Blast cleaning has gained immense popularity and is used widely across industries for surface cleaning, finishing, and also preparing for a range of materials. The materials include glass, plastic, metals, wood, and so on in several industries, especially in the construction business. Chemical cleaning is the common cleaning method used by industries. But blaster seems to be a better cleaning technique because it is more efficient and quicker to clean when compared to chemical cleaning.
The popular surface cleaner
In the construction industry, steel and other robust metals are used extensively. They require protection against corrosion to retain the fundamental structure and also increase durability. The surfaces of such metals demand thorough cleaning, thereby preparing for a protective coating application becomes easier. Blasting has been established as a preferred procedure for surface cleaning and preparing for their applications.
What is blasting?
Blasting is a treatment process where a rough or an unsmooth medium is actuated against a surface at high pressure. It is propelled using blasting nozzles powered by air pressure. The process aids the surface in cleaning debris, dirt, rust, unwanted coatings without incurring any damage to the underlying material. The blasting process is popular and has widespread use in a range of applications in industries.
Applications
Blasting is used in industries for a wide array of applications as mentioned below:
· Eliminating rust
· Removal of unwanted existing coatings
· Preparing the surface before painting, and coating
· Executing edge profiling on parts of machines
· Glass frosting and etching
· Rendering finishing touch to precision components
· Rendering cosmetic matte finishing to consumer products
· Eliminating mold flash from plastic elements
The abrasive medium selected for a specific application relies on the required surface finishing. Some common blaster abrasives include:
· Sand
· Aluminum oxide
· Steel grit
· Glass bead
· Plastic
· Copper slag
· Coconut shell
· Walnut shell
· Silicon carbide
Conventionally, sand has been used in an array of applications. Inhaling sand during the blasting method has serious health implications. Therefore, sandblasting operators are mandated to wear protective gear and clothing. Moreover, these days, less harmful abrasive mediums are used for blasting applications. Choosing the right medium for abrasive blasting is key to the success of the entire procedure as there are multiple benefits offered by a blaster over the chemical cleaning process.
Preparing for painting
One of the foremost benefits of blast cleaning revolves around preparing a clean surface for painting. Thanks to blast cleaning, all kinds of undesired contaminants are eliminated making any surface prepped and thereby ready for painting or coating. A clean surface helps to hold the paint better for a longer period, and the appearance is also better. It is not desirable to have a glimpse of old paints or rust underneath the new coating or painting.
Environmental friendly
When compared with chemical cleaning, blast cleaning is way more eco-friendly. The abrasive mediums used in the process of blaster are environmentally friendly and natural themselves. During the blasting process, there is no emission of greenhouse gases, making it more preferred and a popular choice in the construction industry.
Surface profiling
The adhesiveness of a surface can be harnessed with the use of varying particle sizes of blasting mediums for the preparation process of the concerned surface. The maximum range of roughness, or surface profiling depends on the material application requirements of the customers. On the other hand, chemical cleaning doesn’t provide any control over the final surface profiling.
Top-notch safety
Time and again it has been proved that blast cleaning is a way healthier and safer option than chemical cleaning of surfaces and preparing for coating and painting. When the sandblasting procedure is carried out, it possesses considerable health hazards and risks because of the generation of fine sand and dust particles. Thus, the operators have to wear protective clothing and accessories to avert the danger.
Efficient dirt removal
One of the highlighting aspects of blast cleaning is the efficient removal of different types of dirt. Whether one is eliminating corrosion, rust, corrosion, chipping paint, etc., blast cleaning is an excellent method of removing dirt at a rapid phase. The best aspect about blast cleaning is that it allows to clean hard-to-reach areas, which is a challenge with chemical cleaning.
Every nook and corner of any surface will undergo a thorough cleaning withtheblaster process, thanks to modern and advanced cleaning technology used in the blasting process. In the majority of the chemical cleaning process, manual labor is included, via the use of a scrub brush. It won’t be wrong to mention that chemical cleaning is not as efficient as blast cleaning. Furthermore, blast cleaning is efficient not only in terms of surface cleaning and preparation but is also time-efficient, and cost-effective.
Easy removal of graffiti
When an individual wants to include a new design or painting to the building wall or eliminate undesired artwork, blast cleaning is the best procedure to get rid of even the toughest graffiti. Blasting is one such cleaning technique used in the construction business and other industries to get rid of all kinds of unwanted coatings and give a fresh surface to work with.
Antique restoration
Since blasting can reach hard-to-reach spots seamlessly, it makes it the best procedure for restoration of antique and vintage furniture, or any piece. The best part is that the cleaning technique can completely rejuvenate a vintage item and render its past glory and appearance safely. Moreover, the added benefit of incorporating blasting in the restoration is that it will not incur any damage to the material.
The importance of blasting
Blasting renders a cost-effective method of cleaning and preparing surfaces. Furthermore, the abrasive medium used is reusable in the majority of cases. Thus, blasting also renders economic benefits over conventional surface cleaning methods. It is better, faster, and more efficient in eliminating unwanted contaminants. When contaminants and dirt particles are left on the surface before fresh painting or coating, problems can arise. This gives rise to expensive re-cleaning of the surface. Blasting can eliminate such circumstances effectively.
Conclusion
Unlike other cleaning procedures, the method of theblaster is fast and gets the task done effectively and quickly. Since the cleaning method is fast, this means that one can easily move into the next step after cleaning and prepping the surface.
