ABSTRACT

Abrasive blasting is the operation a of forcibly under propelling a stream smooth

of abrasive material

against

surface

high pressure to

a rough surface, roughen a smooth surface, shape a surface, or remove surface contaminants. A pressurized fluid, typically air, or a centrifugal wheel is used to propel the media. The first abrasive blasting process was patented by Benjamin Chew on 18 October 1870

Abrasive blasting is defined as an operation in which materials are cleaned by the abrasive action of any metal shot or mineral particulate propelled within a gas or liquid. It is a prescribed activity of environmental significance under Schedule 1 of the Environment Protection Act 1993 (the Act); these activities require a license under the Act. Abrasive blasting using totally enclosed automatic blast cleaning units, or those of less than five cubic meters in volume, is not included as a prescribed activity in Schedule

It is important to ensure that all practicable steps are taken to minimize the adverse effect that the noise emissions may have on the amenity value of an area. This responsibility includes not only the noise emitted from the blast equipment and generators but also associated noise sources, such as radios.

CONTENTS:
Introduction Abrasive materials Abrasive blast cleaning Types o Wet abrasive blasting o Bead blasting o Wheel blasting o Hydro-blasting o Micro-abrasive blasting o Automated blasting o Dry ice blasting o Bristle Blasting Equipment o Portable blast equipment o Blast cabinet o Blast room Media Safety o Worn look jeans Advantages Disadvantages Applications Conclusion References

1. INTRODUCTION: What is Abrasive?

An abrasive is a material, often a mineral that is used to shape or finish a work piece through rubbing which leads to part of the work piece being worn away. While finishing a material often means polishing it to gain a smooth, reflective surface it can also involve roughening as in satin, matte or beaded finishes. Abrasives are extremely commonplace and are used very extensively in a wide variety of industrial, domestic, and technological applications. This gives rise to a large variation in the physical and chemical composition of abrasives as well as the shape of the abrasive. Common uses for abrasives include grinding, polishing, buffing, honing, cutting, drilling, sharpening, and sanding (see abrasive machining). (For simplicity, "mineral" in this article will be used loosely to refer to both minerals and mineral-like substances whether manmade or not.) Some naturally occurring abrasives are:

Calcite (calcium carbonate) Diamond dust (synthetic diamonds are used extensively) Novaculite Pumice dust Aluminium oxide(Al2O3) Sand

Manufactured abrasives
Abrasives are shaped for various purposes. Natural abrasives are often sold as dressed stones, usually in the form of a rectangular block. Both
3

natural and synthetic abrasives are commonly available in a wide variety of shapes, often coming as bonded or coated abrasives, including blocks, belts, discs, wheels, sheets, rods and loose grains.
Bonded abrasives

Assorted grinding wheels as examples of bonded abrasives

ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING:

Abrasive blasting or air blasting is a method of propelling abrasive using a compressed gas (typically air) or pressurized liquid (typically water) as the propellant. There are numerous generic terms for this application usually related to the abrasive media in use; common terms include sand blasting, shot blasting, grit blasting, bead blasting and blast cleaning. The process of abrasive blasting began in 1904. It is used today to: Abrasive blasting can be defined as a process of cleaning finishing of materials by forceful direction of an abrasive media applied either dry or suspended in a liquid medium, against the surface of the work piece. Abrasive blasting operations applies abrasive material forcibly to a surface using pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure or centrifugal force. In addition to exposure to the impact of rebounding material, hazards related to abrasive blasting include the toxicity of the abrasive material and the surface being abraded.

This guide will review the Oregon OSHA code OAR Division 2 Subdivision G Occupational Health & Environmental Control 1910.94 (a) Abrasive blasting, as well as provide additional safety information to guide you in safe abrasive blasting operations.

2. TYPES:
o o o o o o o o o

Wet abrasive blasting Bead blasting Wheel blasting Hydro-blasting Micro-abrasive blasting Automated blasting Dry ice blasting Bristle Blasting Wet abrasive blasting

Common features include: the ability to use extremely fine or coarse media with densities ranging from plastic to steel, the ability to use hot water and soap to allow simultaneous degreasing and blasting, elimination of dust so silicacious materials can be used without worry, hazardous material or waste can be removed without danger e.g. removal of asbestos, radioactive, or other poisonous products from components and structures leading to effective decontamination. The process is available in all conventional formats including hand cabinets, walk-in booths, and automated production machinery and total loss portable blasting units. Process speeds can be as fast as conventional dry sand blasting when using the equivalent size and type of media. However the presence of water between the media and the substrate being processed creates a lubricating cushion that can protect both the media and the surface from excess damage. This has the dual advantage of lowering media breakdown rates and preventing impregnation of foreign materials into the surface. Hence surfaces after wet blasting are extremely clean, there is no embedded secondary contamination from the media or from previous blasting processes, and there is no static cling of dust to the blasted surface. Subsequent coating or bonding operations are always better after wet blasting than dry blasting because of the cleanliness levels achieved. The lack of surface recontamination also allows the use of single equipment for multiple blasting operations e.g. stainless steel and carbon (mild) steel items can be processed in the same equipment with the same media without problems.

Bead blasting
Bead blasting is the process of removing surface deposits by applying fine glass beads at a high pressure without damaging the surface.
5

It is used to clean calcium deposits from pool tiles or any other surfaces, and removes embedded fungus and brighten group color. It is also used in auto body work to remove paint.

Wheel blasting
In wheel blasting, a wheel uses centrifugal force to propel the abrasive against an object. It is typically categorized as an airless blasting operation because there is no propellant (gas or liquid) used. A wheel machine is a high-power, high-efficiency blasting operation with recyclable abrasive (typically steel or stainless steel shot, cut wire, grit or similar sized pellets). Specialized wheel blast machines propel plastic abrasive in a cryogenic chamber, and is usually used for deflashing plastic and rubber components. The size of the wheel blast machine, and the number and power of the wheels vary considerably depending on the parts to be blasted as well as on the expected result and efficiency. The first blast wheel was patented by Wheelabrator in 1932.

Hydro-blasting

Hydro-blasting, commonly known as water blasting, is commonly used because it usually requires only one operator. In hydro-blasting, a highly pressured stream of water is used to remove old paint, chemicals, or buildup without damaging the original surface. This method is ideal for cleaning internal and external surfaces because the operator is generally able to send the stream of water into places that are difficult to reach using other methods. Another benefit of hydro-blasting is the ability to recapture and reuse the water, reducing waste and the impact on the environment.

Micro-abrasive blasting

Main article: Abrasive jet machining Micro-abrasive blasting is dry abrasive blasting process that uses small nozzles (typically 0.25 mm to 1.5 mm diameter) to deliver a fine stream of abrasive accurately to a small part or a small area on a larger part. Generally the area to be blasted is from about 1 mm2 to only a few cm2 at most. Also known as pencil blasting, the fine jet of abrasive is accurate enough to write directly on glass and delicate enough to cut a pattern in an eggshell. The abrasive media
6

particle sizes range from 10 micrometres up to about 150 micrometres. Higher pressures are often required. The most common micro-abrasive blasting systems are commercial benchmounted units consisting of a power supply and mixer; exhaust hood, nozzle and gas supply. The nozzle can be hand-held or fixture mounted for automatic operation. Either the nozzle or part can be moved in automatic operation.

Automated blasting A fully automated blasting system usually includes contained surface

preparation and coating applications.

Dry ice blasting

In this type of blasting air and dry ice are used and with the help of a huge mass and air pressure the parent material is cleaned without destroying the properties of the parent material.

Bristle Blasting

Bristle Blasting is, unlike other blasting methods, a process not needing any blast media. The surface is treated by a brush-like rotary power tool made of dynamically tuned high-carbon steel wire bristles.

