The key difference between shot blasting and grit blasting is that shot blasting is typically used on metal parts to clean them, whereas grit blasting is used as a protective treatment that can smooth out a part.
We can use methods such as shot blasting and grit blasting to clean or prepare surfaces for another process to be carried out. Both techniques have different equipment in the market and different methods derived from the parent technique.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Shot Blasting
3. What is Grit Blasting
4. Shot Blasting vs Grit Blasting in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Shot Blasting vs Grit Blasting
What is Shot Blasting?
Shot blasting is a resurfacing process useful in removing debris and irregularities from concrete, metal, and other industrial surfaces. It has a process that is similar to the sandblasting process, but it is different in both execution and effectiveness.
This process uses a centrifugal blast wheel that can shoot media such as steel shot onto the desired surface with a high velocity, thereby knocking the surface free of debris and other material. Moreover, the shot media varies from steel shot to cut wire to nut shells. Typically, this blast media can blast off almost anything on the surface, i.e., from rust to epoxy.
This process is very important in cleaning the surfaces. We can also use it to prepare the surfaces for another process. For example, shot blasting a floor or any other surface can make a good surface for painting or coating, and it is a very effective and efficient way as well. It can literally smooth out the surface.
There is various different shot blasting equipment on the market. These are designed for ease of use and maintenance. This equipment has industry-exclusive modular head systems.
What is Grit Blasting?
Grit blasting is a process that involves forcibly propelling an abrasive material against a surface under high pressure. The blasting material is named the media. It is propelled against the surface via a pressurized fluid such as water, vapor streams such as ordinary steam, compressed air, or via a centrifugal wheel.
We can use grit blasting to smooth rough surfaces, roughen smooth surfaces, shape a surface, or remove surface contaminants. Moreover, we can use different media for differently evolved variants of blasting processes. This can range between the levels of abrasiveness because some media are highly abrasive while others are very mild in effect. For example, sand blasting is a highly abrasive method, while glass bead blasting, plastic media blasting, and organic blasting using walnut shells and corncobs are moderately abrasive methods. The mildest form of blasting includes soda blasting, ice blasting, and dry ice blasting.
What is the Difference Between Shot Blasting and Grit Blasting?
Shot blasting and grit blasting important methods in cleaning or preparing surfaces. The key difference between shot blasting and grit blasting is that shot blasting is typically used on metal parts to clean them, whereas grit blasting is used as a protective treatment that can smooth out a part. While shot blasting uses a centrifugal force from a mechanical device to propel treatment media upon the product, grit blasting uses compressed air to shoot some form of abrasive media such as sand against the product to be treated.
Below is a summary of the difference between shot blasting and grit blasting in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Shot Blasting vs Grit Blasting
Shot blasting is a resurfacing process useful in removing debris and irregularities from concrete, metal, and other industrial surfaces. Grit blasting is a process involving propelling an abrasive material forcibly against a surface under high pressure. The key difference between shot blasting and grit blasting is that shot blasting is typically used on metal parts to clean them, whereas grit blasting is used as a protective treatment that can smooth out a part.
Reference:
1. “What Is Abrasive Grit Blasting? (Aka Sandblasting).” TWI.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Sandblasting3” By Stan Zurek – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia