STI-3030 Gives Parking Lot a Face Lift – Africa
When Silas Katonyera of Tamukat Ltd. purchased his Prep/Master® 3030, he intended to enter the growing industry of concrete polishing. Though he knew he could grind concrete with his Prep/Master®, polishing was his ultimate goal for the machine.
When the opportunity to do a basic grind of 40,000 SF (4,000 M2) to a parking lot arose, he was happy to get the chance to use his machine for this basic process rather than only reserve it for polishing. Though the history and success of STI was built on surface preparation, people still think that STI machines are designed to polish rather than aggressively prep concrete.
Profiling the Surface
In this instance, the parking lot was very rough from weather effects and placement.
To satisfy requirements of the epoxy floor system specified, the concrete needed a good flattening and cleaning that only diamond grinding can achieve. Using his 3030 Prep/Master®, Mr. Katonyera removed the top 1-4 mm of the concrete and left a smooth, profiled surface to which the epoxy will bond. As the pictures indicate, the top surface was rough and dirty but the Prep/Master® 3030 ground right through it all.
Worthy of noting is that the project was completed with only one set of STI’s EG 30 grit 10 Segment diamonds. This is incredible life for such a demanding project, but using the MC600 dust collector helped to take away the debris and conserve the diamond tool life. Also, proper use of the machine, contributed to the tool’s life and the subsequent job completion in 3 days!
The industry sometimes asks for cheaper tools and processes, but this project is a testament to why you buy STI products: Production and Reliability!
