Shot blasting is a mechanical surface treatment process. It involves a motor-driven impeller (either directly or with a V-belt drive). Centrifugal force propels shots of varying diameters onto the workpiece's surface, achieving a desired surface roughness and improving its service life.
Sand blasting uses compressed air to propel abrasives onto the workpiece's surface. Specifically, it involves using compressed air, high-pressure water, steam, or other materials to propel abrasive streams to clean, strengthen, cut, or abrade the workpiece's surface, altering its appearance or condition. Sand blasting is a common practice, albeit a slow and often unnoticeable process.
The purpose of shot blasting and sand blasting is to prepare a workpiece for the next step. This process not only ensures the required roughness for the next step, but also ensures that the surface finish is as consistent as possible. Shot blasting has a more noticeable strengthening effect on the workpiece, while sand blasting is less noticeable. Shot blasting typically uses small steel balls, while sand blasting uses quartz sand. Sandblasting is primarily a manual process, while shot blasting is often automated or semi-automated. Sandblasting uses compressed air as a power source to spray sand or pellets onto the surface of a material, achieving cleanliness and a desired roughness. Shot blasting uses the centrifugal force generated by high-speed rotation of pellets to impact the surface of the material, achieving cleanliness and a desired roughness. Both shot blasting and sand blasting can clean and decontaminate workpieces.
