Steel Shot Blasting

Steel Shot Blasting is a high-velocity industrial surface treatment process used to clean, strengthen (peen), or polish metal surfaces.1 It involves "bombarding" a workpiece with small, spherical steel pellets (shot) using centrifugal force or compressed air.2 Unlike sandblasting, which uses mineral abrasives, shot blasting primarily uses metallic media and is almost exclusively performed within enclosed, automated machinery.3 The heart of a shot blasting system is the Centrifugal Blast Wheel.4 Acceleration: An electric turbine (the blast wheel) rotates at high speeds, using centrifugal force to hurl steel shot against the target part.5 Impact: The spherical shot strikes the surface, "peening" the metal.6 This action hammers out imperfections, removes rust/scale, and compresses the surface layer.7 +1 Recycling: The used shot falls through a floor grate, is cleaned of dust and debris in a Separator, and is sent back to the storage hopper to be reused (up to 3,000 times).8 While often used interchangeably, the shape of the media significantly changes the result: Feature Steel Shot (Spherical) Steel Grit (Angular) Shape Round, smooth balls. Sharp, random, crushed edges. Action Peening/Polishing: Hammers the surface. Etching/Scrubbing: Cuts into the surface. Result Smooth, shiny, and densified finish. Rough, "toothed" profile for paint bonding. Primary Use Stress relief (peening) and heavy cleaning. Removing thick coatings and prep for painting.9