application	Dry Ice Capacity	Dry Ice: Feed Rate	Air: Pounds/Sq/Inch
I3 Microclean 2	Precision Cleaning Delicate Surfaces	25 lbs	Up to 1.5lbs per Minute	20 – 145 PSI
Aero Series	Heavy Duty Industrial Cleaning	40lbs & 80lbs	Up to 7lbs per Minute	20 – 300 PSI
Aero2 ULTRA	Full Range Cleaning, Smart Controls, Automation	60lbs	Up to 4lbs per Minute	35 – 250 PSI

Every facility and cleaning application is unique. As a dedicated service provider for Cold Jet customers, Top Dry Ice helps businesses identify their ideal dry ice blasting solution. Most importantly, we tailor our dry ice manufacturing and delivery to match the customer’s blasting schedule. This ensures that every customer gets fresh, fully charged blasting pellets that optimize their machine’s performance.