Wet blasting is an innovative industrial process that harnesses the power of pressurized wet slurry to clean or finish surfaces with precision and efficiency. This method, also known as wet abrasive blasting, vapor blasting, vapor honing, dustless blasting, or slurry blasting, offers a range of environmental and operational benefits over traditional dry blasting techniques.

The Working Principle of Wet Blast Machines

At the core of wet blasting technology are three elements: abrasive media, water, and compressed air. The process begins with a specially designed high-volume pump that mixes the abrasive media with water to create a slurry. This mixture is then sent to a nozzle where regulated compressed air is used to adjust the pressure of the slurry as it is blasted onto the surface.

Abrasives

Abrasives used in wet blasting can vary, including materials like alumina, ceramics, glass, resin, and stainless steel, which do not dissolve in liquids. Sodium bicarbonate, which dissolves in water, can also be used for specific applications.

Water

Water is a defining feature of wet blasting. It serves multiple purposes: it disperses the abrasives, propels them towards the workpiece, washes the surface, prevents dirt from reattaching, and cools the workpiece to prevent static electricity and heat damage. Typically, city water or industrial water is used, depending on the quality requirements of the workpiece.

Compressed Air

Compressed air is used to accelerate the slurry mixture of abrasives and water, applying it to the target workpiece. The pressure can be set within a range from 0.1 to 0.4 MPa, and the accelerated slurry collides with the workpiece at ultra-high speeds of 60 to 100 meters per second to perform the processing.

Mechanism of Wet Blast Machine

In wet blasting, abrasives and a liquid (primarily water) are combined to form a "slurry" that resembles muddy water. This slurry is projected by compressed air from a dedicated nozzle onto the target workpiece. The slurry is circulated from the blast tank to the blast gun by a blast pump, and using externally-supplied compressed air, it is projected onto the workpiece. The sprayed slurry is then returned to the blast tank, where Wet Blast Machine is recycled and utilized, keeping waste and wastewater levels low.

Benefits of Wet Blasting

Wet Blast Machine offers several advantages over dry blasting. The water-based slurry encapsulates particles, reducing dust and ensuring that abrasives do not embed into the workpiece surface. This results in cleaner, more consistent surfaces with reduced risk of surface damage and contamination. Wet blasting is also more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, as it generates less waste and requires less water than dry blasting.

Applications of Wet Blast machine

Wet blast machine is used in a variety of industries for applications such as cleaning, degreasing, deburring, descaling, and the removal of paint, chemicals, and oxidation. It is particularly useful for high-precision composite etching for bonding and is ideal for surface profiling, polishing, and texturing of metals and other substrates.

Wet blast machines work by combining the power of water and abrasives to create a slurry that can be precisely controlled to clean or finish surfaces. This technology is not only effective but also environmentally friendly, making it a preferred choice in many industries where precision, cleanliness, and sustainability are paramount. As the technology continues to evolve, wet blast machine is likely to become even more integral to advanced manufacturing and surface treatment processes.