EQUIPMENTS OF ABRASIVE BLAST CLEANING 7

A blast cleaning set-up consists of just 6 main pieces of equipment with associate Accessories and abrasives. 1. COMPRESSOR You will require a diesel engine mobile compressor. They are rated on their air output cfm (cubic feet per minute) usually 140, 180, 260 & 350 cfm, and manufactured by Thelikes of Atlas Copco. Ingersoll Rand, Compair& Kaeser.140 cfm : The lower end of the scale. These are small, lightweight, easy to tow with a small van, easy to source and miserly on fuel. But you are limited to cleaning just lightly soiled stone, brick, steel and wood, and the cleaning rate will be generally slow.180 cfm : Firm favorite with one-man band businesses, my favourite size compressor, as Again they are light, easy to tow, fuel efficient, and not too tiring to use all day. Formidablewhen used with 14A blast pot; I have always owned this combination and have been able to Clean virtually every job I have encountered. Biggest problem is that they are quite rare and difficult to find, as they are too big for road repair gangs and too small for other industries.260 cin photo above) : Very popular with small/medium size businesses and hire companies. Weighing in at around 1400kg , you need a decent size van to tow. Can be used with any size blast pot and is fairly common. Makes rapid work of large areas of stone, brick and rusty or painted steelwork. Ideal for large buildings, allows use of long lengths of compressor and blast hose without losing too much power. 350 cfm : The biggest of the mainstream mobile compressors. For use where a seriously fast cleaning rate is required on heavily corroded steelwork. ships, bridges, structures, heavy machinery, etc. Heavy on fuel and cumbersome to tow. A few days use can be very tiring just about every muscle in your body will know about it! 2) BLAST POT Four sizes available: the 1 bag 10A, 3 bags 14A, 6 bags 20A and the 12 bag 24A. (Each bag 25kg). Each suitable for a variety of applications. Pots are supplied with manual controls (two on/off ball valves), or more commonly with a remote valve, controlled by the operator using a dead man handle at the end of the blast
8

hose. The CW10A (not in photo) holds just 25kg of abrasives, enough for 10 minutes of continuous blasting. Useful for small or limited access jobs, for snagging & touching up, fine detail restoration work, or in workshops for occasional blasting. The CW14A holds approx. 75kg of abrasives, enough for 30 minutes of blasting. Easily the

3) BLAST HELMET Available in many guises, an essential safety requirement to basically allow you to see and breathe whilst blasting. We stock the excellent Scorpion and Nova helmets. 4) BREATHING AIR FILTER which is a free standing large charcoal filter pack designed to remove oil mist, moisture and odors from your compressed air supply. 5) BLAST HOSE The 10A pot uses i.d. blast hose, and the other pots are normally used with a ten or twenty meter length of 1 i.d. hose with a two metre long 1 i.d. whip hose at the end.The whip hose allows for greater flexibility and easier handling. Blast hoses are made of very hard wearing materials.

6) NOZZLE Smallest item, but massively important in determining the final workface impact of your abrasive / air mix. There are three basic types available. Boron alloy: Entry level throwaway nozzles. Cheap and cheerful, dont last very long, and are designed for use in projects where management requires precise costing , or for the Occasional use blaster. Tungsten carbide/ silicon nitride: Very popular and versatile nozzles. Very hard wearing lining in a lightweight jacket, allows for excellent operator comfort and increased productivity. Good quality products will last a long time.

What size do I need? The size of nozzle you require depends on the output cfm of your compressor and the surface you are cleaning. There is an optimum nozzle for
9

each size of compressor to achieve full pressure (100 psi). There are however many occasions where you simply do not need full whack output. 60 or 70 psi is often quite sufficient for cleaning stone, brick or wood. The chart below is self explanatory NOZZLESIZE AIR (CFM) TOACHIEVE 60 psi AIR (CFM) TOACHIEVE 80 psi AIR (CFM) TOACHIEVE 100 psi 1/4 (6.5mm) 54 68 81 5/16 (8mm) 89 113 137 3/8 (9.5mm) 126 161 196 7/16 (11mm) 170 217 254 1/2 (12.5mm) 224 280 338 100 psi: Required for corroded or painted iron & steelwork, & to Remove millscale. To clean hardwoods, and painted stone& brickwork. 80 psi: Required to lightly etch steelwork, and to clean heavily soiled stone & brickwork. 60 psi: To clean lightly soiled stone & brickwork, softwoods, and To etch bright metals.

