When you need to clean or strengthen a metal piece, you might turn to wheelabrating, Otherwise known as shot blasting services in Gastonia, NC, this is an aggressive, abrasive technique that can ready a material for finishing, whether that’s painting, polishing or another method. If it sounds like sandblasting, you’re not too far off—it’s the same concept using a different method. Read on to learn more about shot blasting and how it’s used.

How shot blasting works

Like sandblasting, an abrasive material is shot at the metal part to remove dirt, debris, corrosion and more—but unlike sandblasting, the abrasive is propelled by a centrifugal wheel. As the wheel rotates, the abrasives are channeled toward the center of the wheel. Then they’re propelled toward the material they’re supposed to clean or polish. After the process is over, the abrasive material and the dust from polishing is collected and recycled so it can be used again.

Shot blasting or wheelabrating is a much more abrasive process than sandblasting, which means you should only use it for heavy-duty projects—otherwise, you may take off more material than you were hoping for.

Shot blasting is particularly good for cleaning and evening out surfaces. If your product has sharp edges, for example, wheelabrating services in Gastonia, NC can make quick work of smoothing and polishing those edges for safety.

Benefits of shot blasting

Shot blasting is used in many major industries, including ship building, aerospace engineering, construction, automotive and railways. Here’s why it’s such a popular technique:

• Prepares surfaces: Wheelabrating is the easiest and fastest way to prepare surfaces for painting or powder coating. The centrifugal force is highly accurate, which means the protective coating will bond to the surface better. It can also cure surface defects in the product, and helps the coating last longer.
• Removes corrosion quickly: Metal can corrode, which is obviously bad for performance parts. It also interferes with laying down a protective coating. Shot blasting removes corrosion quickly without harming the metal underneath. It can get rid of chemical stains, hard treatment scale, rust, mill scale and old paint in a flash.
• Environmentally friendly: Finally, wheelabrating is an environmentally friendly process. First, it uses no chemicals or acid in the abrasion or cleanup process, which means there’s nothing hazardous to clean up and dispose of. Fewer chemicals leaking into the groundwater supply system is always a good thing. Next, abrasion is the only technique used, which is easily cleaned up by vacuums or blowers. Finally, the abrasive material can be recycled.

Depending on your project, wheelabrating or shot blasting services in Gastonia, NC could be a great option. However, don’t try to do it yourself—the fine particles of sand or metal can be dangerous if inhaled. This process is best left to trained professionals, who can perform it safely while getting the exact results you need.

For more information about wheelabrating, be sure to call J.F. Heat Treating Inc. today. Our cutting-edge equipment and expertise can handle projects of any size or scope.