What tools can be mounted on the MagTrack carrier?

The MagTrack carrier can be fitted with a wide range of modular tools, including blast cans for closed waterblasting, curved blast cans for contoured surfaces, swing arms for open waterblasting and sandblasting, and a ReCycleBlaster for vacuum abrasive blasting. Because the system is built around a universal carrier, swapping between tools is straightforward, and the right choice depends on the surface type, application, and whether containment of debris is required. The sections below answer the most common questions maintenance engineers and field technicians ask about MagTrack tooling.

What types of cleaning tools are compatible with the MagTrack?

The MagTrack carrier is compatible with five main modular tool types: the standard Blast Can, the Curved Blast Can, the (Tilt) Swing Arm, the Sandblaster (Tilt) Swing Arm, and the ReCycleBlaster. Each tool is purpose-built for a specific cleaning or surface preparation task, and all waterjet tools operate at high-pressure water up to 3,000 bar “43,511 PSI”. Together they cover the full spectrum of industrial cleaning and surface preparation needs.

Blast Can (Vacuum Dome)

The standard Blast Can is a vacuum dome mounted in front of the four-wheel carrier. It is designed for closed waterblasting, meaning both water and debris are collected by a connected vacuum unit without any leakage. This makes it the go-to tool when the job demands an absolutely clean and dry surface after treatment, such as the interior cleaning of oil storage tanks or the removal of old paint from ship hulls.

Curved Blast Can

The Curved Blast Can performs the same closed waterblasting function as the standard version but is engineered to handle both flat and highly curved surfaces with a radius of up to 3 metres “roughly 10 feet”. This makes it particularly well suited to smaller storage tanks up to 6 metres “approximately 20 feet” in diameter and to the curved hull sections of vessels, where a flat blast can would lose contact and vacuum seal integrity.

(Tilt) Swing Arm

The Swing Arm is used for open waterblasting, cleaning, or sandblasting in situations where debris containment is not required. The distance between the cleaning head and the surface can be adjusted using an actuator while the carrier is in motion, making it particularly effective for cleaning wind girders on oil storage tanks and similar open structural elements.

Sandblaster (Tilt) Swing Arm

The Sandblaster Swing Arm is configured specifically for open abrasive blasting. It can operate with one, two, or three abrasive nozzles depending on the required production rate, and the height, angle, and pitch are all adjustable to achieve a perfect overlap pattern. Because there is no containment, the blasted surface is completely dry immediately after treatment and ready for painting or coating without additional drying time.

ReCycleBlaster

The ReCycleBlaster enables closed-circuit abrasive blasting, also known as vacuum blasting. It is the right choice when a specific surface roughness profile must be achieved while preventing harmful airborne particles from being released into the atmosphere. The abrasive is recycled through the system, which reduces material consumption and lowers the environmental footprint of the operation, making it a cost-effective and compliant solution for sensitive environments.

How does the MagTrack carrier secure and switch between tools?

The MagTrack is built around a universal carrier platform, which means each modular tool is designed to connect to the same standardised mounting interface. Switching between tools does not require specialist equipment on site. The modular design philosophy means a maintenance team can transport multiple tool heads to a job and select the appropriate one based on the task at hand, reducing the need to bring multiple dedicated machines.

The carrier itself is electrically driven and uses strong permanent magnets to adhere to steel surfaces, so the attachment of a new tool head does not affect how the crawler grips the surface. Once a tool is mounted, the operator controls the system remotely, including any height or angle adjustments that the specific tool supports. For tools like the Swing Arm, fine-tuning of the cleaning head distance from the surface can be carried out dynamically while the carrier is moving, which is a significant operational advantage in complex structures.

The MagTrack Mini, the compact two-wheel-drive variant of the system, differs slightly in that its blast can is fixed rather than interchangeable. However, its 2025 redesign introduced an improved drivetrain, a new blast can with a better vacuum seal, and reduced drag from the seal on the surface, making it easier to drive and delivering a consistently dry result with minimal vacuum pressure.

Which surfaces and applications determine tool selection?

The surface geometry and the required end condition of the substrate are the two primary factors that determine which MagTrack tool to select. Flat steel surfaces are compatible with the full range of tools, while curved surfaces require either the Curved Blast Can or a swing arm configuration. The need to collect and contain water and debris points towards a closed system, while open environments where debris can fall freely allow for the use of open swing arm tools.

