Sandblasting is method of surface cleaning by the action of sand as an abrasive material which is propelled at high velocity through a blasting nozzle by compressed air on to the surface to be treated.
The term "sandblasting" is commonly used in industrial practice, although the designation abrasive grit blasting would be a more comprehensive and accurate description of this cleaning process as a wide variety of differing abrasive grit media types are employed in addition to sand.
The choice of sandblasting treatment and the degree of surface abrasion should be predetermined in relation to the type of surface protection to be subsequently applied; anticorrosion paints, colour paint, adhesive primers, zinc coatings, synthetic coatings and rubber linings. Sandblasting as a method can achieve various degrees of surface texture finish.
The sand blasting method is also used for the frosting of glass and other decorative purposes, to remove lacquer or paint from wood, to clean plastic materials such as dentures and electronic components etc., as well for use in the removal of deposits on concrete, the cleaning of building facades, in the leather industry and in many other industrial branches in addition to the cleaning of metal surfaces.
