Extrusion dies are a major investment, and every unplanned die pull hits output, schedules, and cost. The quickest wins often come from improving what happens between the press and inspection.

That is where the Vapormatt Cougar+ automatic wet blasting machine fits.

Wet blasting is ideal because it removes remaining aluminium and caustic traces, plus heat discolouration, leaving a bright, uniform surface that makes inspection and correction quicker and more accurate.

Why the Cougar+ works so well for extrusion dies:

Fatigue performance is critical for aerospace fan and turbine blades. Wet shot peening offers a proven way to extend component life while overcoming many of the limitations of traditional dry systems.

By projecting spherical media in a water slurry, wet peening introduces beneficial compressive stresses into blade surfaces. The result:

• Improved fatigue strength and resistance to cracking
• Greater durability under bending and twisting loads
• Lifespan extensions reported at over 1000% in turbine applications

Medical and dental implants demand surfaces that are clean, consistent and biocompatible.

That's why wet blasting, and specifically the Vapormatt Puma+, is so well suited to implant finishing.

Wet blasting is ideal for implants because it:

Surface finishing makes a measurable difference in carbide tooling. Our automatic wet blasting machines are built to deliver consistent cleaning, edge honing and coating preparation, with repeatable results and scalable automation.

If you’re comparing options, here’s a quick guide to our range:

• Puma+ Radial - Compact automatic platform suited to repeatable processing of tooling components.

Wet blasting has proven to be particularly well suited to medical and dental implants because it balances surface functionality with process control.

Key reasons it works so well:

• Controlled surface texture - Wet blasting creates a consistent, repeatable surface that supports osseointegration without aggressive material removal.

• Clean, contamination-free processing - The use of water suppresses dust and heat, eliminating the risk of embedded media or surface damage.

Carbide tool performance is often decided by what happens at the surface and the cutting edge. A small burr, the wrong edge hone, or inconsistent coating preparation can mean heat build-up, chipping, unstable chip formation and shorter tool life.

Wet blasting is highly effective at controlling those details reliably, at production scale, and without compromising tool geometry.

Typical applications

Endosteal
• Typical substrate: CNC-machined titanium rod / bar (commercially pure or Ti alloy); less commonly zirconia from a ceramic block
• Finishing issue: CNC tool marks + micro-burrs; coolant/oils; possible retained grit/residues after blasting
• Wet blast: Final clean + gentle deburr + uniform matte/microtexture; good flushing of threads / undercuts.

Composite materials are now central to defence and aerospace programmes, particularly for composite drone blades, aircraft propeller blades and helicopter rotor blades where strength, weight and reliability are critical.

But performance isn't simply about the material itself. It's also about how the surface is prepared before bonding, painting or coating.

When composite blades leave the autoclave, they are often left with a waxy, hydrophobic residue. This causes paints, lacquers and adhesives to bead on the surface, limiting coverage and reducing bond strength.

In aerospace, surface integrity defines fatigue life, reliability, and cost. For turbine and fan blades, wet shot peening by wet blasting has become the proven way to deliver stronger components and more predictable outcomes for both OEM and MRO operations.

Here's why wet shot peening is increasingly preferred to dry shot peening:

When applying paint or lacquer to composite components, the finish is only as good as the surface beneath it.

In sectors such as aerospace, automotive, marine and high-end industrial design, coating failures are rarely down to the coating itself. More often, they trace back to inadequate surface preparation.

Here’s how wet blasting improves coating application and long-term performance on composites: