SERVICES
Abrasive Blasting
Commonly referred to as sand/shot blasting, Abrasive Blasting is the operation of forcibly propelling a stream of abrasive material against a surface under high pressure.
The process is used to remove paint and other surface contaminants and there are several variants of the process, using various media. Some of these processes are highly abrasive, whereas others are milder.
The blasting systems typically include three essential components, as follows:
- Abrasive container (blasting pot)
- Propelling device
- Blasting nozzle
The advantage of the procedure is that it keeps the surface intact, while everything else is removed. There are two main types of blasting: dry and wet. The type of abrasive used in a particular application is usually specific to the blasting method. Dry blasting is usually done with the following:
- Sand
- Metallic grit
- Shot
- Aluminum oxide
- Silicon carbide
Wet blasters are operated with:
- Sand
- Glass beads
- Other materials that remain suspended in water
The exact equipment used depends, to a large extent, on the specific application and type of abrasive. Common applications are engravings for monuments and buildings and cleaning boat hulls, etc.
Powder Coating
Powder coating is one of the most popular forms of surface finishing for the high quality diecastings which we produce at Blast N Prep. The process involves spraying coloured dry powder, a mixture of pigment and resin, from a highly controllable gun towards the intended surface. The powder and part-to-be-coated are oppositely electrostatically charged, making them attracted to each other. This charge results in the powder sticking to the surface, in a very even layer that is thicker than most traditional paint applications. The nature of the powder coating process and application means that the coating gets applied evenly and into all the hard to reach areas.
The powder coated part is then placed into an oven to cure. The polymer resin within the powder begins to adhere with heat on the surface of the part, resulting in a thick coating that is incredibly durable compared to other surface finishes.
Powder coating is the perfect finishing method for when a part needs a solid and durable finish, resistant to impact and abrasion.
Powder coating can be done in a any colour, and number of different finishes from gloss, metallic, flat, pearlescent etc. Powder coating can even come with special properties such as anti-bacterial for medical applications, or anti-graffiti for outdoor use.
However, powder coating does have its limitations. The thick coating that makes it so durable, makes it difficult to use on parts that require tight tolerances. Areas of the part can be masked off to preserve the manufactured dimensions (similar to paint), but this is a labour intensive process and increases costs.
Powder coating is, without doubt, one of the best finishing processes for casted metal parts available on the market. It yields a high quality yet durable finish that protects the parts from abrasion, corrosion and impact, with a wide variety of colour and finish options.
Wet Coating
Traditional (wet) coating with liquid paints is mainly used for:
- coating of products made of synthetic materials;
- coating of metal products, where the paint film has to be really thin;
- coating of metal façade elements in non-standard paints, where the production of powder coating is not economical (small quantities) or the time limit is inadequate;
- coating of metal products, where the final mechanical treatment is done before coating and products need to be masked, such as bearings;
- coating of metal products, materials which are not resistant to the temperatures of powder coating.
Traditional spray guns, electrostatic spray guns and a special electrostatic gun for varnishes with metallic particles are used in coating.
Coats we use are:
- solvent-based one-component paints, air- or oven-drying,
- solvent-based two-component paints, air-drying,
- water-based and eco-friendly paints, air- or oven-drying.
Automotive restoration
Over the years, we’ve gained a vast experience on restoration of all types of vehicles
Batch work
When a customer requires a large amount of parts to be blasted and coated, we make the adequate fixtures to make sure we process them in the most effective way and with the best quality.
Hawthorne Tree Works,
405 Broad Ln,
Coventry CV5 7AX,
United Kingdom
+44 24 7669 5403