How to Decrease Abrasive Feed Rate
The abrasive feed rate is vital to the success of projects in a wide range of industrial applications. It’s a parameter that’s present in any process that uses abrasive media, such as grinding, abrasive blasting, and waterjet machining.
A lower abrasive feed rate offers plenty of benefits to businesses, such as lower costs per square foot, higher-quality surfaces, and less wear and tear on your consumables. These benefits are all significant, but how can you decrease the abrasive feed rate effectively? Learn about the correlation of the abrasive feed rate to your sandblasting practices.
What Is an Abrasive Feed Rate?
Abrasive feed rate refers to the rate, often expressed in a volumetric or mass unit over time, like lbs. per minute, at which abrasive particles are injected into the air stream in an abrasive blasting or waterjet cutting process. The feed rate directly affects the cutting efficiency and quality, as well as the volume of abrasives necessary to complete the task. Abrasive particles are fed through a metering valve, which determines your abrasive feed rate. The larger the opening in the metering valve, the higher the abrasive feed rate, meaning the more abrasive material is used in the process.
Other factors that may impact the feed rate include:
- Type of abrasive
- Air pressure
- Nozzle size
- Nozzle type
- Nozzle stand off distance from surface
- Nozzle angle relative to the surface being blasted
- Technique
The Importance of Achieving the Optimal Abrasive Feed Rate
Operating at the correct abrasive feed rate helps prevent issues in your processes, such as poor quality and excessive abrasive consumption. Decreasing abrasive feed rate is crucial in optimizing performance and efficiency during industrial operations, especially in:
- Surface modification speed and efficiency: An abrasive feed rate that is too low diminishes your equipment’s speed and efficiency, while the opposite can overload your system and deliver poor results.
- Surface quality: Lowering your abrasive feed rate to the correct volume helps achieve consistent surface finishes and a uniform texture.
- Equipment performance and longevity: An abrasive feed rate that is too high may lead to excessive heat buildup and cause stress on your blasting equipment. Regular occurrences of these issues might lead to premature equipment wear that can compromise its performance.
- Dust control and visibility: An uncontrolled abrasive feed rate may lead to erratic blasting, which may reduce your visibility, prevent proper dust control, and put the operator at risk.
- Cost-effectiveness: A stable feed rate prevents the premature wear and tear of your abrasive media, avoiding breakage while maintaining blasting efficiency. This characteristic contributes to the overall cost-effectiveness of your abrasives.
Determining the Correct Abrasive Feed Rate
Knowing how to decrease abrasive feed rate isn’t an exact science. Several factors are at play when determining the correct numbers for your specific applications, as mentioned above. However, some methods can help, such as:
- OEM charts: When calibrating the abrasive feed rate for your abrasive material, nozzle size, and air pressure, refer to manufacturer recommendations and adjust accordingly.
- Calibration tests: Perform calibration tests at a designated area using a sample of your substrate or material. Start with a low feed rate and gradually increase it as necessary. Listen to the blast and watch out for sputtering sounds that could mean an incorrect feed rate: the blast pattern should be full and low dust.
- Metering valves: Metering valves allow precise control of your abrasive feed rate. Set them up to ensure consistent and accurate delivery of your abrasive media, adjusting the opening to the optimal size.
- Performance monitoring: Monitor the correct air pressure for your nozzle size and chosen abrasive. Observe the blast pattern and check for even and consistent distribution of the abrasives.
How Superoxalloy Helps You Achieve Your Desired Results
Beyond the feed rate, your abrasive media also plays a vital role in the sandblasting process. No matter how much you calibrate your abrasive feed rate, if you’re not using superior-quality abrasives, it can be challenging to achieve your desired results.
Superoxalloy is one of the best abrasives on the market today. It’s an engineered material developed from mineral wool insulation that biologically dissolves if inhaled, leaving no traces in the lungs, unlike other abrasive media. Other key features include:
- Polymorphous particles: The particles in superoxalloy come in many shapes, making it suitable for various sandblasting tasks.
- Low dust generation: It creates a low-dust working environment that’s safer for blast operators and costs less to clean.
- Resistance to breakage: Superoxalloy contains amorphous particles that don’t have fracture planes. They’re strong in all directions and can resist breakage at blast pressures of 120 PSI or higher.
Achieve Superior Results With Superoxalloy
Maintaining an optimal abrasive feed rate is key to achieving excellent blasting results, and more so when you use superoxalloy as your sandblasting media. Developed for efficiency and unparalleled safety, these abrasives are the top choice among sandblasting professionals for their clean health and safety profile. Shop our superoxalloy selection or contact us for more information.
