Tag Archives: Structural Steel

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 and construction equipment, shipbuilding, 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.

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Structural Steel

Surface Preparation Standards, Part 2 – Dust Measurements and Considerations

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As an expert in the surface finishing industry, Rosler 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 questions about preparation. Among the most common questions is, “How is the presence of dust on shot-blasted structural steel components evaluated?”

Understanding dust considerations and mitigation will help produce higher quality and longer-lasting structural steel components more cost-effectively and safely.

The Dangers of Dust

Blast-cleaned structural steel surfaces must be completely free of dust to ensure proper coating and painting. 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 inside structural cavities. Special inspections must be carried out to ensure that such areas are adequately cleaned and free from dust before painting.

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Shot Blasting, Structural Steel

Surface Preparation Standards, Part 1 – Evaluating Surfaces Throughout Finishing Processes

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Surface preparation can account for up to 40 percent of structural steel painting and repainting jobs and the life of anti‐corrosion coatings on a steel surface largely depend on how thoroughly the surface was prepared before painting.

At Rosler, we have extensive experience evaluating structural steel surfaces for coating before and after shot blasting. This knowledge of surface preparation standards and the widely used ISO and SSPC standards guide us in developing systems to expertly prepare and repair structural steel throughout its lifespan.

The Standards

Evaluating rust and mill scale pre- and post-shot blasting is a must. It is important to clearly specify the quality of the surface prior to preparation as well as the surface conditions after preparation. As a result, 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 and widely used standards for evaluating rust and mill scale are ISO 8501‐1:2007 (based on the Swedish Standard SIS 05 59 00) and the SSPC (Steel Structures Painting Council). While different in some minor details, these standards are practically identical.

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Shot Blasting

Preservation Lines Deliver Multi-Step Surface Finishing in a Single Machine

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Complete systems for blast cleaning and placing a protective coating, preservation lines are extremely useful on plates and profiles that require multiple treatments.

For example, structural steel components are commonly processed by preservation lines because they are prone to rust quickly and fail with potentially catastrophic consequences if not covered with a suitable, protective coating.

Rosler has extensive experience preparing structural steel components for use in construction, shipbuilding, and the production of all kinds of heavy-duty vehicles, trucks, railway vehicles, agricultural implements, or construction equipment. We understand the importance of applying proper surface finishing processes to these components for safety and longevity.

Offering shot blasting, painting, and more in a single source, preservation lines are a great option for a variety of industries, especially those utilizing structural steel components including steel plates, beams, round bar stock, and tubes.

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Structural Steel

Structural Steel FAQ, Part 11 – Preservation Lines

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Structural steel components are prone to rust quickly and fail with potentially catastrophic consequences if not covered with a suitable, protective coating.

In preparing for use in construction, shipbuilding, and the production of all kinds of heavy duty vehicles, trucks, railway vehicles, agricultural implements or construction equipment, it is important to apply proper surface finishing processes to these components for safety and longevity.

Offering painting and shot blasting in a single source, preservation lines are a great option for structural steel components including steel plates, beams, round bar stock, and tubes.

In this installment of our Structural Steel FAQ Series, Rosler Metal Finishing will answer What are the key components of a preservation line?

Continue reading Structural Steel FAQ, Part 11 – Preservation Lines →
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?

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

turbine screenshot
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?

Types and Shape

Steel shot and grit differ in shape, appearance, and profile results.

Shot has a spherical shape similar to small pellets and creates a relatively smooth, more homogeneous surface profile compared to steel grit.

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