Applied Chemical Engineering

Impact of abrasive material, spraying pressure, and nozzle angle on roughness of ASTM A36 steel in sandblasting processes

Riky Stepanus Situmorang

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia; Material Failure Analysis at Tropical Area Research Centre (MAFATA-RC), Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia

Novin Haritsyah

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia; Material Failure Analysis at Tropical Area Research Centre (MAFATA-RC), Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia

James Haryanto

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia; Material Failure Analysis at Tropical Area Research Centre (MAFATA-RC), Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia

Hendrik Voice Sihombing

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, 20155, Indonesia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/ace.v9i2.5924

Keywords: sandblasting; abrasive media; spraying pressure; surface roughness

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Abstract

Sandblasting is a surface treatment process in which abrasive particles are propelled at high speed toward a material’s surface to remove contaminants such as dust, paint, rust, and oil, producing a clean, rough texture. This study investigates the influence of spraying pressure, abrasive media type, and nozzle angle on the surface roughness of ASTM A36 steel. The experiment compared sandblasting results using aluminium oxide grit 60 and silica grit 60 at pressures of 5 bar and 7 bar, with firing angles of 45° and 90°. Surface roughness was measured using a roughness tester, and surface morphology was analyzed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The highest average roughness (Ra) for aluminium oxide was 3.819 μm at a 90° angle and 7 bar pressure, while the lowest was 2.593 μm at 45° and 5 bar. For silica abrasives, the maximum Ra was 3.651 μm under 90°–7 bar conditions, and the minimum was 2.650 μm at 45°–5 bar. These results confirm that higher pressure and perpendicular firing angles generally produce rougher surfaces due to greater abrasive energy transfer. Overall, the findings indicate that spraying pressure, firing angle, and abrasive media type significantly affect surface roughness, providing valuable insights for optimizing sandblasting parameters in industrial surface preparation.

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