ABRASIVES There is a multitude of different abrasives available, and this isnt the time or place to delve into it all. Suffice to say that we normally stock just two types, which are affine, and a Medium grade recycled crushed glass, and they cope very efficiently with 95% of Jobs. Silica sand: is still very widely used because it is cheap and cleans most surfaces with great effect.There is massive confusion as to whether silica sand, ( A.K.A. kiln-dried and block paving sand) is illegal to use for blast cleaning. It is banned (wet or dry blasting) for cleaning so called articles, (ref: Factories act 1949 & 1961) which encompasses a wide variety of metal objects from small castings to ships. Amazingly, these objects do not include buildings and even bridges.
10

However, normal Risk, Duty of Care and COSHH assessments prevail, and the safest and most effective media available for each particular job should bemused in other words use something else , as you will almost definitely be breaking the law. loyee to use silica sand for blasting under any circumstances. Domestic use: Blasting with silica sand at home, whether in a cabinet, round the back of a garage, or in a big open space, is also a big no no.

Portable blast equipment

Mobile dry abrasive blast systems are typically powered by a diesel air compressor. The air compressor provides large volumes of high pressure air to a single or multiple "blast pots". Blast pots are pressurized, tank like containers, filled with abrasive material, and used to allow an adjustable amount of blasting grit into the main blasting line. The number of blast pots is dictated by the volume of air the compressor can provide. Fully equipped blast systems are often found mounted on semi-tractor trailers, offering high mobility and easy transport from site to site.
[Blast cabinet

A sand blasting cabinet

11

A blast cabinet is essentially a closed loop system that allows the operator to blast the part and recycle the abrasive. It usually consists four components; the containment (cabinet), the abrasive blasting system, the abrasive recycling system and the dust collection. The operator blasts the parts from the outside of the cabinet by placing his arms in gloves attached to glove holes on the cabinet, viewing the part through a view window, turning the blast on and off using a foot pedal or treadle. Automated blast cabinets are also used to process large quantities of the same component and may incorporate multiple blast nozzles and a part conveyance system. There are three systems typically used in a blast cabinet. Two, siphon and pressure, are dry and one is wet: 1. A siphon blast system (suction blast system) uses the compressed air to create vacuum in a chamber (known as the blast gun). The negative pressure pulls abrasive into the blast gun where the compressed air directs the abrasive through a blast nozzle. The abrasive mixture travels through a nozzle that directs the particles toward the surface or work piece. Nozzles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. Tungsten carbide is the liner material most often used for mineral abrasives. Silicon carbide and boron carbide nozzles are more wear resistant and are often used with harder abrasives such as aluminum oxide. Inexpensive abrasive blasting systems and smaller cabinets use ceramic nozzles.
1. In a pressure blast system, the abrasive is stored in the pressure

vessel then sealed. The vessel is pressurized to the same pressure as the blast hose attached to the bottom of the pressure vessel. The abrasive is metered into the blast hose and conveyed by the compressed gas through the blast nozzle.
Blast room

12

A blast room is a larger version of a blast cabinet and the blast operator works inside the room. A blast room includes three of the four components of a blast cabinet: the containment structure, the abrasive blasting system and the dust collector. Most blast rooms have recycling systems ranging from manual sweeping and shoveling the abrasive back into the blast pot to full reclaim floors that convey the abrasive pneumatically or mechanically to a device that t normal temperatures. Typically Hydrogen and Oxygen are used .

8. ADVANTAGES:
Abrasive blasting is used to clean the surface and round-off the corners. Work pieces with a cross-section of 2 mm or more are sand blasted automatically A surface quality of up to SA 2 1/2 can be achieved as per ISO standard 8501-1. This process removes scale caused by laser cutting and welding, rust, coatings and contamination, to achieve the best possible adhesion of the coatings. Full-power, medium-power or no sand blasting can be selected, depending on the material and level of contamination.

