Blasting and Surface Texturing

Blasting chamber in operation.

Abrasive blasting produces a satin (matte) finish with no dimensional change of the blasted items. Blasting is performed to provide a non-reflective and cosmetically appealing surface quality. Minor imperfections such as machining lines and material grain are made less apparent by diffusion of reflected light. Reflected light diffusion is critical for applications in law enforcement and military tactical, optical, medical/surgical, and in many laser applications.

Shot Peening is a blasting process that produces a uniform compressive residual stress layer to increase product durability. Shot Peening increases fatigue strength for welded materials, springs, and parts subjected to stress in operation. Also known as bead blasting, glass bead peening produces a clean, satin finish, without dimensional change or contamination. For delicate thin-walled parts and thin welds, peening with glass bead abrasive material provides the right balance of stress relief without over-stressing or damage.