Do you know sandblasting? 

Brief introduction of sandblasting 

Sandblasting also known as abrasive blasting, is the act of propelling very fine particles of an abrasive material at high velocity toward a surface in order to clean or etch it. It is a surface finishing process that involves the use of a powered machine (air compressor) as well as a sandblasting machine  to spray abrasive particles under high pressure against a surface. It’s called “sandblasting” because it blasts the surface with particles of sand. When the sand particles strike the surface, they create a smoother and more even texture.

Application of Sandblasting

Sandblasting is one of the most efficient ways to clean and prepare surfaces. Woodworkers, machinists, auto mechanics, and more can all use sandblasting in their work, especially when they fully understand the many ways that sandblasting can be used.

1. Remove Rust and Corrosion: The most common use of media and sand blasting is to remove rust and corrosion. Sandblasters can be used to remove paint, rust, and other surface pollutants from cars, houses, machinery, and almost any other surface.

2. Surface Pretreatment: Sandblasting and media blasting is a great way to get a surface ready for paint or coating. In the automotive world it is the preferred method to media blast a chassis before powder coating it. The more aggressive media like aluminum oxide leaves a profile in the surface that actually helps the powder coat adhere better. This is why most powder coaters prefer items to be media blasted before coating.

3. Refurbishment of old parts: refurbishment and cleaning of all moving parts such as automobiles, motorcycles, electromechanical equipment, etc., colleagues eliminate fatigue stress and extend service life.

4. Create Custom Textures and Artwork: For some special-purpose work pieces, sandblasting can achieve different reflections or matt. Such as the polishing of stainless steel work pieces and plastics, the polishing of jade, the matting of the surface of wooden furniture, the pattern on the surface of frosted glass, and the texturing of the surface of cloth, etc. 

5. Smoothing rough Casting and edges:  Sometimes media blasting can actually smooth or semi-polish a surface that is a little rough. If you have a rough casting with sharp or irregular edges you can use a media blaster with crushed glass to smooth a surface or soften an a sharp edge.

How Sandblasting Is Performed

A sandblasting setup usually consists of three main components:

· Sandblasting machine

· Abrasives

· Blast nozzle

Sandblasting machine using compressed air as power to form high-speed jet beams to spray materials (shot blasting glass beads, black corundum, white corundum, alumina, quartz sand, emery, iron sand, copper ore, sea Sand) is sprayed on the surface of the work piece to be processed at high speed, which changes the mechanical properties of the outer surface of the working surface. Due to the impact and cutting action of the abrasive on the surface of the work piece, the surface of the work piece obtains a certain degree of cleanliness and different roughness. The mechanical properties of the surface of the work piece are improved.

Despite the name, sand isn’t the only material that can be used in the “sandblasting” process. Different abrasives can be used depending on the material they are being used on. These abrasives can include:

· Steel grit

· Coal slag

· Dry ice

· Walnut and coconut shells

· Crushed glass

Proper safety gear should be used during the sand blasting process. The abrasive particles can irritate the eyes and skin, and if inhaled, can cause silicosis. Anyone performing sandblasting should always wear proper safety equipment.

Besides, blast nozzle is also a significant component. There are mainly two types of blast nozzles: straight bore and venture type. For blast nozzle selection, you may refer to our another article of “Four steps tell you how to select suitable blast nozzles”.