Wet Abrasive Blasting

Wet blasting, also known as wet abrasive blasting, vapor blasting, dustless blasting, slurry blasting, and liquid honing. It has grown a lot in popularity recently and become the first choice to obtain perfect finishing results.

Wet Blasting is an industrial process in which pressurized wet slurry is applied to a surface for various cleaning or finishing effects. There is a specially designed, high-volume pump that mixes abrasive media with water. This slurry mixture is then sent to a nozzle (or nozzles) where regulated compressed air is used to adjust the pressure of the slurry as it blasts the surface. The liquid abrasive effect can be precision engineered to produce desired surface profiles and textures. The key to wet blasting is the finish it produces through the flow of water-borne abrasive, giving a finer finish due to the flushing action of the water. The process does not allow for media to be impregnated into the component surface, nor is there any dust created by the break-up of media.

What is the Application of Wet Blasting?

Wet blasting is widely used in industrial applications, such as surface cleaning, degreasing, deburring, and descaling, as well as the removal of paint, chemicals, and oxidation. Wet blasting is perfect for high-precision composite etching for bonding. The Wet Tech Process is a sustainable, repeatable method for precision parts finishing, surface profiling, polishing, and texturing of metals and other substrates.

What does Wet Blasting Involve?

• Water Injection Nozzles – where the abrasive is moistened before it leaves the blast nozzle.

• Halo Nozzles – where the abrasive is dampened with a mist as it has left the blast nozzle.

• Wet Blast Rooms – where the used abrasive and water are reclaimed, pumped, and recycled.

• Modified Blast Pots – where the water and abrasive are both stored under either water or air pressure.

What Types of Wet Blast Systems Are Available?

There are three main types of wet blast systems available in the market: Manual Systems, Automated Systems, and Robotic Systems.

Manual Systems are typically cabinets with glove ports that allow the operator to position or turn the part or product being blasted.

Automated Systems allow parts or products to be moved through the system mechanically; on a rotary indexer, conveyor belt, spindle, turntable, or tumble barrel. They may be seamlessly integrated into a factory system, or loaded and unloaded manually.

Robotic Systems are programmable surface finishing systems that allow the operator to repeat complex processes with maximum precision and minimal labor.