Water blasting is the use of high-pressure water to clean and treat various surfaces. It can also be used to cut through many different solid materials including steel and concrete. The advantage of water cutting compared to laser cutting is that heat generated in the process is transported away by the water itself; hence it works well for some sensitive materials where a high temperature laser cannot be used.

The generation of high pressures and water jet velocities are achieved through the use of an engine and a pump, and forcing the water through a small nozzle or orifice. The water used can include different additives such as detergent chemicals or abrasives where needed. In many applications, clean water without additives can be used which makes it an environmentally friendly process to adopt.

The equipment for water blasting consists of a motor, a pump, water tank, valves, hoses and nozzles. Since the pressures used can be up to 6000 bar, the performance requirements for the components employed are high. In addition to pressure, some applications also see extremely high temperatures or use abrasives. They may also need to work in harsh conditions with abrasion, seawater, ozone, chemicals and high/low ambient temperatures in the operating environment.

WOMA relies on Parker hoses

WOMA has been producing stationary as well as mobile water jetting equipment for more than 50 years and supplying to the global market. The choice of Parker hoses and fittings is based on the company’s high quality and ability to support applications worldwide. The hoses that WOMA uses for water blasting applications are Blastopac ½” rubber hoses and Blueline ½” thermoplastic hoses, both with pressure ratings up to 6 000 bar and adherence to the requirements of the global specification DIN EN 1829/2.

Parker Blueline hose range

Blueline thermoplastic ultra-high pressure hoses are up to 35 % lighter than rubber hoses, which makes equipment on which they are used more straightforward and easier to operate. They are resistant to many chemicals and have high abrasion resistance to help guarantee long service life. Blueline hose types 2388N and 2580N are compatible with Parker Polyflex fittings.

Parker Blastopak

Parker Blastopak hose is a completely new range offering improved performance for water-blasting applications. High performance is achieved as a result of the design with either four or six spirals that enable the hoses to meet the requirements of water-jetting and blasting applications and also conform with safety requirements.

With its high working pressure capabilities of from 800 bar in size -16 up to 1 100 bar in size -4 to -12 and good flexibility combined with dedicated interlock fittings, Blastopak hoses combine performance with safety. A safety factor burst/working pressure of 2.5:1 means the hoses meet the requirements of global specification DIN EN 1829/2 (impulse) in all common hydraulic applications.

WOMA – Certified Distributor of Parker’s Ultra-High Pressure hoses

Durban based WOMA is a certified distributor of Parker’s ultra-high pressure hoses and fittings. Hoses and fittings for the South African market are assembled In the Durban facility, and WOMA’s presence in South Africa gives valuable local market and application knowledge.

"We have supplied Parker's products with our unit builds for over 25 years. It gives us a sense of security that enables us to guarantee the quality of our products, after sales and service beyond the norm,” said Andrew Stocks from WOMA SA. “With our long-standing presence in the domestic market, coupled with deep technical knowhow, WOMA is perceived as a knowledgeable, responsive and reliable partner amongst its customer base.”

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