For industrial companies, technological developments are essential in driving both productivity and innovation. Maviro Specialty Services’ commitment to improving processes and elevating the way it does business is unwavering. The company’s latest development in laser technology sets the stage to revolutionize coating removal and surface cleaning in the industrial market.
A new way to clean and restore surfaces
Laser technology is an important innovation that has applications across many industries, but its use in the industrial market is only just beginning to gain momentum.
The idea came as a result of something Maviro always does: listen to its customers’ concerns and needs. Having conversations with its customers helps the company understand the frustrations they are experiencing; from these interactions, Maviro was able to distill some common themes.
“One thing our customers are always asking us is if there’s a better or faster way to get things done,” said Chris Boase, senior vice president of operations for Maviro. “Our laser service makes this possible in a few different ways. It can be done at the same time as a lot of our other work, so it has a minimal effect on the overall shutdown schedule. At the same time, it provides a cleaner surface, so inspection results are more accurate, with less chance of the work having to be redone.”
Maviro began its foray into laser technology in 2014. One of its managers, Kevin McSwain, saw an opportunity to use the technology in conjunction with its catalyst services, so the company started conducting trials to gain insight into its prospective uses. By the fall of 2015, it had a fully completed mobile field unit in operation, giving Maviro insight into potential applications beyond what was initially envisioned.
“The technology surpassed our expectations in terms of how we could utilize it,” McSwain said. “We realized we could do weld coating removal and cleanup for inspections at the same time other work is being done.”
What followed was a two-year learning curve, during which the Maviro team was able to refine and reassess the new technology to expand its applications into various customer environments. Seeing the ways laser services could work within many different arenas gave the Maviro team a solid foundation to understand the applications for future jobs.
Even with this knowledge, the team recognizes each situation is unique, so it does plenty of testing to verify how an application will work, log production time and ensure a quality finish.
Common applications for laser services
Maviro’s mobile laser cleaning service uses one of the most powerful commercially available systems in the world, making it an ideal solution for a variety of industrial challenges. Though it has several applications, two of the most common uses Maviro employs are for removing coatings and/or cleaning up surfaces.
As a coating/paint remover and surface cleaner for the inspection of welds, laser technology offers one of the most immaculate surface cleaning methods in a single step while also causing the least amount of damage to the surface.
Maviro’s second-most common application for laser services is the removal of contaminated coatings, such as lead paint. In addition to providing advantages such as precise cleaning with minimal damage, this application also removes and minimizes the volume of waste to be disposed thanks to a built-in vacuum system, which draws in all of the contaminant and other solids.
Industries and areas of use
Maviro’s laser cleaning services are improving operations for many of its existing clients, including heavy industrial companies such as refineries, petrochemical plants, power plants and other manufacturing facilities.
“Our clients appreciate the wide range of applications that laser technology offers them, as well as the unique advantages the service provides,” said Clint Stewart, senior vice president of Maviro. “From removing coatings and oxide layers to restoring surfaces, our laser services save companies significant time, especially in removing interference events where separate projects can’t occur due to the effect one has on the other. For example, mechanical work comes to a stop due to sandblasting. Laser removes that delay so mechanical work continues while laser work is ongoing.”
Though Maviro’s clients have primarily used its laser services to clean industrial machinery and equipment surfaces and remove old paint coatings, rust and oxide layers, there are other applications it has also explored. The company has experience working on a wide variety of jobs and surfaces, including vessels, reactors, tanks, pipelines, bridges, pipe racks, machinery, gas turbines, electrical equipment, restoration projects and many more.
Why choose laser services from Maviro?
Maviro is one of the few specialty service companies offering laser services to the industrial market, and it is currently one of the only ones offering mobile laser surfaces across North America. Bringing its laser technology to its clients means the company can offer them a wider variety of options for surface cleaning and restoration.
Old methods of industrial cleaning are still widely used. However, the laser services provided by Maviro have many advantages over other technologies. Some of the key ways in which its laser services stand out include:
• The high quality of the finish its laser service leaves behind, making it perfect for inspection and NDT testing.
• Unit is easy to move and configure and can be taken apart for more remote setup.
• Greatly reduces disposal and clean up costs, as the vacuum system contains and captures all contaminants.
• Safe and quiet, the technology minimizes the effect on others working in the area and removes interference issues.
• Cleans surfaces without toxic chemicals or abrasive materials.
• Ideal for sensitive environments such as areas where sandblasting or chemical cleaning can cause environmental damage or potential damage to other sensitive equipment, such as electrical or mechanical equipment.
Bringing new technology to the marketplace
The Maviro team prides itself on its willingness to bring new and innovative ideas to the marketplace. The company’s end goal is to provide solutions that fit its customers’ needs, including alternatives that aren’t offered anywhere else. Its laser services are one of Maviro’s specialty service lines that seek to elevate customer experiences by providing solutions that its competitors do not.
Maviro has always placed an emphasis on safety, shutdown schedule speed and quality, and its laser services hit all three of those points. By providing a solution that allows other work to be completed simultaneously and in the same area, its laser services offer significant time savings over alternatives that prevent work from being completed at the same time.
Laser technology and your company
As an innovator in its industry, Maviro continually explores new ways it can enhance industrial operations for its customers. The company is excited for the future of laser technology, and it is testing new ways in which it can be utilized. For customers interested in discovering how its technology could work for their application, Maviro offers standard testing to demonstrate the ways its laser services can help them.
For more information, visit www.maviro.com or call (833) 462-8476.