Mechanical shot blasting is used in the steel industries as a de-scaling process. Wire rods, carbon steel/stainless steel strips, sections, billets, bars regardless of shape or size are de-scaled. Low carbon, nickel, chrome, silicon and titanium steels, are shot blasted on a wide range of machine types designed to meet the needs of the individual circumstances and manufacturers requirements.
Due to recent developments in mechanical design, the rate of cleaning that can be obtained has no limit. In addition to the de-scaling process shot blasting is used as a means of detecting faults on the surface of rolled products.  The shot blasting process is also used for de-scaling of drawn materials such as bar and wire. Mechanical shot blasting has many proven advantages over acid pickling for the following reasons:

a) The blast surface is ideally suited for subsequent operation.

b) The finished surface is completely free of scale, dust content and chemical deposit.

c) Shot blasting although removing scale completely, does not remove any virgin metal and a uniform silver matt finish is achieved without blemishing the job.

d) Operation is simple, requiring the minimum of labour and control is by pushbutton and the machine is entirely suitable for installation in continuous process lines.

e) The floor area taken up by a shot blast installation is much less than that normally required for acid pickling.

f) Shot blasting is a dry process and there are no problems such as disposal of acid. As day-by-day acid disposal laws are becoming strict and municipal corporations are not permitting draining acid directly or indirectly in to common sewage. Furthermore acid can be hazardous to health of employees and may lead to corrosion attacks on acid tanks and surrounding equipment.

g) The whole operation is less expensive and cleaning costs are much cheaper compared to acid pickling costs.

On this basis, one can forecast in the immediate future an expansion of shot blasting in the steel industry as a replacement of the acid pickling process.

For information:
PATEL FURNACE & FORGING PVT. LTD.
A-2/510, GIDC Makarpura,
BARODA – 390 010, Gujarat, India.
Tele-fax: +91.265 643663
E-mail: patelf@satyam.net.in
www.pshotblast.com