Since 1975, Protoblast has been at the forefront of designing and constructing air and airless blast machines. Over the years, we have gained extensive experience in various blast equipment designs and applications. Today, we are excited to share the culmination of this expertise with you through our most popular innovation, the Protoblast Section Blast Machine.

 

Our section blast machine is a versatile and user-friendly solution specifically designed for blasting steel sections before fabrication. By performing the blasting process prior to fabrication, we simplify the machine design compared to facilities that handle post-fabrication products in full-blast chambers. This approach enables a more thorough blast, assists with marking out and welding, and eliminates the tedious task of wire brushing, resulting in reduced labor costs and cleaner, dust-free environments. Additionally, it accelerates weld times and improves paint adhesion for superior results. Countless times customers have experienced significant increases in productivity in their fabrication process simply from working with clean blasted sections. Increases of up to 15% have been recorded further highlighting the superior return on this investment realized with this machine.

 

The Protoblast section blast machines are capable of blasting up to 800 UB’s and pipes up to 350 diameters. For flat bars and small structures, the machine can accommodate racks or other jigs, maximizing its utilization. The blasting is achieved through six open-type blast wheels, with four wheels having a capacity of 5.5 kW and two wheels with 7.5 kW capacity. Operating at a rate of 1 meter per minute, our section blast machine can blast large beams to class 2.5. In many cases, higher feed rates of 2-3 meters per minute are possible, albeit with a slightly lower blast class that still meets satisfactory standards. Taller sections up to 1200mm can be blasted in two passes, and the machine allows for the efficient handling of sections measuring 1200 tall x 350 wide.

 

To ensure durability and optimal performance, the entire cabinet is constructed from 500 BHN steel, with liner plates protecting high-wear areas. Rubber curtains fitted in the entry and exit vestibules minimize abrasive escape, while a dedicated “blow off” vestibule effectively removes residue abrasive from the blasted product. The machine features a pneumatically controlled shot valve for precise abrasive feeding from the storage, and fully adjustable shot pipes allow for customization of the shot pattern based on the chosen abrasive. To minimize wear on the machine, a proximity switch automatically turns off the shot when no work is present in the blast zone.

 

Our section blast machine incorporates a comprehensive spent abrasive management system. A screw conveyor collects spent abrasive from the vestibules and blow-off area, feeding it to an oscillating conveyor. This conveyor, along with the shot from the main cabinet, directs the abrasive to a bucket elevator via a ‘live’ large trash sieve, which filters out large debris. The shot is then raised by the bucket elevator to an efficient air wash separator, where fines and dust are removed, and the cleaned abrasive accumulates in storage for recycling. Dust is directed to a dust collector, while fines are collected separately in a bin. The system includes an access platform with a ladder for convenient service work on the elevator drive and abrasive cleaner.

 

The cabinet ventilation is ensured by a 2,000 cfm cartridge-type dust collector with reverse pulse cleaning. This maintains negative pressure within the blast cabinet, preventing dust escape, and simultaneously supplies airflow for the abrasive cleaner. The collected dust is safely deposited in a 200L bin for easy disposal.

 

To facilitate the smooth transportation of sections through the blast zone, our machine features a roller conveyor system. The cabinet is equipped with hardened idle rollers, while powered rollers at the entry and exit points have electric speed control. Our electronic speed control system provides infinite speed adjustments, allowing operators to achieve the optimal conveyor speed for the required profile. The speed control also offers the spare capacity to accommodate additional powered or idle rollers, typically supplied by others.

 

What are the next steps to take?

Get in touch with us and we can provide you with expert advice and guidance on how to get the best out of your abrasive blasting facility.

Give us at Protoblast a call on 1300 011 583 or complete our online form.