• Oil storage tank interiors: The standard Blast Can or ReCycleBlaster is preferred because containment of water, scale, and coating residue is critical inside enclosed tanks.
• Ship hulls and curved structures: The Curved Blast Can handles radii up to 3 metres “roughly 10 feet”, making it the correct choice for hull cleaning and preparation on vessels.
• Wind girders and open structural steelwork: The (Tilt) Swing Arm provides the reach and adjustability needed for these irregular, open structures without requiring a sealed vacuum dome.
• Surface preparation before coating: When a specific roughness profile is needed and airborne particle control is required, the ReCycleBlaster is the appropriate tool. When dryness and immediate coatability are the priority without containment requirements, the Sandblaster Swing Arm is the faster option.
• Cargo hold cleaning: The modular waterjet tools, particularly the blast can variants, are well suited to the large flat and slightly curved steel surfaces found in cargo holds.
• Offshore and confined spaces: The MagTrack Mini’s compact footprint makes it the preferred choice for narrow or restricted-access areas, including offshore oil rigs.

In every case, safety considerations also influence tool selection. Operations involving high-pressure water jetting at pressures ranging from 500 to 3,000 bar “7,252 to 43,511 PSI” must follow guidelines set by recognised safety bodies including SIR (Netherlands), EWJI (Europe), WJA (UK), WJTA (USA), and DIRV (Germany). The closed-system tools, such as the Blast Can and ReCycleBlaster, inherently reduce operator exposure to high-pressure jets and airborne contaminants, which is a meaningful safety advantage in regulated environments.

What pressure and flow ratings do MagTrack-mounted tools support?

All waterjet tools mounted on the MagTrack carrier are rated for high-pressure water up to 3,000 bar “43,511 PSI”. This covers the full operational range from lower-pressure washing tasks starting around 500 bar “7,252 PSI” through to the most demanding surface preparation and coating removal work at the upper limit. The MagTrack Mini’s blast can is specifically rated at a maximum of 3,000 bar “43,511 PSI” at 25 litres per minute, with a cleaning path of 180 mm “approximately 7 inches” and a rotating manifold fitted with eight jet inserts.

These ratings mean that MagTrack-mounted tools are suitable for the most demanding industrial cleaning and surface preparation applications, including the removal of heavy scale, old coatings, and corrosion from structural steel. The ability to operate across the full range from 500 to 3,000 bar “7,252 to 43,511 PSI” gives operators and maintenance engineers the flexibility to match the water pressure to the material being treated, protecting the substrate while achieving the required surface condition.

For abrasive blasting tools such as the Sandblaster Swing Arm and ReCycleBlaster, the performance parameters are governed by the number of abrasive nozzles in use and the abrasive media flow rate rather than water pressure alone. The Sandblaster Swing Arm can operate with one, two, or three nozzles, allowing the production rate to be scaled to the size of the job.

Can third-party tools be mounted on the MagTrack carrier?

The MagTrack system is designed as a modular platform built around a universal carrier, and DERC Salotech’s engineering team specialises in custom-made designs for automation, robotics, and high-pressure water jetting solutions. This means the carrier can, in principle, be adapted to support application-specific tooling beyond the standard product range. However, any third-party or custom tool integration should be discussed directly with the engineering team to confirm mechanical compatibility, safety compliance, and pressure ratings.

The universal carrier concept is not simply a marketing description. It reflects a genuine design philosophy where the carrier functions as a platform and the tools are interchangeable modules. This approach was developed specifically to reduce the number of machines a team needs on site and to allow a single investment in the carrier to serve multiple applications over its working life. Whether a specific third-party attachment can be integrated depends on the mounting interface dimensions, the weight and balance of the tool, and whether the tool’s operating requirements fall within the carrier’s electrical and structural specifications.

For inspection applications, the carrier can also be fitted with inspection equipment, which represents another category of non-cleaning tooling that the platform supports. This further demonstrates the flexibility of the MagTrack carrier as a multi-purpose robotic platform rather than a single-application machine.

How DERC Salotech helps you get the most from MagTrack tooling

Choosing the right tool for your MagTrack carrier is not always straightforward, especially when you are working across multiple surface types, regulatory environments, and production rate requirements. That is where we come in. At DERC Salotech, we back every MagTrack system with more than 40 years of engineering experience in high-pressure water jetting and robotic industrial cleaning.

• Modular tool selection guidance: We help you identify the right combination of tools for your specific applications, whether that is closed waterblasting with a Blast Can, open abrasive blasting with a Swing Arm, or vacuum blasting with the ReCycleBlaster.
• Custom engineering support: Our experienced team can develop application-specific solutions where standard tools do not fully meet your requirements.
• Safety compliance: We design our systems in alignment with the guidelines of SIR, EWJI, WJA, WJTA, and DIRV, supporting your obligations under applicable safety frameworks.
• Training and certification: Through our subsidiary DERC Adviesgroep, we offer certified training courses to ensure your operators can work safely and effectively with MagTrack systems.
• Global availability: With a presence in over 55 countries, we can support your operations wherever they are located.

If you want to explore the full range of MagTrack modular tools or discuss a specific application with our team, we are ready to help. Get in touch with us and let us find the right configuration for your operation.