Tag Archives: Shot Blasting

Mass Finishing, Shot Blasting

Single-Source Supplier Helps Job Shop Operation Expand into New Markets

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As a supplier of mass finishing and shot blasting equipment as well as consumables and service, Rosler understands the need for multi-faceted operations and the corresponding flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and innovation required to be successful.

B+S Metallbearbeitung GmbH (B+S), a job shop based in Southern Germany, also provides various surface finishing services. Its multi-faceted mass finishing operations include deburring and polishing as well as shot blasting, part cleaning, and packaging.

B+S handles a broad range of work pieces with different shapes, made of different materials, requiring different finishes, and coming from all kinds of industries. To create a streamlined and one-stop supplier, B+S chose to work with Rosler for its surface finishing equipment and consumables.

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Shot Blasting

Shot Blasting 101

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Shot blasting is a specialized surface finishing process where small metal (or mineral) pellets, called blast media, are thrown onto the surface of a work piece at incredibly high speeds. With rates of speed ranging from 200-800 feet per second, the impact on the work pieces from this process is what produces the desired surface finishing effect.

Shot blasting can help achieve surface cleaning, surface preparation, descaling, deburring, deflashing, and shot peening.

The process components of a shot blasting system include a shot blast machine, raw and finished work pieces, blast media, dust, and other byproducts. Rosler has more than 80 years of experience in developing comprehensive shot blasting systems.

The two most common types of shot blast machines are turbine blasting and air blasting.

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Shot Blasting

Testing & Expertise Overcome Shot Blasting Challenges

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For nearly a decade, Sales Representative and Interim Product Manager of Turbine Blast Equipment Zack Murray has been one of Rosler’s top shot blasting experts. 

Working with customers and our global Customer Experience Centers, he helps develop and test surface finishing machines and media in addition to dialing in specific process parameters.

At times, adhering to the Rosler motto and guiding principle of “finding a better way…” can be difficult and complicated. Luckily, Murray and the entire Rosler team are committed to delivering world-class surface finishing equipment, consumables, and service in a variety of industries.

In this post, Murray shares the most challenging issue he has tackled at Rosler and how the team developed a solution.

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Shot Blasting

Blade Technology: Straight vs. Curved Blades Explained

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As an expert in the shot blasting industry, Rosler knows about blade technology. All shot blasting machines require blades to propel media towards workpieces. While both straight and curved blades are used, each type offers advantages and disadvantages.

What are the Differences?

Straight blades are, as the name suggests, blades that do not have curvature when viewed from the side and do not possess tangential curvature with respect to the turbine. Curved blades are blades that have some degree of curvature when viewed from the side.

As the newer design, curved blades are generally better than straight blades, but they also have some drawbacks related to longevity, maintenance, and cost of ownership.

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Shot Blasting

Foundry-Specific Shot Blasting Achieves Increased Efficiency

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Replacing a shot blasting machine for a long-time customer requires finding a better way to deliver efficient finishing in a faster, smaller, and more maintenance-friendly way. That’s exactly what Rosler delivered when Linde Material Handling (Linde) returned to us for a shot blasting upgrade.

Linde is a supplier of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment and also provides technical intralogistics solutions and services. With a sales and service network spanning more than 100 countries, the company has a global footprint.

For this particular partnership, Linde’s foundry in Weilbach, Germany, challenged Rosler to supply a new shot blasting system capable of finishing and maneuvering the counterweights it manufactures for forklifts. Our solution was a sturdy foundry version of a continuous hanger shot blast machine known as the RHBD 22/27-F.

The Situation

Linde continuously strives to improve its manufacturing operations. As such, the new machines had to accomplish several goals, including faster processing, more flexible material flow, optimized utilization of available space, improved access to all critical maintenance areas, and increased overall efficiency.

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Additive Manufacturing, Shot Blasting

AM Solutions Delivers Post-Processing Solutions for Prototypes & Parts

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Knaus Tabbert AG is a leading manufacturer of recreational vehicles. The company’s innovative designs and powerful drive systems for motor homes, caravans, and panel trucks allow for safe, comfortable, and sustainable travel.

At its German headquarters in Jandelsbrunn, Bavaria, Knaus Tabbert utilizes its comprehensive experience and know-how to continuously improve the materials and designs of its vehicles as well as new manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing.

