Surface preparation

What

is surface preparation?
Surface preparation is the process in which
the surface of work piece is been cleaned for
next process like painting, coating etc.

Why it required?
With proper surface preparation we can make the
work piece corrosion free.
With this process we can providing more efficiency
to next processes.

Types of surface preparation

Blasting

Water jet cleaning

Surface preparation

Hand & power

tool cleaning

Acid-cleaning

BLASTING
Blasting is a one kind of surface preparation
activity in which surface is cleaned by
Impacting of abrasives

Blasting

Blasting is a process in which abrasives are blasted

on the surface of work-piece.

Types of blasting
1) Wheelabrators
2) Air blasting

Blasting is most common & applicable method in

industry so blasting is most preferable in a heavy
engineering industry, shipping & fabrication
industry

Wheelabrators
Wheelabrators

are centrifugal blasts units Which is

mobile & fixed m/c types

Quality

is maintained by conveyer in fixed m/c. In

mobile unit traveling speed maintain good quality

Generally

recycled type abrasive used in this

blasting e.g. steel shots, grits

Wheelabrators
Maintain

a shot speed of 220mile/hour by rotor

speed of 2500 to 3500 rpm

Very
This

effective in a batch or mass production

types of process is most commonly used in

flat steels & long products in plate yard & ship-

yard

Equipments
Hopper

( blasting storage ):To store the abrasive

Blasting wheel with elect. Motor : Give kinetic
energy to abrasive
Screw conveyors & elevator: To movement of
abrasives for recycling
Blowing or suction unit: To clean dust & abrasives
from the w/p after blasting
Separator: To refine & separate abrasives
Dust collector : To separate dust particle & air
collect from unit.

Blasting m/c

Portable wheelabrater

Wheelabrator
Generally

this types of blasting is better result on

flat types of steel
This blasting is more preferably in long products &
piping also.
This blasting is generally done in ship yard.
Abrasives used in this blasting is always recyclable
e.g. steel shots, steel grits
This blasting is very effective in batch & mass
production

Does
Blasting

m/c should be proper sealed

Blasting operator, rigger & other work men should
wear safety goggles
While doing maintenance, proper safety device
should be operated while going inside the m/c
Leakage in m/c should be attended as early as
possible
Rotor blade, blasting chamber liner ,bolts
&conveyor sleeves should be replaced by periodic
time as per manual

Don'ts
Dont

bypass any safety limit switch while entering

in m/c
Dont mix wet abrasive in m/c for increasing the
m/c efficiency
Dont bypass the limit switch while doing operation
or maintenance .

Air blasting
-This types of blasting is also known as a manual

blasting. Abrasive is blasted with compressed air

- If Blasting done on 100 psi (7kg/sq.cm) it gives

100% efficiency then reducing 1 psi we get 1.5%
less efficiency .
-We can do this blasting on any type of surface but
very effective for a pressure vessel It is
-very effective in a job production

Equipments
Compressor

is used for giving the high

compress air 7 kg/sq.cm

Blasting

pot store abrasive & mix compressed

air with abrasives

For

removing vapor & oil Vapor traps is used

between the compressor & blasting pot

Equipments
Hose

convey the compressed air & abrasive

mixture as well as compressed air also

Nozzle

is the outlet of total unit from where

abrasive blasted on w/p

For

safety every unit should have a dead mans

handle.

Nozzle types
STRAIGHT

BORE : Which can generate the

speed of abrasive at up to 220 m.p.h and is used
for small or repair areas and softer metals.

VENTURI

: Which can generate the speed of

abrasive at up to 450 m.p.h and which gives an
even blast pattern over a relatively large area.

The

pressure at which the abrasive is delivered to

the blast nozzle can be measured by using a
hypodermic needle gauge.

Nozzle types

Air blasting

Air blasting
This

Blasting is called a manual blasting

blaster

moves & points nozzle to the direction of

w/p. So in this blasting more safety should be
provided.

