The MontiPower method
Four steps from corroded steel to a certified, coated surface — without sandblasting, protective enclosures, or abrasive disposal.
How it works
MontiPower Method
Surface preparation is the most cost-sensitive and quality-critical step of any industrial coatings project. MontiPower tools simplify this process, achieving the two outcomes critical to coating success (surface cleanliness and anchor profile) in a single pass, without the logistical and environmental complexity of abrasive blasting. The theory behind each step—profiles, salts, standards—is found in the MontiPower Academy. Where does it apply? Browse the industries we serve or start with the Belt Selector. The full theory is found in the grit-free surface preparation guide on montipower.com.
Identify surface condition
Evaluate before you prepare.
The quality of surface preparation begins with a correct diagnosis. The condition of the substrate, the degree of corrosion, the adhesion of the old coating, the thickness of mill scale, and the type of contamination determine which MontiPower tool is suitable and what result can be achieved.
Visual rust grades according to ISO 8501-1 (A, B, C, D) are an international standard for assessing the initial condition of a surface. MontiPower tools are effective from grade B (light rust) to grade D (severe pitting), achieving cleanliness comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3 at all grades in a single preparation pass.
Visual standard ISO 8501-1: from rust grade A (mill scale) to D (heavy pitting)
Remove rust and contamination
Comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3. Independently verified.
The Bristle Blaster or MBX removes corrosion, mill scale and compromised coatings in one continuous pass. Patented wire tips strike the surface at high speed, shattering and removing corrosion products, mill scale and loosely adhering coatings, exposing bright, clean metal.
The resulting surface cleanliness, comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3 (BB 11 mm band, Rustgrade D), has been confirmed by independent third-party laboratory tests. The same test reports used to qualify blasting contractors can be used to qualify MontiPower surface preparation.
Independently laboratory-tested — ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ test reports available upon request
Create an anchor profile
Angular profile 65–85 µm Rz. In the same pass.
This is the step that makes MontiPower unique. Conventional preparation with angle grinder discs and needle guns cleans the surface, but creates a flat or peened profile—not sufficient for zinc primers and thick film systems. Verify the profile on-site using an ISO 8503 surface comparator, replica tape (ASTM D4417 Method C), or a digital depth gauge reading Rz, Rp, and Rv.
MontiPower’s wire tips are precision shaped to peen the steel surface upon impact, creating an angular, jagged anchor profile in the same pass as the cleaning. The result—65–85 µm Rz—is verified by profilometry and meets virtually any industrial coating specification for surface profile.
Verified with a profilometer: angular anchor profile 65–85 µm Rz
Apply the coating without delay
No abrasive removal. No bodywork disassembly. Start painting.
Because there is no abrasive to collect, contaminated dust to neutralize, or protective scaffolding to dismantle, coating application follows directly after preparation. This eliminates a window during which freshly prepared steel can develop flash rust—a key consideration in marine, offshore, and humid environments, where the time between preparation and coating is tightly controlled.
The lack of embedded abrasive in the anchor profile also removes a hidden source of long-term coating failures: abrasive particles that corrode under the coating and cause premature delamination.
Lack of abrasive embedment in the coating profile = better long-term coating adhesion
Patented geometry
Why wire ends are superior to conventional preparation
The efficiency of MontiPower tools stems from the precise geometry of the wire tips. Unlike standard wire brushing, which polishes the surface and creates a rounded, low-profile result, MontiPower wire tips are designed to strike the steel at a specific angle and speed.
Upon impact, the wire tip deflects, stores elastic energy, and releases it as a percussive blow to the surface. The cumulative effect of thousands of strikes per second creates both cleanliness and an angular profile. This is essentially localized mechanical crushing, which is why MontiPower achieves results that other wire tools cannot.
Independent proof you'll present to anyone responsible for the specification
ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ Test Report
Independent third-party laboratory tests confirm that Bristle Blaster and MBX tools achieve surface cleanliness comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3 (BB 11mm belt, Rustgrade D)—a grade required by most coating specifications. Download the test report.
Download the research report →Surface Profile Certificate
Profilometry test results confirming an angular anchor profile of 65–85 µm Rz. Compliant with major coating specifications for zinc primers and thick-film epoxy systems.
Download profile certificate →ATEX Certificate II 2G/2D Zones 1 and 21
MontiPower pneumatic tools are fully ATEX certified for use in explosive atmospheres, on offshore platforms, in refineries, LNG installations and chemical plants.
Download ATEX certificate →No abrasives - no disposal
MontiPower tools do not use abrasives. No abrasive purchasing, no disposal of lead-contaminated abrasives, no silica dust exposure, no containment required. Simplified EHS compliance.
See safety data sheets →Comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3. Without sandblasting.
Comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3
Independent ISO 8501-1 tests confirm surface cleanliness comparable to sandblasting — without abrasives, protective enclosures, or dust removal.
ATEX Zone 1 and 21 certificate
Pneumatic tools are ATEX II 2G/2D certified — safe in explosive atmospheres offshore, in refineries and petrochemical plants.
Anchor pattern 65–85 µm
The patented geometry of the wire ends creates the angled profile required by coating specifications—suitable for zinc primers and HBE systems.
Without abrasive, without protective housing
It eliminates the purchase of abrasive, its disposal, dust collection, and protective scaffolding. It reduces mobilization costs by up to 60%.
Works everywhere
Battery, electric, and pneumatic versions enable surface preparation comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3 in remote locations, at height, in confined spaces, or on active installations.
Over 30 years of proven solutions
Three decades of experience in the oil and gas, offshore, infrastructure, and mining industries in over 50 countries.
See the method in real steel
Book an on-site demonstration
The best way to understand MontiPower's performance is to see it on your own substrate, with your coating specification in hand. Our technical team will come to your facility, prepare a test panel, and show you a result comparable to ISO 8501-1 Sa2 ½ and Sa3 alongside your current preparation method.