For starters, shot blasting is a method of stripping or cleaning a surface by directing high-speed particles or steam at it. It is different from sandblasting because no sand is used. Instead, steel beads are blasted on the surface to remove stains and other contaminants. The method is usually used to clean and repair the surfaces of steel, iron, stone, and forgings. In addition, you can use a shot blasting machine to clean wires, coils, rods, or even sheets of metals.
This cleaning method has many advantages, including:
1. Removes Corrosion
Most metals, including iron, are prone to corrosion, which can reduce their lifespans. Whether it’s rust, mill scale, or any other form of corrosion, it will eat into the metal and weaken it. If not attended to in good time, the corroded parts will attract moisture, which leads to further corrosion and further damage. The best way to protect the corroded surface is to remove the corrosion using an abrasive method like, shot blasting. This method can strip even severely corroded or rusted poles or beams so you can use them again.
2. Prepares Surfaces
Whether you want to weld or paint a metal surface, you want it to be clean. A shot-blasted surface is easy to work on and gives better results, whether you want to paint, weld, or coat with another metal. In addition, a clean surface forms stronger bonds that ensure the painting or coating can last for many years.
3. Show Surface Defects
When a metal surface is corroded or has stains, it will be difficult to see the defects. This is a big challenge if you want to repair the surface or use the piece for another purpose. On the other hand, a shot-blasted surface is clean, showing all the dents, holes, or other defects. Shot blasting can also be used to make the surface smooth. Once you identify where the dents are, you can direct your machine or any tool at those specific points to straighten them up.
4. Environmentally Friendly
Compared to other methods used to clean surfaces, shot blasting is the most environmentally friendly. This is because it doesn’t involve the use of any chemicals, like special pellets, harmful cleaning agents, or acids. Instead, you’ll just use ordinary harmless pellets to clear the surface. In addition, the machine will suction all the dust produced so they don’t find their way into the environment.
5. Fast
Surface cleaning is a tedious process that can take days or weeks to accomplish when dealing with large surfaces. This is not the case when you use a machine to do the job. The machine can reduce the cleaning time by up to 75%, meaning you’ll save time and money. And the other advantage of this is that a single machine operated by one person can do the work you’d have to hire many people to do using traditional cleaning methods.
Conclusion
With the benefits of blasting above, this is something you can think about investing in if you have never considered doing so. However, it’s worth mentioning that you need to choose the best machine that can serve you for many years but remain functional.