Abrasive blasting is a technique frequently employed by industries to remove surface contaminants or to roughen or smooth surfaces, ready for a new coating.

The process itself involves propelling abrasive media at a surface at high speed, which is why it’s important to take safety precautions.

In addition to supplying the correct safety gear, employers need to make sure abrasive blasting equipment is safe to use – which includes having it regularly inspected and assessing parameters during the process.

Here at SFEG, we supply Elcometer blasting inspection equipment to test the surface profile and surface contamination of blasted profiles.

Allow us to explain more about Elcometer equipment, the different options available, and their uses and advantages.

Who is Elcometer?

Elcometer is a world leader in the design, manufacture,

owder coating is a great alternative to paint spraying, dip coating, electroplating and many of the other types of finishing products you can use.

From protected rough and tough manufacturing machinery, to everyday items, it’s highly versatile and effective.

But what exactly is powder coating and why should you consider it?

What is powder coating?

The powder coating material itself is a mixture of curatives, pigments, levelling agents and other additives that have been ground together into a dry powder and is sprayed onto machinery or products.

An airless spray pump propels materials, at a surface using pressure from a hydraulic or pneumatic pump.

Airless sprayers work by drawing material, such as paint, into a pump under suction. This is compressed using hydraulics or pneumatics at high pressure. The material to be applied is then pushed through the top of the spray nozzle, through the tip, where it is atomised.

Atomisation refers to the process of breaking up fluids into small droplets. An everyday example of this is placing your thumb over the end of the garden hose, as you can see below on the right-hand side of the child. If you do this, you break the stream of water, forcing it into tiny droplets, and creating a mist.

The purpose of atomising is to increase the reach of materials, to allow them to cover a wider area. This helps it to go further and speeds up application time.

Abrasive blasting (also known as shot blasting) involves propelling an abrasive material against the surface – either to remove surface contaminants like rust, paint or residue, add texture or finish a surface.

Though there are several types of abrasives used for shot blasting, these typically fall into two categories – reusable and expendable.

Read on to find out more about the different types of abrasive media, including examples and common applications, and how you can determine the best blast media for your project.

Reusable abrasive media

Exactly as its name implies, reusable media can be used over and over again, helping to reduce waste and operational costs.

Here are just a few examples

Abrasive blast rooms (also known as blast booths) are large chambers used to prepare components that are often too big or complex for blast cabinets.

They provide safe working conditions for operators and are typically used to store abrasive blast pots – saving businesses time and money. In addition to this, they can recover and recycle abrasive media, which is great for the environment.

But what equipment is found in blast rooms, and how does abrasive blasting work?

Allow the team at Surface Finishing Equipment Group (SFEG) to explain all in this blog.

What components are blast rooms made up of?

Blast rooms can be designed to suit the specific requirements of your business, including application, part size, production rates and the types of abrasives required. However, they almost always consist of the following components:

• Blast enclosure

Spraying is (by far) the quickest way to coat a surface with paint, ensuring you’re not left with unsightly brush strokes.

Unlike rollers and paintbrushes, sprayers release small particles of paint through the nozzle. This allows you to cover every single nook and cranny – not just larger areas.

There’s no denying that a paint sprayer can provide a smooth finish to the most uneven surfaces. However, the quality of the job often depends on the equipment and techniques you choose.

Unsure which paint spraying equipment is best for you?

Here at SFEG, we supply a wide range of spray painting equipment – including airless spray pumps, conventional systems, spray guns and spare parts.

Below, our team outlines the different types of spray equipment, along with their pros and cons, to help you to make an informed decision as to which is most suitable

Whether you’re a professional painter and decorator or a DIYer, it’s only right that you want the end product to be faultless.

Whilst you could use conventional methods, such as paintbrushes and rollers, they don’t always give you that smooth finish you’re after.

Wondering what you can do to ensure you’re not left with brush strokes on the surface? The answer is simple – use a paint sprayer.

Here the UK’s leading supplier of surface finishing equipment, Surface Finishing Equipment (SFEG), explains what paint sprayers are and why you should consider using them.

What is a paint sprayer?

Exactly as its name implies, a paint sprayer is a powerful tool used to spray paint onto a variety of surfaces – covering large areas such as walls and garden sheds, as well as detailed areas like moulding on a photo frame.

There are two main types of sprayers:

• HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) spray

Shot blasting is one of the most crucial processes in manufacturing and finishing, but it can also be incredibly dangerous if not done properly.

The method of shot blasting involves propelling an abrasive media (i.e. a steel shot, glass beads or plastic grit) at a surface to polish it, remove excess contaminants or prepare it for a final covering.

Providing you’re equipped with the appropriate shot blasting equipment, the process is relatively straightforward. However, it comes with its own fair share of risks.

Let’s take a closer look at the hazards associated with abrasive blasting and what safety measure you can take to avoid them.

Potential health risks

Back when shot blasting was first developed, workers didn’t take many safety precautions. This meant they were at greater risk of breathing

Dirty, oxidised or unfinished materials are undesirable for all sorts of reasons.

For example, a material that is covered in scale, dirt and other debris isn’t easy on the eye, and oxidised materials can pose serious problems during the fabrication process (e.g. welding or machining).

Though you could apply a fresh coating to the surface without cleaning it, this is likely to cause a lack of adhesion. And any sharp burrs and edges could cause lacerations.

With that said, it’s always worth cleaning the material beforehand – whether it be a quick wipe down with a rag and suitable cleaning solution or shot blasting.

Intrigued by how shot blasting works? Let’s take a look…

What is shot blasting?

Shot blasting and sandblasting are often used interchangeably. Though they belong to the same family of abrasive blasting processes, it’s important to note they are