What is a Continuous Blasting Room?
A continuous blasting room is a machine used to prepare metal surfaces for painting, finishing, or other processes. The process is often used for pipe fabrication, automotive bodies, bridges, and large parts for ships. The process involves using a chain of compressed air-driven blast nozzles to clean the surface of a large part in one continuous pass. The blasting room also functions to contain the blast media and protect workers from the airborne material, which can be either dry or wet.
Continuous blasting systems are designed to cover large surface areas with repeatable high-quality results. What sets them apart from manual blast techniques is the material delivered with greater control and uniformity. The high-velocity blasting of a continuous blasting room can accomplish what would take workers several hours to complete by hand.
How Continuous Blasting Works
The preferred method of a continuous blast room is by shooting at a wall or surface that has been rotated in front of the blast. It is also possible to shoot at a fixed surface but it is necessary to adjust the nozzle’s orientation frequently. The nozzle device is mounted on a track that runs from one end of the blasting room to the other along with a guide system for proper movement and centering.
Depending on the material and design, the blasting room has a number of nozzle devices mounted to an adjustable o-ring roller chain that can range from 2-256 nozzles. The chain runs along a track and delivers the blasting agents exactly where they are needed. The blasting agents are typically aluminum oxide or steel shot.
Other components in a blast room include the air supply, a recovery system, and a correctly balanced exhaust system that can be used with a variety of media.This combination allows the operator to adjust the air pressure, media size, feed rate, and distance of the nozzle tip to the work surface.
Benefits of a Continuous Blasting Room
A continuous blasting room allows for more control of the environment, labor, and energy costs associated with the blasting process. The consistent pressure and accuracy of the blast nozzles yield a repeatable result. The dust associated with procedures such as grinding can often be avoided and the more efficient use of the blast media yields cost savings here as well.
A blasting room also allows for more efficient dust, grit, and paint removal as well as improved surface finishes for better adhesion. This combination of results is particularly useful for applications such as car restoration and repairing damaged concrete support beams.
Ultimately, a continuous blasting room is an ideal solution for high capacity production facilities. The consistent and repeatable surface finishes can be achieved while cutting down on the time and media used in the project. It also allows facilities to reduce labor costs, dust exposure, and reduce the cost of media replacement significantly.
