Steel Grit Blasting Basics

By
PHILIP WASER
From
Ervin Industries
 Project Types
• New Construction /
Structures

• Existing Structures
 Equipment Requirements
• Automated Wheel
Blast Cleaning
 Equipment Requirements
• Manual Air Blast

• Recovery Systems

• Containment Systems
 Project / Environmental
Criteria
• Cleanliness and Profile Requirements
• Type of Material to be Cleaned
• Material Surface Conditions / Existing
Coatings
• Coating Specifications
• Indoor vs. Outdoor Blast Cleaning
• Abrasive Recovery Systems Available
• Disposal Requirements
 Abrasive Types
• Copper Slag
• Black Beauty
• Sand
• Garnet
• Aluminum Oxide
• Water
• Steel Abrasives
• Etc.
 Goal
Three R’s
• Repeatable

• Recyclable

• Reduce Waste
 Cast Steel Abrasive
• Cast Steel Shot

• Cast Steel Grit

 Cast Steel Abrasives
• Engineered and Manufactured to SAE
Specifications
• Multiple Manufacturers
• Abundant Supply
Manufacturing Process
 Three R’s
• Repeatable

• Recyclable

• Reduce Waste
 Size Spec - Who Cares
• Penalties of Wrong Size
-Profile
-Cleaning Speed
-Coating Required
-Coating Adhesion

Cost / Coating Failure

 Chemistry - Who Cares
• Penalties of Wrong Chemistry
-Abrasive Life
-Profile
-Particle Shape

Cost / Coating Failure

 Hardness Range - Who Cares
• Penalties of Wrong Hardness
- Cutting / Cleaning Speed
- Profile
- Abrasive Life

Cost / Coating Failure

Abrasive Failure Develops a
Work Mix
•Fracture

•Flaking
 Fracture Failure

Repeated impact causes fractures; half-sized shot is

rounded by continuing impact.
Flaking Failure
Controlling the
Work Mix
Case History: The Problem
Cleaning Time: 2X Normal
Consumption: 2X Normal
Paint: 3X Normal
Initial Screen Analysis
G-40
Discard Screen Analysis
G-40
The Cause of the Problem
The Correction
G-40
Multi-Wheel Blast Cabinet
Angle/Distance of Blast
Angle/Distance of Blast
Blast Angle’s Effect on Profile
 Waste Reduction
• ISO 14000
• Goal of Reducing Waste Stream
• Reduce Cost – Average of $100 for
Hazardous Waste Disposal
• Lead Abatement Control
 Variables & Economics
• Variables
– Working Conditions
– Operator Performance
– Equipment Performance

• Steel Grit Economics

– SP-3 White Paper
 Three R’s
• Repeatability

• Recyclability

• Reduce Waste
Questions ?