Sandblasting Machine’s Equipment and How does it

work?

For an effective sandblasting work, it has become mandatory to know about

sandblasting machine’s equipment and its operation processes. If you are an
owner of a company or your job profile is related to sandblasting work, you
must read this article. In this article we are going to cover almost all the
details related to sandblasting machines equipment and its work processes.
But before we describe about it let me also tell you something more about it.

Sandblasting is also called as Abrasive blasting. It is the operation of forcibly

propelling a stream of abrasive material against a surface under high pressure
to smooth a rough surface, roughen a smooth surface and shape a surface or
to remove the surface contaminants. There are several variants of its process,
such as bead blasting, sandblasting, shot blasting and soda blasting etc.

Sandblasting Machine’s Operation:

Abrasive blasting is a method of propelling abrasive using a compressed gas

or pressurized liquid as the propellant. There are numerous generic terms for
this application usually related to the abrasive media used. General terms
include sandblasting, shot blasting, bead blasting and soda blasting.

The Sand Blasting Operation Require a diversity of

Equipment:

Portable blast equipment: Dry abrasive blasting applications are powered

by a diesel air compressor. Most applications involve a pressurized vessel that
contains the abrasive and meters it into the compressed air stream. Wet
blasting is accomplished by injecting the abrasive into a pressurized water
stream or creating slurry of abrasive and water that is pressurized or
introduced into a compressed air stream.

Automated Blasting: It is an automated blasting that provides surface

preparation and coating applications under cover to minimize the effects
nature can have on prepared steel, with minimum or no impact on the
environment.

Blast cabinet: A typical blast cabinet consists of four components; the

containment, the abrasive blasting system, the abrasive recycling system and
the dust collection. Essentially it is a closed loop system by that an operator
can blast the part and also recycle the abrasive. The operator blasts the parts
from the outside of the cabinet by placing his arms in gloves attached to glove
holes on the cabinet, viewing the part through a view window and, typically,
turning the blast on and off using a foot pedal or treadle.

Types of blast systems used in a blast cabinet:

Two systems which is used in cabinet are dry and one is wet-
A Siphon blast system uses the compressed air to create a vacuum in a
chamber (also known as the blast gun). The negative pressure pulls abrasive
into the blast gun where the compressed air directs the abrasive through a
blast nozzle.
Typically these Sandblasting equipment consists of a chamber in which sand
and air both get mixed. Nozzles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and
materials. Silicon carbide and boron carbide are more wear resistant and are
for use with harder abrasives such as Aluminum oxide.

Sand blasting method or how it works?

The abrasive is stored in the pressure vessel then sealed. It is metered into the
blast hose and conveyed by the compressed gas through the blast nozzle. It is
typically used to create a surface profile when the frictional heat of dry
blasting would damage the part.

Wheel blasting: Wheel machines are a high-power, high-efficiency blasting

operation with recyclable abrasive. Specialized wheel blast machines propel
plastic abrasive in a cryogenic chamber; this type of wheel blasting is usually
used for deflating plastic and rubber components. The size of the wheel blast
machine and the number and power of the wheels depends on the parts to be
blasted and on the expected result and efficiency.

Hydro-blasting: It is commonly known as water blasting, is a common

abrasive blasting operation because it is very effective and, in most cases, will
only require one operator. In this process water is used to remove old paint,
chemicals, or buildup without damaging the previous surface. This method is
ideal for cleaning internal and external surfaces because the operator is
generally able to send the stream of water in places that previously were
deemed unreachable.

Blast room: it has three of the four components of a blast cabinet. Most blast
rooms have recycling systems ranging from manual recycling to full reclaim
floors that convey the abrasive pneumatically or mechanically to a device that
cleans the abrasive prior to recycling.

Micro-abrasive blasting: Micro-abrasive blasting uses smaller nozzles to

provide a fine stream of abrasive accurately to either a small part or a small
area on a larger part. Mostly, the area to be blasted is from about 1 mm to only
a few cm at most as abrasive blasters with larger nozzles are faster for larger
areas.

Micro-abrasive blasting uses media with particle sizes from 10 micrometers

up to about 150 micrometers and usually higher pressures than most of the
larger blasters 40 psi to 150 pounds per square inch deliver sufficient energy
to these small particles.
However, the equipment for abrasive blasting usually consists of but is not
limited to a hand-held nozzle that directs a stream of abrasive particles.
Therefore abrasive is mixed with air in a mixing chamber in order to transport
it to the nozzle where it is subject to a high-velocity air stream that propels it
towards the job.