Tag Archives: structural steel

Shot Blasting, Structural Steel

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 10 – Blast Rooms for Touch-Ups

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When it comes to shot blasting complex weldments like the chassis for construction equipment, excavator booms, and wind power components, sometimes even the best turbine placement may not clean all the nooks and crannies of the work piece’s surface.

Surface finishing experts such as Rosler Metal Finishing have solved this issue with the addition of manual blast rooms to automatic shot blast systems.

This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer When are blast rooms behind turbine blast machines required for manual touch-up?

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 10 – Blast Rooms for Touch-Ups →
Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 9 – Removing Residual Blast Media and Dust

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After shot blasting, structural steel components often require some cleaning. The degree of cleaning depends on the work piece’s condition prior to processing as well as machine set-up.

This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer How are residual blast media and dust removed from shot blasted steel components?

Why Remove Residue

Ancillary machine attachments and processes may be required to remove blast media and dust resting on structural steel components to ensure surfaces are properly prepared for painting and coating.

The need for a clean and well-prepared surface after shot blasting mirrors that of the pieces surfacing in the first place as discussed in Part 1 of this series.

Methods of Removal

Practically all plate and profile roller conveyor shot blast machines are equipped with a media brush-off system at the machine exit. By adding a rotary brush at the end of the process, residue is removed as the work piece exits the machine.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 9 – Removing Residual Blast Media and Dust →
Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 8 – Are All Turbines Created Equal?

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Shot blasting machines are widely used for surface preparation and finishing structural steel components for a variety of industries. In addition to specifically designing machines able to accommodate large, heavy, and bulky structural steel workpieces,  Rosler Metal Finishing also expertly designs the turbines within these machines for precise results.

Blast turbines accelerate and throw the blast media against the workpieces. They are for shot blast machines what the engines are for cars and trucks. Both determine the performance of the respective machine or vehicle including the speed of a sports car and the torque of a heavy-duty truck.

Like vehicle engines, the specifications of different turbines directly influence the performance of a shot blasting operation. This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer How do different blast turbines affect the quality of shot blasting results?

Blast Patterns

Blast patterns are the size and shape of the area where blast media strikes a workpiece as it progresses through the machine. The area of impact is also referred to as a “hot spot.” Long blast patterns are required to accommodate the large size of structural workpieces.

Concentrated blast patterns are often used in shot peening, but would not offer enough finishing coverage for structural steel applications. Similarly, the normal blast patterns used for casting and forgings are also not effective for structural steel.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 8 – Are All Turbines Created Equal? →
Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 7 – Comparing Commonly Used Blast Machines

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Structural Steel FAQ, Part 7 – Comparing Commonly Used Blast Machines

Steel construction and steel trade, shipyards and ship building, and heavy equipment and machinery building rely heavily on specially designed shot blasting machines to prepare their components.

Rosler Metal Finishing expertly designs shot blasting machines for these industries and others to descale, clean, and prepare structural steel for surfaces for end-use. The particulars of each machine largely depend on the size and shape of the specific components in need of preparation.

This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer What are the most commonly used blast machines for structural steel surface preparation and how do they compare?

Machine Types by Workpiece

Whether surface preparation is needed for steel beams and plates, round bars, pipes and weldments, ship building, pipeline construction, or heavy equipment and machinery, there are machines tailored to produce consistent surface finishing results for each component.

The most common machine types by component include:

  • Roller Conveyor Machines for Plates and Beams
  • Round Bar and Pipe Machines
  • Roller Conveyor Machines for Large, Extra Heavy Components
  • Spinner Hanger and Monorail Hanger Machines for Large Components

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 7 – Comparing Commonly Used Blast Machines →

Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 6 – Blast Media’s Influence on the Steel Surface Profile

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The surface profile created by shot blasting depends entirely on the blast media and the way it is handled. The right media selection and equipment operating parameters are critical for the surface quality of structural steel components being prepared for paint coating. While mineral abrasives play a role for certain air blast applications, the lion’s share of industrial surface preparation is done in highly mechanized turbine blast machines utilizing steel media.

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Media being thrown by a blast turbine.

Rosler Metal Finishing has decades of experience in the turbine blasting field. Through the years, we’ve used and evaluated all kinds of media and resulting roughness or lack thereof. This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer:

What influence does metallic blast media have on the surface profile
of structural steel?

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 6 – Blast Media’s Influence on the Steel Surface Profile →

Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 5 – Assessing Surface Profile

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Besides the degree of cleanliness – the removal of oil and grease, rust and mill scale, dust, and other contaminants – surface preparation specifications must also consider the surface profile and roughness relative to the coating to be applied.  Rosler Metal Finishing builds shot blasting equipment to create the right surface profile on structural steel components as well as cleaning them in preparation for coating and painting.

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Painted steel exiting a preservation line

This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer What is the optimum the surface profile for a structural steel component prior to painting and how is profile evaluated?

Optimizing for Painting

Shot blasting makes a surface rougher to increase the total contact area between paint and a work piece substrate and generally improves paint adhesion. A surface that is too smooth poses the risk of inadequate paint adhesion, while a surface that is too rough may not cover the peaks. The degree of surface profile required depends entirely on the coating to be applied.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 5 – Assessing Surface Profile →

Shot Blasting

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 4 – Evaluating the Presence of Dust

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As an expert in the surface finishing industry, Rosler Metal Finishing knows that all the expertise in the world won’t do any good if the surface of the work piece is not properly prepared. When it comes to structural steel, we receive many frequently asked questions about preparation. This installment of our Structural Steel FAQ series will answer How is the presence of dust on shot blasted structural steel components evaluated?

The Dangers of Dust

Blast-cleaned structural steel surfaces must be completely free of dust to ensure proper coating and painting.sgfdfsdfgdf

Residual dust will reduce the adhesion of subsequently applied coatings and, by absorbing moisture, may promote the corrosion of the blast‐cleaned steel surfaces. The potential accumulation of dust is especially critical on horizontal surfaces, the interior of pipes, and in structural cavities.

Special inspections must be carried out to ensure that such areas are adequately cleaned and free from dust before painting.

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 4 – Evaluating the Presence of Dust →

Shot Blasting

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

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

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

on how thoroughly this surface has been prepared for painting.

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 post‐blast?

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 →

Structural Steel

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 2 – Methods of Surface Preparation

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Structural steel is a widely used material in a variety of industries due to its strength and durability. Our last 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.shipbuilding2938x450

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 Metal Finishing with 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…

Read more about structural steel surface preperation

Structural Steel

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

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Structural steel components are used in many industries, including construction, shipbuilding, and the production of all kinds of heavy duty vehicles, trucks, railway vehicles, agricultural implements or construction equipment. From 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 Metal Finishing can help you determine the shot blasting equipment, blast media, and process required for your structural steel components.

In a series of blog posts, we’ll 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?

Read more about surface preparation for structural steel