What are the common materials used for shot blasting?

What are the common materials used for shot blasting?

Shot blasting uses a variety of abrasive materials to clean, prepare, or finish surfaces. The choice of material depends on the application, workpiece type, and desired surface finish. Here are the common materials used for shot blasting:

1. Steel Shot

Material: High-carbon or stainless steel.

Shape: Spherical.

Applications: Cleaning, descaling, surface preparation, and shot peening.

Advantages: Durable, reusable, and suitable for heavy-duty tasks.

2. Steel Grit

Material: High-carbon steel.

Shape: Angular.

Applications: Removing heavy rust, scale, or coatings; surface profiling.

Advantages: Aggressive cutting action for fast material removal.

3. Glass Beads

Material: Soda-lime glass.

Shape: Spherical.

Applications: Cleaning, polishing, and peening delicate surfaces.

Advantages: Non-embedding, produces a bright, satin finish.

4. Aluminum Oxide

Material: Synthetic abrasive.

Shape: Angular.

Applications: Cleaning and finishing non-ferrous metals; surface preparation.

Advantages: Hard and sharp, ideal for precision work.

5. Silicon Carbide

Material: Synthetic abrasive.

Shape: Angular.

Applications: High-precision finishing of hard materials like ceramics.

Advantages: Extremely hard, provides a fine finish.

6. Ceramic Beads

Material: Zirconium oxide or other ceramics.

Shape: Spherical.

Applications: Aerospace and medical component finishing.

Advantages: Durable, consistent, and high-quality finish.

7. Garnet

Material: Natural mineral.

Shape: Angular.

Applications: Surface preparation and wet blasting.

Advantages: Eco-friendly and non-toxic.

8. Plastic Abrasives

Material: Polycarbonate or polyurethane.

Shape: Spherical or angular.

Applications: Cleaning and finishing soft materials like plastics.

Advantages: Gentle on surfaces, reusable.

9. Walnut Shells

Material: Crushed walnut shells.

Shape: Irregular.

Applications: Cleaning and polishing soft metals or plastics.

Advantages: Biodegradable and eco-friendly.

10. Corn Cob Grit

Material: Crushed corn cobs.

Shape: Irregular.

Applications: Light cleaning and polishing.

Advantages: Soft and biodegradable.

Key Factors for Selection

Workpiece Material: Harder materials require harder abrasives (e.g., steel shot), while softer materials need gentler options (e.g., glass beads).

Surface Finish: Fine finishes require smoother abrasives, while rough surfaces need aggressive media.

Application: Cleaning, deburring, peening, or polishing each require specific abrasives.

If you need more details or recommendations for your application, feel free to ask!