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Shot blasting

Before steel is hot dip galvanised, it must be cleaned of rust and other uneven/dirty particles to give it a smooth surface. Shot blasting is the perfect process to remove undesired layers or coatings.

Shot blasting fires a high-pressure spray of abrasive steel materials onto a rough surface to create a smooth surface. With an automatic loading and shot reclaim system, the process is incredibly efficient and fast to remove surface contaminants without chemically altering a fabrication.

A range of heavy-duty shot blasting cabinets are based at our sister plant in Medway (part of the Joseph Ash Group). Highly skilled operators use them to shot blast and strip all architectural and structural steel such as gates, fences, vehicle chassis, railings, sculptures, agricultural equipment, steel pipes, bridge components etc.

The cabinets are fully approved and meet all COSSH, health and safety and environmental regulations.

Shot blasting FAQs

  • Shot blasting is essential when trying to achieve a thicker galvanised coating. The British standard for hot dip galvanising (BS EN ISO 1461) states that if 140microns is required, the material should be shot blasted to sa2.5 using chilled iron grit.
  • When shot blasting with chilled iron grit, the steel becomes keyed, which helps the zinc adhere to the steel. Chilled iron grit is a better option than bead blasting as it creates a better key and a rougher surface.
  • Once steel has been shot blasted, it is important to hot dip galvanise it as soon as possible afterwards, to maximise its effect on coating thickness.
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