Grit Blasting, Abrasive Blasting, Shot Blasting, Sand Blasting, they are all terms we hear every day in the surface preparation and coating, lining and painting world. Here we dig a little deeper in to what some of the other terms we come across actually mean.
- Abrasive Blasting – This is a ‘catch all’ term that encompasses differing generic types of blasting such as grit blasting, shot blasting, sand blasting, bead blasting and wet blasting but can be summarised as the process of forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material under high pressure against a surface to clean or modify its surface properties. The abrasive material is contained either in a stream of compressed air (dry blasting) or water (wet blasting).
- Anchor Profile (Blast Profile or Surface Profile) – A physical measurement of the blast cleaned surface from the lowest valley to the top of the highest peak (measured in microns).
- Bead Blasting – The use of glass or plastic spherical beads as the blast media.
- Blast Hose – A durable hose usually manufactured from SBR (styrene-butadiene or styrene-butadiene rubber) offering excellent abrasion resistance.
- Blast Media – The abrasive selected to be most suitable for the application.
- Blast Nozzle – An attachment that is fitted to the end of a blast hose from which the blast media exits under high pressure due to the venturi design, usually manufactured from tungsten carbide for added durability.
- Blast Pot – An externally pressurised, purpose designed and built container, filled with the selected blast media and used to allow an adjustable amount of blasting media into the blast hose.
- Blast Pressure – The pressure at which the blast media exits the blast nozzle.
Blast Profile (Anchor Profile or Surface Profile) – A physical measurement of the blast cleaned surface from the lowest valley to the top of the highest peak (measured in microns). - Deadman Handle – An attachment fitted to a blast hose / blast nozzle that acts as a safety device should the blast operative become incapacitated.
- Dry Blasting – A method of blasting where the blast media is propelled in a stream of compressed air.
- Grit Blasting – The operation of propelling a stream of angular abrasive under high pressure against a surface to clean or modify its surface properties.
- Ice Blasting – the use of dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) as the blasting media.
- Sand Blasting – An often misused term describing grit blasting.
- Shot Blasting – A widely used misrepresentation of grit blasting whereas shot blasting involves the use of small, smooth spherical blast media.
- Surface Finish – Often referred to as cleanliness and described in detail here.
- Surface Profile (Anchor Profile or Surface Profile) – A physical measurement of the blast cleaned surface from the lowest valley to the top of the highest peak (measured in microns).
- Vacu Blasting – As other blast methods but with an added suction hose encapsulating the blast nozzle to help minimise the egress of blast media.
- Wet Blasting – As dry blasting but with the addition of water either added to the compressed air and blast media within the blast hose or as an external fitting to wet the blast media on exiting the blast nozzle.
- Whip End – A smaller diameter blast hose to facilitate bending the hose into hard to get areas.
Blasting is often a key stage in a project, be it for NDT or subsequent coating, lining or painting. Call us on 01274 721188 to find out how we can assist or request a quote online be clicking here.