Generally
This

this blasting is done for final painting.

blasting is suitable or any kind of w/p

Air blasting
In

this blasting, both type of abrasives recyclable

and non recyclable, are used

This

blasting is done in generally Heavy

engineering industry.

This

blasting is very much effective in job

production.

Does
Wear

proper P.P.E. for the blasting process for

safety purpose.

Always

use carbon impregnated hoses for

compressed air & abrasive mixture.

Blasting

area should be permanently or

temporarily covered while blasting.

Does
Keep

standard distance from the work piece

Proper

ventilation should be available when

blasting

Proper

dust collection system should be available.

Don'ts
Dont

do blasting in open or crowdy area.

Dont

start blasting without checking the safety

equipment.

Dont

work without fixed dead mans handle with

blasting nozzle

Dont

use wet abrasives for blasting.

Abrasive
Natural abrasive
Garnet,
Silica send

By product
Coal slag
Nickle slag
Copper slag

Specialty abrasive
Plastic shot
Glass bead
Abrasive

Agriculture
Coconut shell
Black walnut

Manufactured
Al.oxide
Silicon carbide
Steel grit/shot

Selection
Cost

Application
method

Availability
selection
of Abrasives

Quality
required

Material
of W/P.

BLASTING REQUIREMENTS
Blasting Report with Temp. Log
Contamination Level check
Blasting Shot Size / Recycling requirements
Blasting Process Controls
Humidity
< 85 %
Ambient Temp. < 60 C
Surface Temp. < 50 C
Surface temp 3C above Dew Point

It may very for the different customer or

application

Blasting grades
In

blasting system different grades are

given below
BS 7079 PtA

SSPC

NACE

Sa3

Sp5

Grade1

Sa2.5

Sp10

Grade2

Sa2

Sp6

Grade3

Sa1

Sp7

Grade4

Quality of blasting
Quality of blasting measured by two parameters
1)Degree of cleaning ness
2)Surface Profile
For measuring Degree of cleaning ness w/p is
compared with standard photographs.degree of
cleaning ness is depends on the surface rust grade
before blasting
For measuring profile following instrument used
-Profile needle gauge
- Micrometer dial gauge with replica tape

Rust grade
Rust grade designated A,B,C & D respectively, are
specified As per SSPC std.,Described below.
A) steel surface largely covered with adhering mill
scale but little, if any rust.
B) Steel surface which has begun to rust & from
which the mill scale has begun to flake.

Rust grade
C) Steel surface on which the mill scale has rusted
away or from which it can be scraped ,but with
slight pitting visible under normal vision

D) Steel surface on which the mill scale has rusted

away and on which general pitting is visible under
normal vision

Comparison

Standards of blasting
Cleaning

ness is measured with grade

e.g.Sa1,Sa2,Sa2.5,Sa3 As per ISO 8501

Profile

is measured in a micron()
e.g. 50,80 As per ISO 8503.

NOTE : There is no relation between cleaning ness

& profile.

FACTORS AFFECTING BLASTING

Factors

Abrasives

Size of Abrasives

Density of
Abrasives

Human Factors

Hard ness of
abrasives

Shape
of Abrasives

Speed of blasting

Angle from the

surface to Nozzle

Distance from
W/P to Nozzle

Time

TESTING FOR SURFACE

CONTAMINATION
Various

tests exist to determine contamination left

on a surface after blast cleaning. The
contamination usually consist of either
Hygroscopic Salts or Mill scale and the tests are as
follows.

1) HYGROSCOPIC SALTS

Soluble Iron Salts

Soluble Chlorides

2) MILL SCALE
Copper Sulphate test.

-Potassium Ferricyanide Test

- Silver Nitrate Test

CKECK POINT FOR BLASTING

OPERATION
Air

& oil filter shall be provided on compressor &

hopper.
Oil/Grease shall be removed from the surface
before blasting.
Abrasive shall be free from salt.
Slag shall not be recycled, and grit can be recycled
after ascertaining its quality.
Uniform pressure of 6-7 Kg/sq.cm shall be
maintained throughout blasting operation.

