MOVING AWAY FROM MANUAL BLASTING TO AUTOMATED WHEEL BLASTING CAN SAVE SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES AND EFFICIENCIES.
Cleaning and preparing rust-covered metal for processing can be a tedious, labor-intensive procedure. Fortunately, manufacturers have a variety of different abrasive blasting options that will save time, money, and labor on this necessary process. One of the most popular and effective options is shot-blasting. This overview looks to answer the question, “What is the shot-blasting process?”
Shot-blasting, similar to sand-blasting, cleans metal’s surface by “shooting” it with abrasive material. Before the process begins, manufacturers need to determine how aggressively they want to clean the surface. They can adjust the blast by selecting different types and sizes of abrasive material. Abrasive options include grit, shot, and cut wire made of a variety of substances such as carbon steel, stainless steel, Zinc, and ceramic. One of the most common abrasives is steel shot. Once the abrasive material is selected and loaded into the machine, attention can be turned to the metal that is being shot-blasted.
Because of the efficiency of shot-blast cleaning systems, there is very little preparation needed for the metal before shot-blasting occurs, although some recommend degreasing. The metal is loaded into one end of the machine and enters a well-sealed compartment. Using a centrifugal wheel, the shot-blasting machine shoots the abrasive material at high velocity at the metal, which loosens and dislodges unwanted material from its surface. At the same time, the machine captures the dust and debris, leaving the surface clean and ready for other processes.
The shot-blasting process is simple and highly effective and has a number of benefits, especially if the metal is going to be painted. Along with effectively cleaning metal, shot-blasting adds texture to the surface, which increases the adhesiveness of paint and increasing the paint’s coat life. If your plant needs a cost-effective, eco-friendly way to prepare metal for processing, the shot-blasting process is what you are looking for.
