Horizontal or vertical steel plate shot blasting

The horizontal pass CH-H can process flat plates and various profile types — angle, L, H and tubes — with a flange of up to 150 mm height (300 mm total). This versatility makes it the right choice for plants that process both plates and profiles on the same machine. The vertical pass CH-V cannot process profiles — if the process requires both, a separate machine is needed for profiles, implying a higher total investment.

The vertical pass CH-V is more compact and simpler than the horizontal, occupying less floor space. The difference is significant because the horizontal machine requires greater length to house the rotary brush and blower system downstream of the blast chamber. If available floor space is a constraint, the vertical machine is the natural choice. The vertical machine does require greater building height due to the upright plate position.

The vertical pass machine has a lower operating cost than the horizontal. The main reason is that the CH-H requires rotary brushes and blowers with higher installed power to remove the shot that accumulates on the top face of the plate — these components consume additional energy, generate higher maintenance costs and require periodic replacement. In the CH-V the shot falls by gravity without accumulating, eliminating the need for these components and reducing total installed power.

The horizontal pass CH-H can process two plates narrower than 1.5 m simultaneously, increasing productivity per cycle when plate width allows. The vertical pass CH-V can only process one plate at a time. This CH-H advantage may be relevant in high-output plants where the volume of narrow plates is significant.

In the horizontal machine, shot accumulates on the top face of the plate during blasting. The rotary brush and blower system removes more than 98 % of the deposited abrasive, but it is advisable for an operator to inspect and manually remove any residual shot before entry into the shop primer line. This sweep system does not exist on the vertical machine: because the plate travels upright, there is no possibility of abrasive accumulating on the surfaces, eliminating the need for additional blowers and sweepers.

The horizontal pass CH-H works preferably with spherical shot to facilitate removal by the rotary brushes — angular shot makes plate cleaning difficult and can cause accumulation in the mechanisms, limiting the roughness levels achievable. The vertical pass CH-V can work equally with spherical or angular shot, offering flexibility in meeting high-roughness requirements and angular-profile finishes that some paint specifications demand.

On the horizontal machine, the in-line paint system requires a conveyor with sawtooth supports to avoid damaging the paint applied to the bottom face during transport. These sawtooth supports can leave localized marks on the plate at the contact points. On the vertical machine, plate contact with the rubber rollers is minimal and localized — it does not cause scratches or marks on the freshly applied shop primer layer, producing a more uniform finish.