CKECK POINT FOR BLASTING

OPERATION
Abrasive

size and shape selection based on

surface roughness I.e. profile requirement.

Blasting

shall be permitted only when relative

humidity is less than 85% & steel temperature is
at least 3 degree more than Dew point
temperature.

Blasted

surface shall be free of dirt, dust and

abrasive material. This can be achieved by blowing
air on blasted surface or vacuum cleaning.

Prepared by : VPP

Wheelabrator

Air blasting unit

White metal blast cleaning

This

blasting called as a Sa3 or SSPC SP5 blasting

When

without magnifying glass surface should be

viewed clean & free from mill scale, rust, foreign
matter, oil, grease & dirt

It

should have a uniform metallic colour

Very through blast cleaning

This

type of blasting called as a Sa2.5 or SSPC

SP10 blasting

Some

remaining traces of contamination shall

show only as slight stains in the form of spots &
strips but visible grease, mill scale, rusting, oil,
foreign matter should be not visible on surface.

This

blasting is known as a near white metal

blasting

Commercial blasting
This

type of blasting called as a Sa2 or SSPC SP6

blasting.

In

this type of blasting without glasses oil,

grease,& dirt fully removed. most of the mill scale
,rusting, paint coating should be removed.

This

blasting known as a through blast cleaning

Brush of blasting
This

blasting called as a Sa1 or SSPC SP7 blasting

When

viewed without magnification surface shall

be free from visible oil, grease,& dirtbut poorly
adhering mill scale, rust, paint coating & foreign
matter.

This

blasting known as a light blast cleaning

This

grade blasting is not used for rust grade-1

Rust grade

Dead mans handle

LARSEN & TOUBRO LIMITED

HAZIRA WORKS
SURFACE PREPARATION & COATING REPORT
REPORT DETAILS

L&T PROJECT
NO.

EQUIPMENT NO: MV-RDZ311-C05

EQUIPMENT NAME: CRUDE COLUMN

DATE

45366

COATING CONTRACTOR(NAM E) : BLAST O PAINT

05-Oct-07

NO.
5

CONDITION IN WORK AREA

ITEM
NO.
1

ITEM PREPARED OR COATED

Externel surfaces of shell,

nozzles & appartances from
4th stiffner ring to bottom
tanline

20:00

DRY
BULB
0
C
33

62

DEW
POINT
0
C
25

23:00

31

26

67

24

31

1:00

30

25

67

23

29

3:00

29

25

72

23

29

6:00

29

26

79

26

30

8:00

31

25

67

26

31

10:00

33

26

60

23

34

10:00

32

24

52

21

33

12:00

34

26

53

23

35

14:00

35

26

49

23

36

COND.
REFS.

DATE

TIM E
HRS

25-Sep

SURFACE PREPARATION M ETHOD

Abrasive Blasting

01-Oct

PREP.
REF.

COND.
REFS.

A-E

PREP. STD.
SPECD.
ACT.
SP-10
SP-10

ABRASIVE M ANFG.: Hindalco Industries

INTERZINC-12

INTERTHERM-181

HD 4905
HE 5312
HE 5071
HE 5520

HA
HA
HA
HA

RH
%

SURFACE
PROFILE M ICR.
70

TYPE: Copper Slag

COATING M ANUFACTURER: Ak zo-Nobe l pvt.ltd.(INDIA)

PRODUCT DETAIL
ITEM
COAT
COND
NO.
NO.
REF
NAM E
BATCH NO.
1

WET
BULB
0
C
27

PREP
REF

F-G

H-J

STEEL
TEM P
0
C
34

TIM E
START
END
20:00
6:00

GRADE: N.A.

M ETHOD
TIM E
WFT
DFT
OF
ENDED M ICRON M ICRON
APPL.
Airless
10:30
--85
spray
Airless
14:00

180
spray

PREV.
COAT
DATE
--25-Sep

1) Salt contamination test: Test carried out using SCM 400 meter and f ound contamination 3.5 gm/sq.cm.

L & T

INSPECTION AGENCY