Like other people, you might be confused about the differences between sandblasting and shot blasting. Both terms appear similar but sandblasting and shot blasting are separate processes both involved in the overall abrasive blasting of metals. Their differences lie in the application technique that the material cleaning, restoration, and preparation industry use for applying abrasive material to products.

It is ideal to find one reliable metal finishing company that has zinc-nickel plating services, sandblasting services, shot peening services, and many others.

Below, I’m going to share the differences between both services that you should know to choose the right one.

What is Sandblasting?

Sandblasting refers to the process of propelling abrasive media with compressed air. This cleaning and preparation procedure takes compressed air as a power source, as well as directs a high-pressure stream of abrasive media towards the given surface. This is also a proven pre-finishing service that has been around for many years.

sandblasting process

Its equipment also has evolved uncontained, free-spraying streams of sand creating noxious dust clouds to the highly sophisticated contained enclosure with precise abrasive stream control. The media of sandblasting also changed from sand to more user-friendly materials.

What is Shot Blasting?

It refers to the process of propelling abrasive media material with centrifugal or mechanical force. It has different pressurising systems that are used for abrasive treatment. It also uses a device similar to a spinning wheel to centrifugally accelerate shot-like material and blast it against a surface.

This is also known as an aggressive technique compares to sandblasting. They are generally used for larger and more difficult preparation elements that need a strong application force and a denser media material for cleaning and preparing a surface.

Which is Better – Sandblasting or Shot Blasting?

There is no right or wrong answer to the question of whether sandblasting or shot blasting is better. There is a wide range of variables that are involved in the abrasive blasting treatment. The effective method depends on your chosen surface, as well as the type of finish that you want.

Sandblasting is a smoother and less invasive abrasion process. It also depends on the compressed air processor that you use and the abrasive media material that you have selected. While it is less forceful than shot blasting, it is much more forgiving.

Sandblasting is one of the great solutions for cleaning delicate electronic parts and connectors that have corroded. You will get several media options with sandblasting that cuts through surface contamination and leaves the inner part of the surface clean but totally intact.

Shot blasting is a great solution when you need abrasive penetration on denser materials. Where sandblasting is too gentle, as well as time-consuming for treating gears and shafts, shot blasting prepare thick and heavy surface like metal hulls.

It lends itself well to coarse abrasion media, such as steel shot and steel grit. They are actually heavy-duty media materials that strike into a surface to loosen rust or pollution.

The right answer about whether shot blasting is better than sandblasting is best left to the professional and what a customer expects. At Peregrine Metal Finishing you will find one of the best metal finishing service providers for zinc-nickel plating, sandblasting services, shot peening, passivation and many other services.