Key Criteria for Determining Abrasive Feed Rate
Equipment Nameplate & Technical Specifications
Model QH34Z shot blasting machine: Nominal blasting capacity of 200 kg/min
DISA shot blasting unit: Single-unit flow rate of 350 kg/min
Comparable domestic machine: Requires a flow rate of 900 kg/min to achieve equivalent cleaning performance
Workpiece Characteristics
Larger surface areas and thicker mill scale (oxide layers) generally demand higher steel shot flow rates
Material hardness affects impact efficiency; high-hardness workpieces may need a higher flow rate or larger-diameter abrasive shot
Process Targets
Surface roughness requirements (e.g., Ra values) determine abrasive grain size and flow rate selection
Coarse blasting vs fine blasting: Coarse blasting usually adopts larger shot diameters and higher flow rates, while fine blasting uses the opposite configuration
Operational Recommendations
Upon initial commissioning, start at a low flow rate and increase it gradually until the target cleaning effect is achieved
Avoid over-feeding abrasives, as this raises power consumption, accelerates wear of spare parts, and creates unnecessary overload on the abrasive recycling system
Practical Operating Steps
Refer to the equipment operation manual or technical datasheet to confirm the machine’s nominal abrasive flow rate
Based on workpiece weight, surface area and surface condition, refer to similar application cases to set a preliminary flow rate parameter
Adjust the flow volume via the abrasive control valve while observing the resulting cleaning quality. Taking dust collector load and overall power consumption into consideration, optimize settings to the "minimum effective flow" — the lowest consumption rate that fully meets all quality standards.
