Grit Blasting Aluminium

Whether it’s for preparing aluminum wheels or metal surfaces to be coated, blasting aluminium is an important process. While there are many ways to go about grit blasting aluminium, certain methods may not be suitable for this application.

grit blasting aluminium should be done with an abrasive that has low iron content. This will reduce the chance of the steel abrasive particles embedding on the surface of the aluminium, which can cause corrosion over time. Common abrasives for aluminium grit blasting include walnut shells, sodium bicarbonate and glass grit. Other abrasives that are not recommended for aluminium blasting are steel shot and grit, which can cause corrosion of the aluminium.

In addition to the choice of abrasive, it’s also important to consider the method of blasting. Blasting is performed either wet or dry. Wet blasting involves using water over the abrasive in a pressure pot, and is typically more expensive than dry blasting. However, it does allow for a more thorough cleaning of the aluminium surface than dry blasting does, and can be used on delicate surfaces.

Another alternative to wet blasting is dry-ice grit blasting, which uses crushed dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide) as the abrasive. This is less expensive than metallic abrasives, and it doesn’t have the same risk of damaging sensitive workpieces. This can be a good alternative for smaller or more delicate parts that need to be cleaned for braze prep, such as medical equipment.