A movable floor shot blasting machine is a type of shot blasting equipment designed for cleaning, preparing, and finishing large, heavy, or irregularly shaped parts. This machine features a movable floor system that allows the workpieces to be moved through the blasting chamber while they are subjected to abrasive media (e.g., steel shot or grit) at high velocity. The movable floor typically consists of a set of rollers or a conveyor that can move the workpieces at a controlled speed, ensuring even exposure to the blasting process.
How It Works:
Workpiece Loading:
- The parts to be processed are placed onto the movable floor. The floor is usually equipped with rollers, tracks, or a chain conveyor, which helps to support and move the workpieces through the machine.
- Workpieces can range from heavy metal plates, large castings, to structural components, making this type of machine ideal for industries where large or bulky materials need cleaning or surface preparation.
Blast Wheels or Nozzles:
- Blast wheels (or nozzles) are positioned strategically around the blasting chamber. These wheels project abrasive media (steel shots, grit, or other types of abrasive) at high velocity toward the surface of the workpieces.
- The blast wheels rotate at high speeds, throwing the abrasive media at the parts from various angles, ensuring that the entire surface of the part is exposed to the media.
- The number and arrangement of blast wheels can be customized depending on the size and geometry of the parts being processed.
Movable Floor Action:
- The movable floor system gently moves the workpieces through the chamber while they are being blasted. This movement ensures that the entire surface of the part is uniformly exposed to the abrasive media.
- Depending on the system, the floor can be adjusted for different speeds, and the workpieces may move in either a single direction or back and forth within the chamber to ensure thorough blasting.
Abrasive Media:
- The most commonly used abrasive media are steel shot and steel grit, but the choice of media can vary based on the application. The media is accelerated by the blast wheels and projected at the workpieces to remove contaminants such as rust, scale, paint, or other surface impurities.
- The media will bounce off the parts and fall to the floor, where it is collected for recycling through a recovery system.
Abrasive Recovery System:
- The recovery system collects the abrasive media after it has been used to blast the parts. Typically, this system includes a screw conveyor, bucket elevator, or vibratory screen that separates the clean media from any debris or contaminants.
- The clean abrasives are sent back into the system for reuse, making the process more cost-efficient by reducing the need for fresh abrasives after every cycle.
Dust Extraction:
- The blasting process generates dust and debris that must be captured to maintain a clean environment. A dust extraction system uses vacuum or filtration technology to collect and remove airborne particles, ensuring that the machine operates efficiently and maintaining air quality in the facility.
Unloading and Finished Parts:
- After the blasting cycle is complete, the workpieces are unloaded from the machine. The parts are now clean and prepared for subsequent processes such as painting, coating, welding, or assembly.
Key Features and Benefits:
- Suitable for Large, Heavy, or Irregularly Shaped Parts: The movable floor shot blasting machine is particularly useful for processing large or heavy workpieces that cannot be handled by smaller machines or conveyors. It is commonly used for cleaning structural components, metal plates, and large castings.
- Even and Consistent Coverage: The moving floor ensures that the parts are exposed to abrasive media evenly across their surfaces, resulting in a uniform surface finish and consistent cleaning.
- Flexible Processing: This type of machine can handle a wide variety of part sizes and shapes, from flat metal plates to more complex geometries.
- Recycling of Abrasive Media: The built-in abrasive recovery system ensures that the media is cleaned and reused, which helps reduce operational costs and material waste.
- Customizable: The system can be tailored to the specific needs of the production line, including the number of blast wheels, type of abrasive media, and floor speed, to achieve the desired surface finish.
Applications:
Movable floor shot blasting machines are used in industries where the processing of large, heavy, or irregularly shaped parts is required, such as:
- Steel Manufacturing and Fabrication: Cleaning and finishing steel plates, beams, and structural components before they are coated or welded.
- Foundries: Cleaning castings and removing sand or scale from metal castings after the mold is removed.
- Automotive and Heavy Equipment: Preparing large parts like chassis components, frames, and engine blocks for painting, coating, or assembly.
- Construction: Surface cleaning of large metal parts used in building infrastructure, including pipes, girders, and brackets.
- Shipbuilding and Marine: Cleaning large metal components such as hulls, propellers, and structural steel for ships or offshore platforms.
Advantages:
- Versatility: Can be used for a wide range of part sizes and shapes, making it suitable for various industries.
- Increased Efficiency: The movable floor allows for high-volume processing while ensuring even and consistent blasting, improving the quality of the finished product.
- Cost-Effective: Recycling of abrasive media and the high throughput of the system reduces operational costs over time.
- Automation: The machine can be integrated with automated systems, including automated loading and unloading, for reduced labor requirements and enhanced productivity.
Conclusion:
A movable floor shot blasting machine is an effective solution for cleaning and surface preparation of large, heavy, or irregularly shaped parts in industries like steel manufacturing, foundries, automotive, construction, and shipbuilding. With its ability to provide uniform coverage and its capacity for high-volume processing, it’s ideal for applications where parts require consistent blasting and thorough cleaning before further processing. The built-in abrasive recovery system and dust extraction help optimize cost-efficiency and maintain a clean working environment.