When maintained properly, mass finishing equipment can be very user friendly.
As a result sometimes operators can get into the habit of just turning them on each day and ignoring simple operating and maintenance rules. Avoiding the following 9 mistakes that operators commonly make will help you get the most from your equipment:
They let the media level drop, often with the aim of saving money or so they can get more work pieces in. This changes the ratio of work pieces per media though and can affect process times, unloading ability, can cause components to damage each other, and can result in the required finish not being achievable.
In addition to the pro and con evaluation of air blasting and turbine lasting found in our previous blog, these two methods can also be compared in terms of throwing velocity, applications, and industries.
In terms of throwing velocity. Media thrown by turbines immediately start losing speed the moment that the turbine blade releases it, producing higher intensity blast results closer to the turbine. Larger shot retains its speed better over a distance and is commonly used to maintain intensity while creating a larger blast pattern by positioning the turbine(s) farther away. In contrast, media thrown by air nozzles will continue to accelerate for the first 100-300 mm outside of the nozzle depending on blast pressure and media size and density until the compressed air fully dissipates to the ambient environment, meaning that your best blast results occur a distance away from the nozzle.
Blasting processes for surface finishing vary according to the size, quantity, composition, and desired finish of the work pieces in need of surface preparation. Air blasting and turbine blasting are two of the more common types of blasting. While there is some overlap between the two methods, each carries its own unique attributes and drawbacks.
When comparing these two blast methods, the number one thing to keep in mind is precision versus bulk. Air blasting provides precision surface preparation using a much smaller blast pattern compared to turbine blasting, which delivers large quantities of media over a wide blast pattern, thereby making it ideal for blasting large quantities of parts or larger individual parts.
“Finding a Better Way” isn’t just a tagline at Rosler Metal Finishing; it’s a mission. A recent preservation line developed by Rosler Germany is no exception.
The creation of a 740-foot-long (225 meters) shot blasting line with straightening equipment is the largest equipment project Rosler Germany has ever undertaken. Commissioned by Meyer Shipyard in Turku, Finland, the state-of-the-art equipment will be used to prepare and finish materials for building cruise ships.
With the revolutionary Gamma G turbine, Rosler has set a new milestone in continual turbine development. It is the most maintenance-friendly turbine in the world, it can be easily installed or retrofitted into a great range of systems, and has a unique price-performance ratio.
Featuring Y-shaped throwing blades made of forged tool steel for high durability. Since both sides of the throwing blades can be utilized, the cost for wear parts can be drastically reduced. Depending on the abrasive used, throwing blades can be used up to three times longer.
High speed and highly controlled, the process of shot peening has many similarities to the aerospace, automotive, and aviation components it is used on. The machines require absolute precision and reproducibility much like the components they are preparing for long life and changing loads.
Shot peening is a special shot blasting process in which spherical blast media is thrown at the surface of metallic work pieces. The impact energy of the pellets “cold forms” the upper layers of the metal similar to hammering and forging processes.
Modern manufacturers are under increasing pressure to minimize production costs without sacrificing product quality or equipment reliability. No one understands this predicament better than high precision die casting manufacturers. Trying to minimize cost associated with scrap and the expensive tooling bodies required for high precision die casting while delivering a consistent product to customers requires balance.
Pace Industries, one of North America’s leading full-service aluminum, zinc, and magnesium die casting manufacturers, found that balance with Rosler. The company needed a cost-effective solution for finishing automotive castings in one of their Mexico facilities. A used through feed tumble belt shot blast machine from Rosler Metal Finishing, USA which had been used in one of Pace’s other facilities was available, but in need of some attention.
