FAQ's

Abrasive blasting, in a nutshell, is the use of abrasive media such as Garnet & Steel Grit, propelled at high speed to clean or prepare a surface for either inspection or a coating. The abrasive is usually propelled by compressed air but in the case of a Wheel Machine, it is propelled by the centrifugal force of a spinning wheel.

The most common reason for the need to abrasive blast a surface is to prepare the surface for a coating. Most paint companies, when providing warranties, require the surface to be prepared to a certain specification, which is obtained by abrasive blasting. So, the main benefits are the ability to provide your customer with the paint warranty and also a higher quality product.

This is a good question as many companies outsource their blasting to blasting and painting companies. Of course, this is viable up to a certain point and then after that it’s more efficient to bring it in-house. Where that point is, is different for each company and is sometimes hard to determine. What experience has taught us here at Protoblast, is that one of the main issues with outsourcing is customers not having any control over lead-times. Bringing this process in-house gives the company ultimate control from start to finish. Also, we have found that what you spend on outsourcing blasting and the cost of the logistics is almost equal. So, if you were spending $50,000.00 per month on blasting, the logistics for that would be very close to $50,000.00 per month.

No. They can be called Blast Chambers, Blast Booths, Blast Cabinets, Blast Room, Blast Sheds etc. It all means the same, we’ll know what you are talking about.

This is a very important question as dust collection or dust control is extremely important when abrasive blasting, as a large amount of dust is generated by this process. Protoblast dust collectors have been designed and built specifically for the abrasive blasting industry and the harsh environment that they are required to operate in. The standard filters we use have a filtration efficiency of MERV 10 as per ASHRAE 52.2-2007. The filters are positioned horizontally for ease of removal and better cleaning. Protoblast Dust Collectors are fitted with reverse pulse systems that measure the restriction across the filters and send pulses of compressed air in the reverse direction through the filters dislodging dust and prolonging filter life. Our dust collectors are sized to the individual blast chamber to ensure adequate ventilation whilst remaining efficient as the dust collector fan is typically the biggest user of power in the abrasive blasting system. We highly recommend using a variable speed drive (VSD) to run large dust collector fans as these provide great power savings and are better for motor life.

Yes, and extremely efficiently. The Protoblast wheel machine is very efficient for removing rust from the surface of steel. Wheel machines are built specifically for your need, so get in touch with us to see how we can help you to prepare the surface on your product.

It will help your profitability which is very important to most businesses. Abrasive is the most important part of abrasive blasting and is a large part of the cost, so any savings in the consumption of abrasive will directly affect your bottom line. We often get customers saying, “oh yes I recycle my abrasive, I shovel it back in the blast pot and get another couple of uses out of it”. This is ok but we know that putting used abrasive back in the blast system will cause excess dust and extensive wear on the valves and nozzle. Dust and fines not only wear out valves and nozzles but also use a lot more energy from the compressed air and decrease efficiency greatly. So, unless you are only blasting a very small amount, recycling your abrasive through a suitable abrasive cleaning system, like the Protoblast Abrasive Classifier, is a no brainer.

Click here to download a pdf that explains the advantages of the Protoblast dust collector.

Yes, we have sold many second hand units over the years. We are constantly looking for more available equipment but usually blasting systems and equipment are installed for decades.

A sandblaster can mean many things, but typically a sandblaster is used for cleaning and preparing a surface for a coating or inspection.

Customers often ask if we can provide finance. Unfortunately, we are not a bank, but we have helped many customers find a suitable finance provider who we are confident will provide a great service.

We at Protoblast are well known for our after sales support and customer orientated service. The great advantage of the Protoblast system is that it is made locally so we keep all spare parts in stock. Perhaps the best testament to the level of commitment to the after sales service and support is the fact we have machines that are 30+ years old that are still in service.

Yes, as with all equipment that is considered a high-risk operation, it’s necessary to provide a SOP with the equipment.

Most of our customers are in Australia and New Zealand and we are committed to serving customers no matter where the location. We have also supplied and installed in Papua New Guinea, UAE, Indonesia and USA, with these distances being no problem.

We charge travel time for service work, but we provide free consultation visits in the sales process

The Protoblast Advantage is that our systems are efficient and user friendly, which will provide significant cost and time savings. See our Case Studies or give us a call and we will show you how we can help save money in your business.