Seeking faster and less expensive post processing for its 3D printed prototypes, Knaus Tabbert turned to AM Solutions, a brand of The Rosler Group, to find a better way.

Challenging Post-Processing

From prototyping to production, Knaus Tabbert needed de-powdering and cleaning operations for additively manufactured work pieces.

“On the one hand, we are using 3D printing technology for creating prototypes. On the other hand, we are also utilizing additive manufacturing for producing standard components in volume such as the bracket for an alarm system or the hinge mechanism for the swing-out shower stall,” said Mario Meszaros, Knaus Tabbert Development Engineer.

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Medical

Orthopedic Implants, Part 7 – Processing Technology Evolves with Industry Advancements

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Due to their precision, efficiency, and economy, mass finishing and shot blasting are an indispensable part of the finishing process for a wide variety of orthopedic implants in different manufacturing stages.

These flexible machines can handle general cleaning; deburring; surface smoothing after casting, forging, stamping, machining, and heat treatment; surface preparation for polishing or coating; and the placement of the final finish on all kinds of implants and medical devices.

With an experienced partner such as Rosler, these processes are also capable of adapting to emerging trends with proper testing and processing trials.

Evolving Technology & Outlook

Orthopedic implant manufacturers are at the cutting edge of medical technology. New materials and manufacturing techniques and technologies are constantly evaluated to improve the performance and longevity of the implants and reduce the manufacturing cost. Two examples are the increased use of ceramics as base material or coating and additive manufacturing.   

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Shot Blasting

Dutch Equipment Manufacturer Increases Flexibility with Automatic Shot Blasting

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Blast cleaning is uniquely capable and efficient at delivering the pre-coating surface preparation required for components that must be able to withstand severe ambient conditions including heavy equipment for construction and mining, agricultural machinery, transportation and material handling equipment, and railway equipment and rolling stock.

When Dutch equipment manufacturer Delwi Groenink sought a better solution for prepping its various steel weldments for painting, the company enlarged its manufacturing depth with a new continuous hanger shot blast machine from Rosler.

The Situation

Based in Enschede, Netherlands, the company designs and produces numerous products including placement systems for container pads. Its customers largely work within the material handling, offshore, and transportation sectors.

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Medical, Shot Blasting

Orthopedic Implants, Part 6 – Shot Blasting Improves Longevity

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Like mass finishing, shot blasting is an exceptionally versatile surface treatment technology. Its applications range from general cleaning after casting and forging to shot peening and, even, cosmetic blasting for placing a fine, matte finish on the work pieces.

For shot blasting orthopedic implants, Rosler recommends mainly air and occasionally wet blasting systems.  In each process, blast media is accelerated by compressed air and thrown at the work pieces through a blast nozzle, creating an extremely precise blast pattern compared to turbine blasting. Another advantage of air blasting is that it can be used with metallic, mineral as well as organic blast media.

Air blasting and wet blasting schematics

These attributes and many more make this surface finishing method particularly useful in the medical industry.

Examples of Shot Blasting

Shot blasting is an impact system in which small metal or mineral pellets are thrown onto the surface of a work piece at speeds of 200-800 feet/second. The impact on the work piece surface produces the desired cleaning, peening, or texturing effect.

For medical applications, mainly air and wet blast systems are used which generally make a surface rougher. The smoothest finishes achieved with shot blasting are about Ra = 16-32 microinches (= 0.4 to 0.8 μm).

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Shot Blasting

Wet Blasting Equipment & Media, Part 5 – Careful Media Selection, Additive Use Impact Results 

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Wet blasting and dry shot blasting often use similar media to achieve the desired processing result.

Unlike dry blasting that only uses a solid abrasive media, wet blasting processes use a slurry of water with the shot blasting media. This greatly cushions the impact energy on the work pieces, providing gentler, yet effective results for delicate work pieces. The achieved surface finish and appearance will also differ between wet and dry processes, even when the same media type and size are used.

With more than 80 years of experience worldwide, Rosler can supply both the machines and media best suited for your wet blasting needs.

Common Media Types

As long as it is heavier than water and not water soluble, practically any media used for dry blasting can be used for wet blasting.

It is important to consider the usefulness of the media compared to its cost. While a cheaper or longer-lasting media may be available, it may also require additional processing time to accomplish the desired surface finishing. Selecting the most appropriate media for your process requires balancing initial costs with overall results.

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