What does a media automatic feeding system do on a wheel blaster?

A media automatic feeding system is a metal box connected to the blaster by a pipe, using a small amount of compressed air to carry abrasive into the cabin as needed. A media probe detects when the quantity inside drops below a set level and triggers an automatic refill with exactly the quantity needed. This keeps the operative media mix consistently balanced between new, average, and worn media — more reliably than manual refilling. The operator checks the inspection window and handles refills at shift changes instead of stopping production. A half-ton big bag frame version eliminates packaging costs and waste handling.

What are planetaries on a tableblaster and why do they matter?

Planetaries are rotating fixtures installed on the tableblaster table that automatically rotate parts by 60 degrees with each lap of the main table. On a single-wheel tableblaster they improve 2D coverage consistency; on a multi-wheel tableblaster they enable full 3D coverage. They reduce cycle time by exposing different part surfaces progressively and avoid localized wear patterns in cleaning applications. The tradeoff is a reduction of 30-40% of available table surface and weight capacity. A documented example: with planetaries, a 2-wheel tableblaster processes 84 pieces in 4 minutes with validated Ra finishing. A die-cleaning configuration with planetaries eliminated the need for flipping entirely, increasing operator and machine efficiency by 60%.

What is the carbide blastwheel upgrade kit and when is it needed?

A standard blastwheel handles media up to approximately 50 HRC. When the process requires harder abrasives, a carbide kit is mandatory — pads and protections are upgraded with sintered tungsten carbide. The cost is approximately 5 times higher than standard parts, and the fragility requires careful handling by trained maintenance personnel only. The ratio also inverts: where a standard wheel normally outlasts 2 sets of pads, with carbide a set of pads outlasts approximately 2 wheels, so pads must be transferred carefully to each new wheel. The upgrade is cost-effective when running specialized hard abrasives at low wheel speed, where carbide lasting compensates its own cost over time.

What is the ceramic blastwheel kit (Zirblast) and what are the maintenance requirements?

The ceramic kit — based on Saint-Gobain Zirblast media — uses an adhiprene wear plate inside the wheel housing instead of standard protections. Ceramic media is highly consistent in size and weight per batch, does not react to fire or sparks making it extremely safe, and breaks before damaging parts. The adhiprene plate must be checked every 200 hours and replaced in approximately 15 minutes when worn. At wheel speeds of 30 m/s or below, a carbide kit can achieve near-zero wear. The main application benefit is OPEX reduction through media savings and easy inspection with a flashlight in batch/cycle machines.

How much can loading carts improve tableblaster uptime?

Loading carts allow a single operator to load parts — including heavy items like extrusion dies or tire molds — onto a sliding frame outside the blast chamber while the machine is running. With two carts, the operator loads the second cart during the blasting cycle and swaps immediately when it ends. This workflow can increase machine uptime by 60 to 80%, directly reducing cost per part processed. The tradeoff is floor space and a reduction in nominal table capacity — part dimensions and weights must be analyzed before specifying the cart dimensions.

What is the difference between a tumbleblaster skip loader and a feeding belt system?

A skip loader lifts a container of parts above the cabin and tips the entire bulk in through an automatically opening door. It is ideal when production lot tracking is critical — the container identity follows the batch. The limitation is cycle time: the container must be positioned, lifted, and tipped, and lifting hundreds of kilograms is not always accepted by safety standards. A feeding belt system uses a permanently closed door with internal flaps and a belt conveyor that fills a funnel above the inlet. A volume or weight sensor activates the belt automatically, so the next charge is ready before the current blasting cycle ends — waiting time drops to zero. It is the highest-productivity option, best suited for 24/7 plants without lot separation requirements.

Blaster Accessories, Pros and Cons.

Silvio Ruiu
Feb 19
10 min read

Updated: Feb 27

Here are listed some "optionals" that can upgrade the machine efficiency and safety, also they can impact how the operators handle the machine itself.

For proper integration, refer to our Compatibility Legend prior to any upgrade planning.

Improving Items for all the blaster layouts: Media Feeding Automation, Scrap Recovery System, Carbide High Hardness Media Option, Ceramic Media Option.

Improving Items for TAB TableBlaster: Planetaries, Moving Carts, Tumble Drum.

Improving Items for TMB TumbleBlaster: Loading Systems: by containers; by parts volume, Vibrating Channel Output, Same Container system.

