Table of Contents
Introduction
Are surface imperfections affected the quality of your manufactured parts? Sandblasting provides an effective solution for restoring smoothness and precision. Parts that lack proper surface preparation may not meet quality standards, resulting in costly issues later in production.
Sandblasting is the process of cleaning, smoothing, or etching a surface by forcing fine particles, such as sand, at high speeds. It uses abrasive blasting media and is commonly used in manufacturing applications, including CNC machining, for surface finishing.
The process helps clear contaminants, rust, or uneven finishes from parts, facilitating optimal adhesion for coatings or paints. Due to its versatility, sandblasting is suitable for a variety of industrial applications.
How Do It Work?
The working principle of sandblasting is based on high pressure air or compressed air accelerating abrasive particles and spraying them through a nozzle onto the surface to be treated. Specific steps are as follows:
- Compressed air: First, use an air compressor to produce high pressure air.
- Mixing abrasives: High-pressure air enters the interior of the sandblast machine and mixes with abrasives (such as sand, glass beads, steel sand, etc.).
- Injection: The mixed high-pressure air and abrasive are sprayed through the nozzle at high speed onto the surface to be treated.
- Surface treatment: Abrasive particles sprayed at high speed impact the surface, removing impurities, rust, old coatings, etc., through physical action, while changing the roughness and texture of the surface.
Main Component
- Air compressor: Provides high pressure air.
- Sandblasting machine: Used to store abrasive and mix it with high pressure air.
- Spray gun: Used to control the direction and force of injection.
- Nozzle: Spray the mixed high pressure air and abrasive onto the surface to be treated
Types of Sandblasting Media
1. Silica Sand
Features: Low price, high hardness, strong grinding ability.
Application: Widely used to remove rust, old coating, oxide layer, etc., suitable for steel, cast iron and other metal surface treatment.
Precautions: Long-term use may produce silica dust, which is potentially harmful to health. Appropriate protective measures should be taken.
2. Glass Beads
Features: Round particle, moderate hardness, will not scratch the surface, with a certain polishing effect.
Application: It is suitable for slight rust removal, oxidation removal of metal surface, and soft surface treatment, often used in aviation, automotive and other industries.
Advantages: Does not produce sharp edges, suitable for applications requiring smooth surfaces.
3. Steel Shot
Features: High hardness, strong wear resistance, can be reused.。
Application: Mainly used for metal surface strengthening treatment, such as metal parts surface hardening, stress relief, etc.
Advantages: Can be recycled, good economy.
4. Steel Grit
Features: Sharp edges, high hardness, strong grinding ability.
Application: Suitable for removal of stubborn rust, old coatings, and surface roughing.
Advantages: High grinding efficiency, suitable for heavy industrial applications.
5. Silicon Carbide
Features: High hardness, strong grinding ability, but the price is high.
Application: Suitable for surface treatment requiring high precision and high surface quality, such as precision parts, optical lenses, etc.
Advantages: Good grinding effect, suitable for fine machining.。
6. Aluminum Oxide
Features: High hardness, strong grinding ability, good wear resistance.。
Application: Suitable for metal, wood, stone and other materials surface treatment, often used to remove rust, old coating, oxide layer and so on.
Advantages: Strong versatility, suitable for a variety of materials.
7. Walnut Shell
Features: Natural material, low hardness, will not damage the surface.。
Application: It is suitable for gentle treatment of soft metal, plastic, wood and other surfaces, and is often used for cleaning electronic components.
Advantages: Environmental protection, will not produce harmful dust.
8. Corn Cob
Features: Natural material, low hardness, with certain water absorption.
Application: It is suitable for gentle decontamination and oil removal. It is often used for cleaning electronic components and precision instruments.
Advantages: Environmental protection, good water absorption, suitable for precision cleaning.
9. Plastic Media
Features: Low hardness, will not damage the surface, with a certain degree of elasticity.
Application: Suitable for soft metal, plastic, glass and other surface gentle treatment, often used in automotive, electronics industry.
Advantages: It does not scratch the surface and is suitable for applications that need to protect the surface.
10. Stainless Steel Shot
Features: Corrosion resistance, high hardness, can be reused.
Application: Suitable for stainless steel, aluminum alloy and other metal surface treatment, often used in the need of rust and anti-corrosion occasions.
Advantages: Corrosion resistance, suitable for surface treatment of special materials.
How To Choose The Media
When choosing a sandblasting material, the following factors need to be considered:
- Surface treatment purpose：Rust, oxidation, coating, surface roughness, surface polishing, etc.
- Material type: Metal, wood, stone, plastic, etc.
- Surface quality requirements: Whether it is necessary to retain the gloss of the original surface, whether it is allowed to have minor scratches on the surface.
- Cost: The cost of different materials varies greatly and needs to be selected according to the budget.
- Environmental protection: Choose environmentally friendly abrasives to reduce the impact on the environment.
Sandblasting Applications
Sandblasting technology is used in a wide range of fields, including but not limited to：
- Metal surface treatment: Remove rust, old coating, improve the adhesion of the surface, for the subsequent coating or electroplating preparation.
- Stone surface treatment: Remove surface stains, increase surface roughness, create a specific texture effect.
- Wood surface treatment: Remove the old paint layer to restore the natural texture of the wood surface.
- Art production: Create specific decorative effects on metal, glass and other materials.
- Mold cleaning: Remove the residue on the surface of the mold to extend the service life of the mold.
Advantages And Diadvantages
Advantages
- High efficiency: Sandblasting can quickly remove surface impurities and improve work efficiency.
- Controllable: By adjusting the injection pressure and abrasive type, the effect of the surface treatment can be controlled.
- Versatile: Suitable for a variety of materials and surface treatment needs.
- Economy: The cost of sandblasting is low compared to other surface treatment methods.
Diadvantages
- Dust pollution: A large amount of dust will be generated during the sandblasting process, and effective dust removal measures need to be taken.
- Noise: The operation of sandblasting equipment will produce a large noise, need to take sound insulation measures.
- Wear and tear: Sandblasting equipment and nozzles gradually wear out and need to be replaced regularly.