Understanding the Industrial Manufacturing Sector

Abrasive blasting refers to the process of forcing a stream of abrasive material against a surface under extremely high pressure. There are several reasons for abrasive blasting. You may blast a surface to smoothen it if it is rough, to roughen it if it is smooth, to remove contaminants from the surface as well as to shape the surface. Several materials are used when blasting a surface. They include silica sand, crushed glass, garnet, glass beads, coal slag, mineral sands, plastic as well as crushed walnut shells.

The materials are selected according to the surface being blasted, and the desired outcome. There are two types of abrasive blasting; dry blasting and wet blasting. Most people are moving away from dry blasting as they prefer wet blasting. When blasting your surface, you need to use the right medium and equipment. Read on to learn how to select the right equipment for your wet blasting abrasive blasting project.

The amount of water and media required

Wet blasting involves adding water with either one of the above blasting media to form a slurry. When buying your equipment, ensure you look for a piece of equipment that uses as little water and media as possible. Remember that the amount of media you place in the blaster will come out eventually. Equipment that uses a lot of water and media is costly to use.

For instance, your water bill will be high, and you will spend a lot of time cleaning up the mess. Moreover, if you are blasting a steel surface, you will need to spend a lot of money on rust inhibiting agents. You will also need to spend extra money when buying the blast media, which is already costly.

Quality

A quality piece of equipment is sturdy, easy to use and easy to maintain. As such, look for a machine that is easy to set up and use. In as much as you would like your blaster to last the longest time, it is bound to require repair and maintenance. Therefore, make sure that you factor in circumstances when your equipment breaks down. When you are selecting your blaster and the vendor, ensure that spare parts are readily available and that the vendor offers maintenance and repair services. Purchasing a blaster with a warranty is an added advantage.

Price

Price is always an essential factor to consider when making any purchase. With every purchase, you are always looking to find a quality product at the most reasonable price. When buying a blaster, make sure that you shop around to find the most reasonable price.