Tag Archives: Shot Blasting

Forge & Foundry, Part 1 – Shot Blasting Systems

Preparing castings and forgings ready for the subsequent processing steps presents some of the toughest surface finishing challenges. Shot blasting machines can handle all of these tasks from removing residual sand, casting shells, flashing, die marks, or scale.

Whether cast iron, steel, stainless steel, super alloys, titanium, aluminum, zinc, or magnesium, the comprehensive portfolio of Rosler blasting systems for the forge and foundry industries can develop the optimal process for any requirement.

Principle & Popularity

Shot blasting is an essential part of most forge and foundry operations and has been used since the late 1800s. This specialized surface finishing process throws small metal (or mineral) pellets, called blast media, onto the surface of a work piece at incredibly high speeds, ranging from 200-800 feet per second.

Continue reading Forge & Foundry, Part 1 – Shot Blasting Systems

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 3 – Evaluating Rust and Mill Scale Pre- and Post-Blast

Surface preparation can account for up to 40 percent of structural steel painting and repainting jobs. As Rosler’s Structural Steel FAQ series has already established, the life of anti‐corrosion coatings on a steel surface depends to a large extent on how thoroughly the surface has been prepared for painting.

inside_painting_cabinet1_4004
Application of anti-corrosion paint in a preservation line blasting system.

Properly evaluating the surface of structural steel surfaces for coating before and after shot blasting will help balance the cost of preparing, repairing, and monitoring structural steel throughout its impressive lifespan.

This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer How are rust and mill scale evaluated pre and postblast?

The Standards

Widely used standards were developed to visually assess the initial surface conditions and the quality of the required surface preparation relative to the initial steel surface conditions.

The dominant standards for evaluating rust and mill scale are ISO 8501‐1:2007 (based on the Swedish standard SIS 05 59 00), SSPC Vis 1‐89, and NACE. While different in some minor details, these standards are practically identical.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 3 – Evaluating Rust and Mill Scale Pre- and Post-Blast

Interlinked, Automated Shot Blast System Provides Excellent Paint Preparation

With more than 80 years of experience, Rosler has developed, installed, serviced, and provided consumables for shot blast systems for a variety of industries and applications.

When a Polish manufacturer of complex steel weldments was ready to invest in a new shot blast machine, key selection criteria included quality, capacity, high equipment uptime, and integration into the existing manufacturing flow. As an essential part of the pre-treatment operation for a cathodic painting line, the system also needed to produce optimal surface preparation results within an interlinked workflow in a 3-shift operation.

The company chose a Rosler continuous feed spinner hanger blast machine because of its wear-resistant design and favorable operating costs.

Continue reading Interlinked, Automated Shot Blast System Provides Excellent Paint Preparation

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 2 – Methods of Surface Preparation

Structural steel is a widely used material in a variety of industries due to its strength and durability. Our first post in the Structural Steel FAQ series established why this material must be prepared – namely to preserve its strength and longevity. This post will describe the type of surface preparation required before shot blasting structural steel.

In order to stand up to the harsh demands of the construction, shipbuilding, and heavy equipment industries, the most appropriate type of surface preparation must be undertaken to ensure the best shot blasting results possible.

As always, consult a surface finishing expert such as Rosler to discuss your specific components, their condition, and the desired outcome for your structural steel applications.

We turn to another FAQ about structural steel: What type of surface preparation is required prior to shot blasting?

The answer depends on the condition of the component.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 2 – Methods of Surface Preparation

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 1 – Why Surface Preparation is Necessary

Structural steel components are used in many industries, including construction and construction equipmentshipbuilding, and the production of all kinds of heavy-duty vehicles, trucks, railway vehicles, and agricultural implements. In the construction of bridges, building of ships, or production of equipment that must withstand heavy loads, steel is selected for its strength and durability.

To live up to its full potential and prevent premature failure, the steel must be guarded against corrosion with a protective coating. Shot blasting plays an indispensable role in preparing the steel surface for such coatings. Partnering with a shot blasting expert such as Rosler can help you determine the shot blasting equipment, blast media, and processing required for your structural steel components.

In a series of blog posts, Rosler will answer the most common questions about the surface preparation and coating of structural steel.

We begin with a basic question: Why do structural steel components need to be prepared for protective paint coating?

The answer, in short, is for the best coating results and longevity.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 1 – Why Surface Preparation is Necessary

ITAR Compliance Protects Surface Finishing Customer Data, National Security

Protecting sensitive customer information is a priority at Rosler whether in the form of intellectual property, proprietary manufacturing designs, or non-disclosure agreements. When it comes to matters of security and safety, we’ve gone a step further to create International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Compliance Programs.

In addition to delivering industry-leading mass finishing and shot blasting equipment, consumables, and service, Rosler’s expertise includes discrete handling of customer information in all industries, including aerospace and defense.

What is ITAR?

Administered by the U.S. Department of State, the legislation that created ITAR regulates the import and export of defense and military-related technologies. Its intent is to prevent foreign access to technologies included in the United States Munitions List (USML) by controlling access to the technology itself and associated data.

All companies and organizations involved with manufacturing, exporting, or furnishing defense articles and services – including second- and third-tier suppliers – are required to register with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and comply with ITAR regulations.

Continue reading ITAR Compliance Protects Surface Finishing Customer Data, National Security

A Holistic Look at Automated Blasting in the Modern Metal Fabrication Shop

Written by Rosler CEO Bernhard Kerschbaum, this article was originally published in The Fabricator.


Modern metal fabrication operations aren’t like the fab shops of old. Many are clean, well lit, with employees working in fresh, filtered air. Yes, some operations in fabrication are, well, just plain dirty—and manual blasting is a prime example. The work isn’t pleasant, requires protective gear, and if the booths aren’t maintained or set up properly, they can constrain workflow in a serious way.

Options in blasting automation abound, but before diving into all that technological wizardry, try laying some groundwork by answering a fundamental question: What must the blasting operation accomplish?

Shot Blasting Versus Shot Peening

Shot blasting (or just “blasting” if using a different media other than shot) prepares a metal surface while shot peening aims to change the metal’s properties (see Figure 1). Certain aerospace applications require precise levels of stress relief (or other changes to material properties), and they use specialized shot-peening technologies to achieve it. Precision shot peening of landing gears is a prime example, with the process optimizing surface stresses, eliminating microcracks and the stress risers around them.

Most metal fabricators employ blast cleaning for the vast majority of their applications, cleaning and preparing a metal surface for the next manufacturing step, usually painting. If a beam or plate isn’t blasted correctly, paint won’t adhere properly. However, some fabrication operations do employ a kind of peening—not as precise as high-end peening applications, but it’s peening nonetheless, with the media impacting the surface and causing compressive stresses that aim to change the material’s properties.

Continue reading A Holistic Look at Automated Blasting in the Modern Metal Fabrication Shop

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

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.

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

Shot Blasting 101

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.

Continue reading Shot Blasting 101

Testing & Expertise Overcome Shot Blasting Challenges

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.

Continue reading Testing & Expertise Overcome Shot Blasting Challenges