Person grit blasting a cylindrical part in a grit blasting booth.

Abrasive Blasting

Reliable Grit Blasting and Shot Peening

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Abrasive blasting services that prep your parts right

Are you tired of:

Are you tired of coatings that chip, peel, and fail prematurely?

Surfacing your own parts without the ideal setup?

Person grit blasting a cylindrical part in a grit blasting booth.

Abrasive Blasting Done Right

At Pi Fabricators we know that you want surface prep done right so your parts can be ready for the next step in your process. In order to do that, you need a supplier with the right blasting equipment. The problem is not a lot of shops have the equipment or expertise to blast your parts right which leads to surface prep that risks harming the quality of downstream processes such as painting. We believe you should have a supplier that can blast your parts right. We understand the importance of good surface prep which is why we offer abrasive blasting services tailored to your needs.

Here's how you can get your parts blasted right:

1. Click "Request a Quote".
2. Give us a call or email us.
3. We will get your a quote.

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We know the pain of a bad surface finish

After seeing coatings fail from inadequate prep, excellent surface preparation became our non-negotiable.

To meet the stringent surface prep quality requirements of thermal spray we invested in multiple surface preparation technologies including a manual abrasive blasting cabinet.

Sketch of a tumble blaster operation: a blast wheel projecting grit onto small parts inside a rotating wire cage.

Tumble Blasting - How it works

Our tumblblasting is a high-efficiency mass finishing technique where parts are loaded into a rotating cage or basket. This rolls the parts effectively exposing every surface to a high-velocity stream of abrasive media propelled by a blast wheel. As the parts tumble, the abrasive shot/grit strikes them from multiple angles, scouring away mill scale, rust, and heavy burrs even in hard-to-reach crevices. For the customer, this thorough mechanical action translates directly to consistency and cost savings; because it processes large batches simultaneously with uniform results, while creating a textured surface profile that ensures superior paint or powder coat adhesion, or can be used to peen a part to increase its fatigue life ultimately extending the lifespan of the finished product.

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Red painted metal part on white background

Why Abrasively Blast Parts?

Coating Adhesion: Creates a textured surface for paint, powder coating, adhesives, and other finishes to bond effectively, increasing longevity and preventing premature failure.

Pre-Welding Cleanliness: Removes contaminants, rust, and old coatings to ensure sound, uncompromised welds.

Surface Profiling: Produces a specific surface roughness or profile for optimal performance in various applications such as anti-slip surfaces or cosmetic finishes.

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Side-by-side comparison showing a clean, uniform grit-blasted steel surface next to the same material with a rough, rusty surface.

Compared to Grinding Abrasive Blasting is More Efficient at:

Rust Removal: Effectively strips away corrosion, restoring metal surfaces to their original condition.

Paint Removal: Blasts away old paint or coatings to prepare for new finishes or expose the raw material.

Scale Removal: Eliminates mill scale buildup or scale from heat treating or other manufacturing processes.

General Contaminant Removal: Removes stubborn dirt, grease, grime, and other residues that standard cleaning can't.

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A multitude of surface finishes can be achieved with different abrasives

Need an aggressive anchor pattern: Crushed steel shot may be a good choice.

Need a peened surface to increase fatigue resistance: Spherical steel shot is likely a good choice.

Need a gentle clean of aluminum or plastic parts: Walnut shells could be a good option.

To name just a few

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Angle view of four Pi Fabricators harvester chain drivers, Made in USA. Tall aspect ratio.

Shot Peening to Increase Fatigue Life

With our equipment we can shot peen your parts. This can significantly improve the fatigue life of your steel parts by introducing compressive residual stress into the surface layer. Here's how it works:

Surface Bombardment: Shot peening bombards the steel surface with small spherical metallic, ceramic, or glass beads. The force of the impact creates tiny indentations on the surface.


Compressive Stress Generation: These indentations don't just leave marks, they force the metal to compress beneath the impact zone. This creates a layer of compressive residual stress below the surface.


Resistance to Crack Initiation: During regular operation, steel parts experience cyclic loading, which can cause microscopic cracks to initiate at the surface. The compressive stress layer in shot peening acts like a shield, counteracting the pulling forces (tensile stress) that tend to open these cracks.


Slower Crack Growth (if present): Even if a small crack manages to form, the compressive stress field can slow its growth. This gives the material more time to resist failure and allows for earlier detection during inspections.

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Person welding metal with sparks flying in a workshop setting

Pre-Weld Prep

Grit blasting serves as a critical foundation for high-quality welding by aggressively stripping away surface contaminants—such as rust, mill scale, oil, and old coatings—that are the primary culprits behind weld defects like porosity and lack of fusion. By creating a pristine, uniform surface profile, grit blasting promotes superior arc stability and deeper penetration, ensuring a stronger metallurgical bond. Beyond quality, it significantly enhances fabrication efficiency; it is far faster and more consistent than manual methods like wire brushing or grinding, allowing fabricators to move quickly from preparation to welding while minimizing the costly rework associated with poor surface conditions.

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Explore Our Integrated Capabilities

Fabrication

Stop letting fabrication delays and surprise costs derail your operation. Get the quality work you need, on time and on budget.

Steel compaction tube weldment for compressing plastic bottles. Explore Reliable Fabrication

Engineered Wear Solutions

Stop costly downtime. Our wear solutions increase critical part lifespan, leading to maximum uptime and lower maintenance costs.

Hardfaced steel sprocket weldment for a conveyor chain in the wood products industry. Explore Engineered Wear Solutions

Machining

Stop letting supplier delays and surprise costs derail your business. Get the quality parts you need, on time and on budget.

Large sprocket for wood products conveyor chain, with the 4th axis of a CNC machine visible in the background. Explore Reliable Machining