sandblasting portable equipment is commonly used for removing rust, smoothing rough surfaces, descaling and cleaning pipes or tanks. A blasting machine consists of an air compressor or power source, an abrasive metering valve, blast pot and blast nozzle.
Smaller units can be handheld while larger industrial models may be mounted onto trailers or vehicles which can be driven from one worksite to the next.
Wet Blasting
As its name implies, wet blasting uses water as an abrasive medium for cleaning or stripping components. It can be utilized both indoors and outdoors with various sizes and types of blast equipment ranging from handheld units to large industrial machines; while using water helps minimize airborne dust which poses health risks and may cause silicosis.
A typical wet blast machine is a closed loop system consisting of a blast cabinet and waste treatment system, where an operator uses remote controls to switch on and off blasts as necessary. Some models feature turntables for easier manipulation within the cabinet while for heavier components external roller tracks with rails can help load and unload components more quickly.
After using up all the abrasive, the system operates to drain back the slurry into the machine sump for recycling, which contains broken-down media and water which helps avoid any contamination of the environment or surrounding areas while increasing efficiency of blast process.
Utilizing a wet blasting system provides numerous advantages, such as;
Addition of water can reduce media consumption, which typically depends on the size of a blast nozzle, saving both money and helping operators achieve the required surface finish. Furthermore, adding water can prevent warping on thin parts due to heat warping as well as providing greater accuracy where tolerances are close.
Water can help to delay flash rusting of metallic surfaces by adding moisture, although rust inhibitors should still be used after blasting and the surface should be quickly air dried afterwards to avoid corrosion. It can also create an attractive satin finish on metal substrates which makes them suitable for bonding and coating applications – especially beneficial in marine and aviation settings, manufacturing industries that rely heavily on smooth surfaces, or those needing smooth and shiny surfaces for quality products production.
Dry Blasting
Dry blasting differs from wet blasting by not employing water as part of its process. Instead, this technique employs high-pressure air to propel various abrasives onto surface coatings in order to remove them – which makes this technique perfect for stripping paint, heavy rust and other stubborn contaminants from various surfaces.
Dry blasting typically requires an air compressor to generate high-pressure compressed air that is then fed into a blast pot by an air distribution manifold (ADM). Once in place, an ADM helps ensure that blasting air is evenly distributed among each blast pot used; then an abrasive can be fed into the pot through valves before being released through a blast nozzle and directed onto the workpiece.
A blaster must wear protective clothing and a blast helmet as their work can be quite hazardous and requires expertise to operate successfully. They may also opt to add another blast gun which connects directly with a separate pot allowing them to operate two separate blast systems at once.
This type of blasting is often employed for de-rusting and cleaning steel structures such as oil tankers and other metal equipment, while it cannot be used effectively on glass or ceramic materials as its use incorrectly may damage them irreparably.
Dry blasting offers many advantages over wet blasting, including its ability to achieve a much higher cleaning rate and reduced cleanup times. Furthermore, it’s versatile in that it can be used on surfaces including metal, concrete and wood.
Additional advantages of microblasting include its ability to clean materials that cannot be wetted, such as electronics and semiconductor wafers. Furthermore, it can also be used effectively at restoring historical artifacts and structures as it doesn’t cause as much substrate damage than traditional abrasive media does.
Dry blast systems can also be more cost-effective than wet blasters due to no media costs; thus reducing production downtime as it’s a quicker process than wet blasting. This makes them especially helpful for businesses that require quick turnaround times for cleaning projects or those who must maintain fixed equipment that cannot be relocated easily.
Cleaning
Sandblasting is an efficient and economical method for cleaning metal surfaces of rust or paint. Using compressed air, an abrasive material is forced against metal and other surfaces using high speed compressed air hoses at high velocity – ideal for steel, brass, fiberglass and wood materials as it removes old paint while simultaneously prepping them for repainting.
Sandblasting machines utilize an air compressor to power a blast gun connected to a container of abrasive media such as sand, steel grit, walnut shells or glass beads. Once propelled from its reservoir through an air hose and onto the surface being cleaned, this abrasive disintegrates any contaminants and prepares it for refinishing.
Most commercial sandblasting machines are portable, making them easily transported from jobsite to jobsite. They may be mounted on carts, trucks or vehicles for transportation and stored away between work projects in sheds or garage. Some models also include multiple blast guns with control consoles to enable their operators to alter the amount of pressure or flow for each blast gun if required.
Sandblasting, also referred to as bead blasting, grit blasting or shot blasting, is a method similar to sandblasting but uses smaller abrasive particles like glass beads or walnut shells instead of large grains of sand. This technique is ideal for cleaning mineral specimens as it does not damage their surfaces and often used by auto body shops to remove paint and contaminants from vehicles.
At most machine shops and fabrication plants, sandblasting cabinets serve to perform numerous tasks such as degreasing, deburring, surface preparation and die/mold/tool cleaning. Sandblasting processes may also be automated or robotically operated to increase efficiency and quality; additionally, this method requires less labor-intensive processes like grinding wheels, rotary files or abrasive flap wheels as it produces less dust than these other tools.
Safety
Although sandblasting equipment can be utilized in numerous settings, it’s crucial that users are mindful of potential safety concerns that might arise while operating it. Sandblasting creates dust and other potentially harmful materials which could pose health and environmental threats; to limit potential hazards from occurring follow best practices and wear appropriate PPE. Other considerations should include providing sufficient ventilation when working in tight spaces as well as monitoring atmospheric conditions in order to stay safe.
One of the primary safety hazards stemming from airborne abrasives is respiratory irritation, and while personal protective equipment (PPE) can help limit exposure, workers must receive proper training on its use and maintenance in order to mitigate this hazard effectively. Training must include instruction on using appropriate respirators devices as well as handling hazardous materials safely and responsibly.
Hearing loss caused by exposure to high levels of noise produced during sandblasting is another serious hazard, although noise reduction features are available on portable equipment for sandblasting applications. To combat this risk, work areas must be well ventilated, and operators should wear appropriate hearing protection.
An additional major risk posed by certain abrasives lies with their use. According to the Alert, crystalline silica exposure poses a high risk for silicosis, thus prompting employers to prohibit using any products containing more than 1% crystalline silica as blasting material, replacing it with less dangerous materials instead. Furthermore, air monitoring should be conducted regularly in order to identify exposure levels among workers.
At the core of any sandblasting portable equipment is the potential risk posed by exposure to harmful gases. Unfortunately, these are often colorless and odorless making detection challenging – this is particularly dangerous in confined spaces. To minimize such hazards, blasters should be checked prior to entry into any enclosed spaces for any flammable or toxic gasses and the air blasted through an exhaust vent system so as to displace any dangerous vapors.