General Blaster - Peener upgrades.

Media Automatic Feeding System.

it is a metal box connected to the machine by a pipe, where a bit of compressed air is used to carry the media into the blaster cabin to feed it while in use.

CM AE/170 volume 170 dm3 to feed automatically the blaster or peener. — Inside the red circle the box for automatic media feeding.

Pros: Operator will keep an eye on the inspection window, asking for new media only when it is necessary and accomplishing the task at the beginning/end of the shift instead of stopping production; this the human benefit. Blasting pro is an extremely consistent operative media mix operating inside the machine; if the process is steady and the equipment efficient, so would be the abrasive consumption, which is detected by the media probe. When the quantity of media inside drops below a certain level, the feeding system will fill the gap, automatically and with exactly the quantity needed. Inside the machine operates a mix made by a % of "old" media, a % of "average", a % of "new"; the automatic feeder - better than any human - keeps the percentages consistent and so the process consistent.

Cons: a small consumption of air is to be accepted, as well a slight increase of the footprint of the equipment to allocate the box itself somewhere close to the machine.

Booster: Using a frame instead of the box allows to use a big bag - standard size is half ton - straight away from the producer, saving packaging costs and wastes handling.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dust SuperHighway - scrap recovery system.

From the filter article, it is already clear why dust is an hazard bringing within safety risks and liabilities; a pipe to recover all scrap in a barrel/big bag would improve all the related issues.

Pros: Operator can handle all the scrap in the same location, with a convenient lifting equipment such as a transpallet or forklift instead of moving the bin below the filter, it is a huge improvement for whom is involved in the operation. Moving away from the equipment the scrap container means to increase the distance between a burning flame and a petrol barrel, the benefit does not need any further explanation, you move potentially dust from an ATEX/NEC high risk zone to a safer one.

Cons: It increases machine footprint, specially of done in the most efficient way using an auger instead of the compressed air to move the dust. It is possible to solve this issue if there is space on top of the filter placing the container below with installed an ATEX/NEC valve to separate the two environments. Partially the "distance benefit" is gone still it solve the footprint issue and the handling as well. To get the perfect balance local analysis is a must.

Booster: using the same big bag as the feeding system uses makes avoid wastes and spendings.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Blastwheel Carbide upgrade kit.

"Normal" wheel has the capability to work with media util about 50 HRC (Rockwell hardness grade), to go beyond - if the process requires it - carbide kit is mandatory; pads and protections are enhanced with sinterized tungsten carbide material, some just made by it - pads - some covered to the side facing the wheel.

Pros: capability to work with abrasives harder than 50 HRC, and in general really high lasting of these parts.

Cons: This "heaven" of lasting does NOT came for free; average cost of a kit is about 5 times higher; also high resistance comes with high fragility: if your maintenance team is not "careful" enough handling them it may land in a financial disaster. The wheel itself in general lasts 2 sets of pads; it is impossible to make it harder so using the carbide the ratio switches: 2 wheels for a set of pads, it means they need to be carefully removed and placed in the new wheel. Before considering them it is needed a good training and allow only the "best" guys to accomplish the task.

Booster: if the process requires some particular abrasives and is runing at low wheel speed, carbide kit makes the miracle to last really so long to compensate its own cost. Criteria are variables and which process is elegible needs proper analysis.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ceramic - Saint Gobain Zirblast - Blastwheel upgrade kit.

Feature of this media is the consistency, each box is exactly what written in the labels in terms of sizes and weight, so it is a huge help to accomplish standards; it has the effect of high HRC media but is fragile, so it broke before spoiling the parts, it is also not reacting to fire/sparks, making it extremely safe. Main issue is the price, the kit is made to have an adhiprene wear plate, extremely cheap, to be quickly replaced inside the wheel house. See below ⬇️

CM ceramik kit adhiprene wear plate new versus worn out while maintenance is ongoing. — Adhiprene protection new on left and worn on right while maintenance ongoing.

Pros: it saves the media reducing OPEX, easy to check with a flashlight in all the cabins working by cycles and batches.

Cons: it requires to be checked every 200 hours, eventually the replace is fast and can be done in about 15 minutes - even less; requires an operator that can accomplish the task to avoid bottleneck.

