Abrasive Blasting is the operation of forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material against a surface under high pressure to smooth a rough surface, rough a smooth surface, remove contaminants such as graffiti and to shape a surface. There are various forms of abrasive blasting including sand blasting, bead blasting, oxide blasting, wet abrasive blasting and hydro blasting. Each system of blasting is used for its own particular application but they all use the same principles i.e. using high pressure equipment to blast a surface with a medium to obtain a required finish. Blasting can take place on site such as a construction site or it can be carried out in a factory environment where products have to be prepared for painting or plating. Fully automated systems are sometimes used in industrial applications for preparation and finishing of work surfaces. Portable equipment is used for construction site work usually operated by a diesel compressor system which is mounted onto a special trailer or lorry. Blast cabinets are used in the factory environment and are essentially a closed loop system that allows the operator to blast the part and recycle the abrasive. They are operated from the outside of the cabinet using two access windows for the operator’s arms. The blasting is then carried out by operating foot pedals while viewing operations through a viewing window.
