Bristle blasting
mechanical abrasion cleaning process
Bristle blasting is a mechanical abrasion cleaning process that is performed on metallic surfaces by a brush-like rotary power tool. The tool consists of sharpened, high-carbon steel wire bristle tips that are designed with a forward-angle bend, i.e., the shank of the wire is bent in the direction of tool rotation. During operation, the rotating bristle tips are brought into direct contact with the metallic surface, whereby the bristle tips strike the surface with kinetic energy that is equivalent to processes that use grit blast media. This repeated contact of sharp bristle tips with the target surface results in localized impact, rebound, and the formation of craters, thereby simultaneously cleaning and coarsening the surface, while exposing a contamination-free base metal.
Differences from conventional rotary brushes
The difference from conventional wire-brushing with an angle grinder lies first with the mounting of the bristles in the rotating brush. With a conventional rotary brush, the wire bristles are mounted rigidly in the hub, bristles sometimes being twisted or knotted in groups for extra stiffness. With bristle blasting, the wires are mounted resiliently in a flexible belt. As the brush rotates, immediately before contacting the work, rows of bristles are trapped behind a fixed "accelerator bar", which causes them to bend backwards in their flexible mount. As the bristles pass the accelerator bar, they are released to spring forwards. The extra energy stored by each bristle when being flexed backwards is added to its kinetic energy when released.
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