What is shot blasting?

Shot blasting is a surface treatment process in which metallic or mineral abrasive particles are propelled at high velocity — between 65 and 110 m/s — against the surface of a metal part. On impact, the abrasive removes rust, mill scale, foundry sand, old paint and other contaminants, leaving the surface clean with a controlled roughness profile.

That roughness profile — known as anchor profile — is essential to ensure maximum adhesion of paints, anticorrosive coatings, metallizing and other surface treatments. Without proper surface preparation, any coating tends to peel prematurely, compromising the protection of the part.

There are two shot blasting technologies depending on the abrasive projection system. In centrifugal wheel blasting, the abrasive is propelled by a rotating wheel driven by an electric motor — a high-productivity, low operating cost system ideal for continuous inline processes. In compressed air blasting, the abrasive is propelled by a pressurized air stream through nozzles — a more flexible system suited to large parts, complex geometries or on-site work.

Shot blasting is applied across a wide range of industries: foundry and forging, steel structure fabrication, automotive and auto parts, oil & gas, shipbuilding, steel making, construction and wind energy, among others. In all cases the objective is the same — a clean, uniform surface with the right profile for the next process.