The consumer devices we use daily may be shrinking in size, but they are certainly 
not shrinking in benefits. In fact, these devices – from lifestyle wearables to 
medical devices – have become more technologically advanced, jam-packed with features 
and less invasive and disruptive.

Their manufacturing however does come with some challenges. The smaller and more 
technologically advanced the product, the more complex and intricate its manufacturing 
process could be. Products such as these may be made from complex moulding and 
tooling that comprise of miniaturized surface geometries with various finishings.
During production, one of the problems mould and tooling manufacturers often face 
is surface contamination. Contamination can occur throughout the fabrication process  
– such as plating, painting, coating, etc. – and periodic cleaning and maintenance 
is required to ensure a final product that is free from residual surface impurities.

Dry ice blasting is an excellent cleaning technology for removing residual process 
contaminants from composite moulding and tooling including mixing equipment, resin 
transfer moulding, post-processing equipment among many others. The process utilises 
dry ice at supersonic speeds that sublimate upon surfaces, effectively lifting 
contaminants in the process.

Dry ice cleaning reduces production downtime and is environmentally responsible 
because of the lack of chemicals and waste streams incurred during cleaning. It 
is also highly efficient with no cooldown and disassembly required. Manual cleaning 
is also done away with, improving workers’ safety and cleaning efficiency. It is 
also gentle and non-abrasive and will not affect the parts’ geometry and dimensions.