A number of factors can affect blast wheel operating efficiently, some of which may not be obvious until your shot blast machine is stripped down and/or serviced. Monitoring the amps the blast wheels are pulling can allow you to see that something needs attention.

When your machine is first installed and commissioned with the correct settings, the number of amps pulled by the blast wheels should be recorded. Ongoing checks can be made whilst the machine is running to ensure the amps pulled remain the same.  When they drop it is a sign something requires attention.

A drop could mean the level of abrasive in the machine hopper has reduced due to work component carry out and/or an inadequate topping up of abrasive. It could also indicate that a wheel (or wheels) is being starved due to blockages in feed pipes or separators, worn blast wheel feeds parts, (i.e. vanes, impeller, impeller case; wear or damage to the abrasive gate control assembly), causing the blast wheel to either starve, flood or insufficient circulation of abrasive in the machine.

Insufficient circulation can be caused by a number of factors including an elevator belt slipping, damaged and/or missing elevator buckets, a worn elevator discharge area, or blocked separator, etc.

A correct procedure in the service schedule would mean these elements of your machine are checked on a regular basis to prevent issues which would affect the quality of the finish produced as well as the blast cleaning time.

Click to read Tip No. 9 Check Your Starting Condition Is The Same

For more information on Shot Blasting please visit www.rosler.com

Post written by
Haydn Kitchen
Shot Blasting Technical Manager