Steel plates may seem simple and of no importance to someone who is not in their business. But real businessmen know their importance and that’s why they keep them safe and clean. These plates vary in their applications from steel industries to construction. To guarantee these big steel plates’ longevity and functionality, appropriate maintenance is essential. One of the best methods for protecting and preserving steel plates is shot blasting. This article aims to discuss whether shot blasting technology is appropriate for handling large steel plates.
Importance of Shot Blasting
Using compressed air, shot blasting is a process that cleans surfaces and gets them ready for a fresh coating or coat by launching abrasive particles. This technique is particularly helpful for removing scale, rust, and other old coatings from massive steel plates. Subsequent operations such as painting, coating, or welding need to provide better adherence and hence durability.
Real Use-Cases in Shipbuilding
In the shipbuilding business, large steel plates are considered the primary structural elements of ships, specifically the hulls. These plates often come into contact with hostile maritime environments, which cause surface degradation and corrosion. The steel plates are cleaned with shot blasting equipment before protective coatings are applied. It increases ship efficiency and safety while also extending the life of the plates. However, if you want to know what is shot blasting in detail, then visit the link.
Application of Shot Blasting
The construction industry also utilizes large steel plates for the framework of buildings, bridges, and other structures. To keep these steel plates in good shape, especially before painting or coating, shot blasting is used. For instance, construction firms employ air-blasting machines for more accurate cleaning and profiling.
One of the best examples is a bridge construction project in the United States where air blasting machines were utilized for cleaning the surfaces of steel plates before painting. Cleaning through the shot blasting process got rid of any impurities and left a profile that enhanced the bonding of the protective paint. This preparation step was crucial for the durability of the bridge and was able to last for quite a long time.
Pros of Using Shot Blasting Machines
The use of shot blasting machines in maintaining large steel plates offers several benefits:
Efficiency: Efficiency matters a lot in large industries where heavy equipment is handled and different processes are carried out. In this regard shot blasting is important to keep the rust and corrosion away from crucial components.
Cost-Effectiveness: Although the equipment and consumables must be purchased initially, shot blasting is more cost-effective in the long run because of the coatings’ longer lifespan.
Adhesion Properties: Greater adhesion between paint and coating results in surfaces that are painted or coated with greater quality and a longer lifespan.
Conclusion
One of the best and most practical methods for keeping big steel plates in good condition is shot blasting, which is used extensively in industries including construction and shipbuilding. Since shot blasting prepares a clean and profiled surface for the subsequent application of a new coat, this increases the overall lifespan of the steel structures. The following is a real-life application from the shipbuilding yards and construction sites to illustrate the importance of shot blasting machines in providing durability and reliability to large steel plates.