Booster: if running the wheel is running low speed, 30m/s or below, carbide kit can be "almost" without any wear.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TAB - TableBlaster enhancements.

TAB - Table Automatic Blaster - Single wheel specs.

TAB - Table Automatic Blaster - Multi Wheels specs.

Planetaries inside a TableBlaster.

Looking at the media pattern, planetaries are the option that changes the exposure of the parts automatically by 60 degree each lap of the main table. It works on a "2D" single wheel tableblaster and in a "3D" with multiple wheels. See below⬇️:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0s0F5JmORI

These Springs turn 60 degrees per main table lap to get consistency in shotpeening process.

Pros: Reduced cycle timing, exposing different sides boost smoothness on the surface treatment, this variation of hitting spots avoids localized wear in cleaning process. Appropriate shapes on the planetaries can make it a jidoka boosting standards complying.

Cons: this system reduces table surface available for the parts in a percentage about 30%/40%; reduces also the space available inside in terms of clearance and "steal" capacity in tems of weight; nothing dramatic indeed it should be considered by the process analysis.

Booster: Designing this tools accordingly with parts to process can improve productivity and consistency above expected, preliminary design analysis is a must.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3d planetaries for 2+ blastwheels Blaster.

Same system of the planetaries can be used in "3d" working machines, like the pics below⬇️:

CM T10 H750 with installed inside high capacity planetaries. — High capacity planetaries inside a 2 blastwheels tableblaster.

Purpose of the machine above is a cleaning after chemical hardening; by planetaries is possible to process 84 pieces in 4 minutes with getting a perfect, smooth finishing Ra validated.

CM T14 H1000 with planetaries inside to clean vertically extrusion dies without flipping. — Planetaries loaded by extrusion dies in a 2 wheels blaster.

Here on top ⬆️ a 2 wheels blaster equipped with planetaries designed to clean vertically extrusion dies without any flipping needed, machine and operator efficiency increased by 60%.

No any difference from the "2d" system above, it requires only a proper analysis to engineer the benefits; in this case an high capacity main table has been used to sustain the weight of the whole system.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Handling - Loading/Unloading cart(s).

Dimension count, weight even more; one of the easiest way to load/unload parts, like extrusion dies or tires mold, is using a cart, where a top part slides in and while a bottom remains outside of the blasting chamber; it is possible to get a sliding in/out part with built in planetaries too. A sample is shown below⬇️:

CM T10 ready with loading unloading cart to handle heavy weights like tire moulds. — Tableblaster with loading cart ready to operate.

Pros: it makes movements of heavy/voluminous parts easy in any context, an operator can handle alone the entire process optimizing machine and his own productivity.

Cons: it requires a "good" floor care, also it is space/capacity "stolen" from the nominal values of the main tables; dimensions/weights need to be analyzed carefully.

Booster: imagine how is possible to work having two carts or more: the same operator is loading the blaster and staring the cycle, then while the machine is blasting he can prepare the second cart to switch that one in blasting. Uptime of the machine can increase by 60% till 80%, reducing price per part processed consistently.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tableblaster Tumble drum.

This upgrade turns a "parts batch" blaster into a "small parts bulk" blaster, to give a more versatile application inside small shops where versatility is everything or where is acceptable a slower cycle in time to get a smaller CAPEX compared to a real tumbleblaster. ⬇️

Tableblaster equipped with tumble drum to process small bulks of smaller parts increasing versatility of a popular blaster among many small shops. — Tumble drum ready to operate inside the tableblaster.

Pros: Versatility and CAPEX reduction, giving the possibility to process small parts bulk in a machine not originally built for that, the drum can be installed/removed quickly accordingly with production schedule.

Cons: Longest cycle time, analysis required to understand the proper size of the grid to guarantee media outlet holding the smallest parts inside, lifetime may be limited and replacment/repair possible indeed easy as well.

Booster: if this configuration is planned to be used intensively adding a vibrating channel with media recovery system in the outlet can increase productivity till 50% and more.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TMB - TumbleBlaster enhancements.

TMB - TumbleBlaster specs.

Tumbleblaster loading systems.

The smaller size - 500 - can be easily handled manually, if the bulks of parts to process are not really heavy, i.e 3D printing or aluminum casting, size 650 needs analysis, size 900 and up loading system are mandatory.

