TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Why replace sand with metallic shot?
SHOT BLASTING PROCESS · ABRASIVES
Metallic shot vs sand — operational and economic advantages
Reemplazar la arena por granalla metálica en procesos de granallado es una decisión que impacta directamente en los costos operativos, la calidad del proceso y la seguridad de los operarios. Estos son los motivos principales:
1. Significantly lower operating cost
The sand consumption cost per square meter of blasted surface can be up to 14 times higher compared to G40 shot and up to 18 times higher than Sablacier shot. This is because metallic shot is recovered, cleaned and reused in a closed circuit — sand, on the other hand, is destroyed on first impact and must be discarded.
2. Elimination of silicosis risk
The free silica dust generated by sandblasting causes silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease. Metallic shot does not generate silica dust, eliminating this risk. In most countries the use of silica sand for blasting is prohibited by law.
3. Less dust generation and better visibility
Shot produces 3 to 5 times less dust than sand, which improves operator visibility in blast rooms and reduces industrial dust collection system requirements.
4. Higher quality and more uniform process
Metallic shot produces more homogeneous and controllable roughness profiles than sand. The operating mix remains stable and the result is more predictable and verifiable according to ISO 8501 and SSPC standards.
5. Less equipment wear
Sand is more abrasive than metallic shot on machine components — hoses, nozzles, couplings and blast pots. Using shot reduces maintenance costs and the frequency of spare parts replacement.