Wet Blasting for Additive Manufacturing

Wet blasting, the perfect multi-purpose finishing process for additive manufactured products

Additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming industries across the globe: from aerospace and defence to automotive and medical. With so many production benefits, it’s no wonder AM’s set to grow by well over 20% per year for the foreseeable future.

Wet blasting (or vapor blasting) is the ideal finishing process for AM thanks to its ability to finish parts perfectly whilst cleaning the complex channels that are often a feature of AM components. Scroll down for a summary of the benefits of wet blasting AM components, to start with though, here are some of the benefits of AM that have made it such a success story for manufacturing:

AM aircraft turbine component

AM dental crowns

Complex DMLS printed component

Design flexibility – AM allows for complex geometries and intricate designs that are impossible to achieve using traditional manufacturing methods.
Rapid prototyping – Allows designers to quickly iterate and test ideas, accelerating product development and lead times.
Reduced material waste – AM builds parts using the necessary amount of material, in contracts traditional manufacturing is subtractive and involves removing significant amounts of material.
Manufacturing complexity – AM can produce complex assemblies as a single consolidated part, eliminating the need for the assembly of multiple components.
On demand manufacturing – Parts manufactured when and where needed, making AM ideal for low-volume production or customisation.
Cost-effective customisation - customisation of individual parts does not significantly impact production costs.
Reduced tooling costs – No need for the expensive moulds, dies or tools associated with traditional manufacturing processes. Upfront costs are reduced, and manufacturing setup is faster and more cost-effective.
Supply chain optimisation – AM can optimise the supply chain by reducing reliance on inventory and transportation. Parts can be produced closer to the point of use, reducing lead times, inventory costs and environmental impact.
Material versatility – AM supports a wide range of materials including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and even biological materials.
Innovation and complexity in healthcare - AM has revolutionised medical device manufacturing, prosthetics, dental applications, and patient-specific implants. It enables the creation of complex anatomical models, customised implants, and patient-specific medical solutions, leading to improved patient care and outcomes.

These benefits make additive manufacturing a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionise industries, enable new business models, and unlock innovative design possibilities. However, it is important to consider the specific requirements, limitations, and cost-effectiveness of additive manufacturing for each application or industry context.

Wet blasting offers numerous benefits when applied to AM components. It helps eliminate some of the limitations of AM making it more relevant to more industries more the time. This is how wet blasting can make a difference:

SLS printed component with complex internal channels

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The numerous benefits of wet blasting additive manufactured components

Uniform Surface finishing: Wet blasting helps achieve smoother and more uniform finishes on AM components. The process removes imperfections such as build lines, layering artifacts, and rough surfaces, resulting in improved aesthetics and texture. This results in components that are consistently superior in quality to die-case equivalents.
Control over surface roughness: Wet blasting allows for precise control over the level of surface roughness (Ra) achieved on AM components. In fact, wet blasting allows for more control than any other surface finishing process. By adjusting factors such as the type of abrasive material, nozzle size, blasting pressure, and dwell time, manufacturers can tailor the process to meet their precise requirements.
Enhanced surface cleanliness: Wet blasting effectively removes residual powder, support structures, and contaminants from AM components. This is particularly important for parts produced using powder-based AM processes like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Selective Laser Melting (SLM) or Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), as it ensures the removal of excess powder and improves the overall cleanliness of the part.
Powder removal from channels: Wet blasting is particularly effective at removing un-sintered or partially sintered powder from the complex internal channels that are frequently a feature of AM components. The wet blast slurry even gives a visible indication that the channel is clear when it exists the channel.
Reduced stress concentration: Wet blasting can help alleviate stress concentration points that may exist in AM parts. The process gently removes material from the surface, smoothing out irregularities and minimizing the risk of stress cracks or failures due to localised stress concentrations.
Improved fatigue performance: The surface treatment provided by wet blasting can enhance the fatigue performance of AM components. It can peen the surface transforming tensile stresses into compressive stresses to help reduce the risk of component failure in known areas of weakness and in so doing extend the life of the part.
Surface preparation for coating and bonding: Wet blasting can be used as a preparatory step for subsequent post-processing operations such as painting, coating, or bonding. By creating a clean and uniformly textured surface, it enhances the adhesion and quality of subsequent coatings or treatments applied to AM components. The process creates a ‘wet-out’ surface that ensures an even and complete application or adhesives and coatings.
Coating enhancement: Once an AM component has been coated, wet blasting can be used to ensure the coating is consistent and free from imperfections like coating droplets, to leave a uniform surface with an optimum Ra.
Coating performance improvement: The conversion of tensile stresses to compressive stresses by wet blasting, as mentioned above, can be applied coatings to help improve coating durability.
Material compatibility: Additive manufacturing processes can produce parts from various materials like metals, composites, and ceramics. Wet blasting is a versatile finishing process that can be tailored to accommodate these different materials, making it suitable for a wide range of AM components.

All of these benefits make wet blasting an invaluable process for enhancing the quality, performance, and functionality of additive manufactured components. It is important to note that specific advantages may vary depending on the material, AM process, and desired surface finish. Therefore, it is recommended to consult with experts or conduct testing to determine the optimal wet blasting parameters for a particular application.

Contact us to discuss how our world-leading wet blasting technology can help to transform your additive manufacturing operation.