Approaches are two, one has the bulk inside the container as unit, the other process the parts straight away:

1) Tumbleblaster skip loader.

The container with the bulk in it is placed above a platform that will be lifted and twisted to download the entire bulk into the cabin, where the door is automatically moved to open/close when needed; video below clarify⬇️:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFoBAW-0p-c

Pros: containers size can be the same used to handle parts inside the plant, allowing tracking for production lots. It is extremely safe if mixing production lots is NOT an option.

Cons: it is not the fastest system due to the container waiting on the flooe to be lifted, timing can be improved a little by movements process optimization within a limit, having a bulk of hundreds of kgs lifted in not considered a good practice by safety standards.

Boosters: if the plant is using a bar code system to track productiol lots, a bar code reader is the fastest and safer way to make sure the correct blasting/peening program has been loaded; it is possible to add automation to use the same container for the same bulk incoming, while in general the parts are transferred from container A to container B after the finishing process. See this upgrade.

proper analysis.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

2) TumbleBlaster feeding belt.

This layout has a complete door, which remains in place at all time, except for maintenance inspections and operations. Door is not a panel anymore, it is a box equipped inside with two flaps, twisting them it i possible to open the loading channel or the unloading channel while both flaps remain closed in blasting/peening operation. Above the inlet channel to the cabin there is a "funnel" that welcomes parts lifted up by a belt conveyor from a parking storage located on the floor level, a volume or weight sensor activates the motion of the feeding belt so as long as the funnel is empty it fill up itself, while the machine is blasting. The new charge is ready before the blasting/peening cycle is over so waiting time as per solution above shrinks to zero, with obvious benefit in terms of productivity.

[foto rca]

Pros: highest productivity possible, ideal for plants running 24/7 365 days/year and without parts change.

Cons: mixing of different parts is possible so would not recommend this solution where production lots division is a priority.

Booster: can be laced in line with manufacturing parts manufacturing like slugs punching or high speed aluminum casting, avoiding useless handling costs.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️

Vibrating channel outlet.

The easiest way to unload parts after the finishing process is to throw them into a vibrating channel by simply reverse the movement of the belt. Parts will advance by vibrations and lost all the media still trapped inside to get out from the channel clean and ready to be moved by a belt conveyor or a container to the next production step. Media is collected to the bottom of the channel and can be brought back to the machine manually or automatically.

[foto canale vibrante]

Pros: speed up unloading time even in manually loaded machine, optimizing productivity, the increase of the footprint is limited for a unit with loading automation.

Cons: increases equipment footprint in a small manual unit.

Booster: using a belt conveyor to the next step if possible would save human labour and all related costs.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Same container return.

It is realated to the skip loader as an upgrade to simplify and reduce the numbers of the containers moving inside the plant; it helps locations with production lots tracking not changing the container of the parts. After loading the bulk into the blaaster and while the finishing is ongoing, container slide to the outlet by a rail chain driven ready to wait the parts after the blasting/peening process, updating with a bar code reader the opertion as "accomlpished" for that specific lot.

Pros: it is needed for plants where production tracking is everything; reduces also the human interaction with the system itself slightly reducing Opex and increasing productivity.

Cons: Increases the footprint and limits the variety of the containers by shape/dimensions.

Mechanical compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Electrical/controls compatibility: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Compatibility chart explained.

The highest the stars (5 maximum) the highest the compatibility

Mechanical side: 5⭐️ means upgrades plug and play, once it is received just install it and it will work.

Electrical/controls side: 5⭐️ means there is no job required at all, descending the number means an higher integration needed and feasability should be verified in advance.

To avoid any waste in terms of waste and money a proper enginnering analysis should be done in advance.

General blaster components summary:

Wheel blaster, how is made. general overview
Closed blaster cabinets. layouts of most common equipment running on cycle time.
Open blaster cabinets. layouts of most common equipment running on cycle time.
Wheel Blaster Elevator. how it works and how to fix common issues.
Media Washer. How it works and how to set it up.
Blaster Filter house. How it works and common issues.
Blaster Control panel. How to keep it efficient and long lasting.
Blaster accessories and ancillaries. How simple items can improve quality - This post.
Media, the fuel of the blaster. General overview and features of media types.

Home. The LEAN method. The Equipment. About me.

Beyond
Surface Treatment,
Surface Engineering.

Blaster Accessories, Pros and Cons.