Topic 8 : CLEANING, PAINTING, LUBRICATION AND
SURFACE PREPARATION TECHNIQUE
1. **Cleaning:**
- **High-Pressure Water Jetting:**
This is commonly used to remove marine
growth, rust, and old paint from the ship's
hull. High-pressure water is effective in
cleaning without causing damage to the
underlying surface.
- **Chemical Cleaning:** Specialized
cleaning chemicals may be used to remove
stubborn stains, contaminants, or corrosion
from various ship components.
- **Ultrasonic Cleaning:** This
technique employs ultrasonic waves in a
cleaning solution to remove dirt, grease,
and other contaminants from small
components like valves and sensors.
2. **Painting:**
- **Surface Preparation:** Before
painting, the surface must be prepared by
removing rust, old paint, and
contaminants. Techniques such as abrasive
blasting (sandblasting) and power tool
cleaning (grinding or wire brushing) are
used to achieve the desired surface
cleanliness.
- **Priming:** A primer is applied to
the prepared surface to enhance adhesion
and corrosion resistance.
- **Paint Application:** High-quality
marine paints, often epoxy-based, are
applied in multiple coats. Roller, brush, or
spray methods are used depending on the
area being painted.
3. **Lubrication:**
- **Regular Maintenance Lubrication:**
Routine lubrication is essential for various
ship components like engines, bearings,
winches, and gears to reduce friction and
wear.
- **Automatic Lubrication Systems:** Some
modern vessels employ automated
lubrication systems that deliver the right
amount of lubricant to critical components at
specified intervals.
- **Environmentally Friendly Lubricants:**
Ships often use environmentally friendly
lubricants to minimize the environmental
impact of potential oil spills.
4. **Surface Preparation:**
- **Abrasive Blasting:** This technique uses
abrasive media (e.g., sand, grit, or shot)
propelled at high speed to remove rust, scale,
and old coatings from surfaces. It creates a
clean, rough profile suitable for paint
adhesion.
- **Power Tool Cleaning:** Hand-held
power tools like grinders and wire brushes are
used to mechanically remove old coatings,
rust, and contaminants from smaller areas.
- **Chemical Surface Preparation:** Some
chemicals and treatments can be applied to
prepare surfaces, especially when abrasive
blasting is not feasible or practical.