Pros and Cons of Dry Blasting

Dry blasting is similar to wet blasting. It can also be used to do surface cleaning and surface preparation before painting or coating. The difference is dry blasting does not need to use water or other liquid when starting the process. Dry blasting only needs air to go through the nozzle. Just like wet blasting, dry blasting also has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

1.     Work efficiency

Dry blasting is a very efficient way of cleaning off old coatings, mill scale, corrosion, and other contaminants from metal surfaces. Dry blasting is processed under high pressure which can easily remove things on the metals.

2.     Cost-effective

Since dry blasting does not require additional equipment like wet blasting, it does not need additional cost besides basic blasting equipment.

3.     Versatility

Dry blasting does not need lots of equipment and preparation; it can be processed in a wider range of locations. And if you are worried about abrasive particles and dust, you can use a temporary blast building to keep them in an enclosed environment.

Disadvantages:

1.     Health Hazard

One of the concerns that people care about the most is abrasive dust released from dry abrasives is harmful to workers. Abrasive media can contain chemicals and other hazardous materials that bring serious health problems to people. When abrasive particles emission into the air, they even can cause harm to the adjacent working parties. It is also harmful to the environment and can cause damage to surrounding plants that are sensitive. Therefore, dry blasters are required to put on respiratory protective equipment while the dry blasting process. And they need to operate in a closed environment so the abrasive particles will not spread into the air.

2.     Possible Explosion

During the dry abrasive blasting process, there is a chance of explosion. This is because it can create friction between surfaces and the abrasive. Once the hot sparks are uncontrollable, they can cause an explosion or fire in a flammable environment.

Even though dry blasting is a fundamental form of surface preparation and cleaning in the industry, it also has advantages and disadvantages people need to consider. It is choosing the correct method various on your job requirements.