DISADVANTAGES
Machine cost is high. Skilled labours are required. Causes health hazards. High power consumption. It is a self destructive process.

APPLICATION
The lettering and engraving on most modern cemetery monuments and markers is created by abrasive blasting. Abrasive blasting can also be used to produce three dimensional signals. This type of signage is considered to be a higher end product as compared to flat signs. These signs often incorporate gold leaf overlay and sometimes crushed glass backgrounds which is called smalts. When sandblasting wood signage it allows

13

the wood grains to show and the growth rings to be raised, and is popular way to give a sign a traditional carved look. Abrasive blasting can also be done on clear acrylic glass and glazing as part of a store front or interior design. Abrasive blasting can be used to refurbish buildings or create works of art (carved or frosted glass). Modern masks and resists facilitate this process, producing accurate results. Abrasive blasting techniques are used for cleaning boat hulls, as well as brick, stone and concrete work. Abraasive blasting is used for cleaning industrial as well as commercial structures, but is rarely used for non-metallic work pieces.

SAFETY
Cleaning operations using abrasive blasting can present risks for workers' health and safety, specifically in portable air blasting or blast room (booth) applications. Although many abrasives used in blasting rooms are not hazardous in themselves, (steel shot and grit, cast iron, aluminum oxide, garnet, plastic abrasive and glass bead), other abrasives (silica sand, copper slag, nickel slag, and staurolite) have varying degrees of hazard (typically free silica or heavy metals). However, in all cases their use can present serious danger to operators, such as burns due to projections (with skin or eye lesions), falls due to walking on round shots scattered on the ground, exposure to hazardous dusts, heat exhaustion, creation of an explosive atmosphere, and exposure to excessive noise. Blasting rooms and portable blaster's equipment have been adapted to these dangersBlasting lead-based paint can fill the air with lead particles which can be harmful to the nervous system. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates engineered solutions to potential hazards, however silica sand continues to be allowed even though most commonly used blast helmets are not sufficiently effective at protecting the blast operator if ambient levels of dust exceed allowable limits. Respiratory protection in the United States is approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Typical safety equipment for operators includes:

14

Positive pressure blast hood or helmet The hood or helmet includes a head suspension system to allow the device to move with the operator's head, a view window with replaceable lens or lens protection and an air feed hose.

Grade D air supply (or self-contained oil-less air pump) The air feed hose is typically attached to a grade D pressurized air supply. Grade D air is mandated by OSHA to protect the worker from hazardous gases. It includes a pressure regulator, air filtration and a carbon monoxide monitor/alarm. An alternative method is selfcontained oil-less air pump to feed pressurized air to the blast hood/helmet. Oil-less air pump does not require an air filter or carbon monoxide monitor/alarm, because the pressurized air is coming from a source that cannot generate carbon monoxide.

Ear protection ear muffs or ear plugs. Body protection Body protection varies by application but usually consists of gloves and overalls or a leather coat and chaps. Professionals would wear a cordura/canvas blast suit (unless blasting with steel abrasives, then they would use a leather suit).

12. CONCLUSION:
Abrasive blasting is an amazing technology that is gaining popularity very quickly. The advantages of abrasive blasting far surpass disadvantages.The crushed glass can be reused up to 5 times before the grain size reduces below that which no longer gives the surface roughness required by NG. Disposal of the waste products, which is not considered as a hazardous waste, are easier to manage and provides reduced cost to operations.

13. REFERENCE: 1. Smil, Vaclav (2005). Creating the twentieth century: technical innovations of 18671914 and their lasting impact. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 978-0-19-516874-7.
15

2. ^ "BRIDGEPORT PROJECT / SOUTHWEST DIVISION HISTORY". Archived from the original on 23 June 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2011. 3. ^ 1919 Popular Science article on types of minerals found to be suitable for sandblasting Little Grains of Sand, Popular Science monthly, February 1919, page 64, Scanned by Google Books: http://books.google.com/books?id=7igDAAAAMBAJ &pg=PA64 4. ^ "OSHA Asked to Ban Silica in Abrasive Blasting". Paint Square. 11 May 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2011.

16