Abrasive Blasting
Abrasive Blasting involves removing surface film from a part by using abrasive directed at high velocity against the part. Abrasive blasting includes bead, grit, shot, and sand blasting, and may be performed either dry or with water. The primary applications of wet abrasive blasting include: Removing burrs on precision parts; producing satin or matte finishes; removing fine tool marks; and removing light mill scale, surface oxide, or welding scale. Wet blasting can be used to finish fragile items such as electronic components. Also, some aluminum parts are wet blasted to achieve a fine-grained matte finish for decorative purposes. In abrasive blasting, the water and abrasive typically are reused until the particle size diminishes due to impacting and fracture.