Over the years, shot blasting has become among the best alternatives for preparing surfaces or materials before further manufacturing operations. The shot blasting market is a testament to the demand for the service, with a value estimated at $7.89 billion, and is expected to grow by 5.20% between 2022 and 2029 to reach nearly $11.84 billion. 

The majority of warehouse facilities with dynamic forklift traffic movement tend to install shot blasting on their floors, making them suitable for both traditional and modern warehouses that require a cost-effective solution, but the issue of long-lasting durability is not a concern. This post looks at all you need to know about shot blasting and why you should consider shot blasting in your warehouse. 

(Best Buy Warehouse, Compton 2022)

What Is Shot Blasting?

Shot blasting is a practice where a "shot"- a small piece of metal- or other hard substance on a surface to clear any tough debris or contaminants. While it's commonly used to polish, peen, or clean metal in the metal industry, it has found its way into regular warehouses for various uses, such as improving aesthetics, toughness, and qualities of different materials. 

Shot blasting is often confused with sandblasting, but it's more powerful due to the size and speed of the pellets. The machines leverage a turbine blast wheel to accelerate the metal pellets toward the intended surface. While the turbine spins, the pellets are fed into the machine, which then launches the pellets through an opening aimed at the desired surface.

Due to high velocity, the pellets are capable of removing various depths of the material, depending on the machine's size and severity of the impact. In most cases, a depth between 1mm and 3mm is recommended to refine the surface for further processing. You don't have to worry about flying pellets because they are cycled back to the machine while debris is sucked into a dust collector. 

While the process might seem safe, you must take utmost care when using the machine. If the machine fails to recycle the pellets or suck the broken debris, they will be propelled at high speeds and can pose a significant risk to employees and warehouse equipment.  

What Is the Purpose of Shot Blasting?

The essential element of a shot blasting machine is its power, which allows you to forcefully remove even the most stuck paint coats, epoxy layers, or other debris. This makes the shot blasting machine a highly efficient tool that allows facilities to save time and money by preparing surfaces up to 75% faster than traditional alternatives. 

The machine also allows you to see surface defects once the surface has been cleared and can be used to smoothen the surface a bit. In addition, shot blasting is an environmentally friendly process because it eliminates the use of harmful chemicals and cleansing agents. 

Floor Prep for Epoxy Coating

Epoxy coatings on the warehouse floor are usually a significant investment which is why it's important to prepare the floor accordingly. Shot blasting machines eliminate loose concrete, scale, and debris on the floor before applying the epoxy. While you don't have to clean after shot blasting a surface, it's good practice to vacuum the surface to get rid of any missed debris, ensuring a smooth and even outcome. 

Remove Existing Paint or Coatings

Getting rid of existing paint or coatings can prove a challenging task, particularly if you can't paint over the painted surface. Thankfully, due to the high velocity of the metal pellets directed to the painted surface, shot blasting can remove existing paint and has seen major adoption in most warehouses. 

Floor Prep for Line Striping

Line striping is a safety measure that falls under OSHA regulations, meaning you have to be careful to ensure you meet all standards to avoid hefty penalties. The shot blasting machine comes with a blast-pattern adapter that regulates the blast width to guarantee an effective line stripe removal that doesn't go beyond the required striping width. 

Does Your Warehouse Need Any of These Services?

Ultimately, every warehouse looking for a cost-effective solution to prepare different surfaces and materials for further processes should consider shot blasting. While the process seems simple, it's better to leave the job to experienced professionals with the necessary tools to ensure the process goes smoothly. 

Our warehouse maintenance services at Empire Parking Lot Services cover all your shot blasting needs. Our services cover commercial, retail, and industrial facilities, meaning we are capable of handling any client request regardless of size. 

Contact us at 714-633-0300 to have our experienced team assist you with your next warehouse shot blasting project.