Wet blasting paint stripping: clean back to bare metal, ready for what comes next

Aircraft wheel with paint sripped
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A wheel that goes into NDT with paint still in the recesses does not fail inspection because the inspector missed something; it fails because the process upstream left them no chance to find it.

Wet blasting removes paint completely and consistently, including from complex geometry, recesses, and threaded features, leaving a surface that is genuinely clean rather than visually clean. Thanks to the slurry cushioning the abrasive, the substrate is not attacked, and the surface that emerges is ready for NDT, primer, or coating without further preparation.

The wet blasting process

How wet blasting paint stripping works in practice

The slurry carries abrasive at controlled velocity into every surface the gun reaches, including geometry that defeats dry blasting or chemical strip. Water in the mix moderates the impact, so paint lifts cleanly without the substrate being cut or stressed. Pressure, media grade, and blast angle are independently adjustable, which means the process can be dialled to strip a single topcoat or work through multiple layers without changing equipment.

Typical setup: paint stripping

  • Abrasive: Plastic media (Mohs 3.5 or 4.0), 20/30, 30/40, or 40/60 mesh depending on paint system and number of layers to be removed
  • Pressure: 3-5 bar (44-73 psi)
  • Guns: Manual or automatic, component dependent; wet wheel configuration available for rotational parts
  • Minimum recommended control: Temperature control (heater) and enricher required for consistent results
  • Variables: Lower pressure for surface cleaning without paint removal; higher pressure for full strip; blast angle ideally 40 degrees or lower; media grade selected by paint toughness and layer count

How Vapormatt controls the wet blasting process

Paint stripping capability: what wet blasting achieves

The parameters below are indicative and confirmed for the component types listed.

Component typeTypical size or weightProcess modeAchievable outcomeMinimum control
Aircraft wheelØ600mm x 265mmManualFull paint removal from all surfaces including recessesHeater
Aircraft wheelØ600mm x 265mmAutomatic (wet wheel)Full paint removal; 5 to 10 minutes processing per side, depending on wheel geometryHeater, automatic motion

In Vapormatt sample processing trials, a 600mm aircraft wheel was fully stripped of paint using plastic media in the WASP process on an R&D Lynx machine. Manual processing of the complete wheel took 30 to 40 minutes. Using a two-gun automatic machine, cycle time was projected at approximately 20 minutes per wheel. The trial was conducted for a US aviation MRO operator.

Wet blasting paint stripping is used across the aviation MRO sector and in defence overhaul operations; see the relevant pages.

Vapormatt PumaXL manual wet blasting machine

The right machine for your paint stripping application

  • Puma: Manual operation, suited to smaller and medium sized components
  • Puma XL: manual operation, suited to lower throughput and single-operator workshops processing one or two wheels per shift
  • Cougar+: suited to medium throughput with a higher level of process control than a basic manual cabinet

Contact us

Find out if paint stripping by wet blasting is right for your components

Talk to a Vapormatt process engineer

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FAQs

Will wet blasting damage the substrate underneath the paint?

Not if set up correctly. Plastic media at paint-stripping pressures is selected to lift the coating without cutting into aluminium or aerospace alloys. Pressure, blast angle, and water content all moderate impact energy. The substrate emerges intact and ready for the next operation.

How long does it take to strip a wheel?

In Vapormatt sample processing trials, a 600mm aircraft wheel took 30 to 40 minutes to fully strip manually. A two-gun automatic machine is projected at approximately 20 minutes. Actual time depends on paint system, layer count, and wheel geometry.

Can wet blasting handle multiple paint layers or tough topcoats?

Yes. Media grade and pressure are selected for the paint system. Tougher or multi-layer coatings use coarser media or higher pressure; single topcoats use finer media at lower pressure. The recipe is adjusted to the job.

How do we verify the surface is ready for NDT or repainting after wet blasting?

Visually, immediately after processing. Wet blasting removes paint uniformly from recesses as well as flat faces, so NDT is presented with genuinely bare metal throughout. For repainting, the surface profile promotes adhesion without additional preparation.

Does wet blasting require specialist operators?

No. A basic manual machine needs only standard operator training. For consistent results across shifts, temperature control and an enricher are recommended to maintain recipe stability between parts.