Pickled stainless steel, abrasively cleaned back to new.

Business Challenge

At General Engineering Company, even within our own manufacturing process, there are times when parts require cleaning due to failure or unique operating conditions. Fortunately, we have test blast equipment available for customer trials, internal testing, and access to an ample supply of cast zinc shot.

In this instance, a stainless steel “collar” used in our aluminum division—designed to assist in pumping aluminum—experienced extreme wear and periodic failure. As a result, aluminum adhered to its internal threads.

The aluminum buildup on the stainless steel component can be removed through “pickling,” a process that uses acid to dissolve or eliminate impurities (in this case, aluminum residue). However, after pickling, the part remained unusable due to heavy scale formation—until it was processed using Cast Zinc Shot.

General Engineering Company Approach

Utilizing our 36″ Goff table blaster and RSZ 850-ZA4 Cast Zinc Shot, General Engineering Company blasted the collar for 5 minutes at 60 Hz, projecting 144 lbs of zinc per minute to evaluate the results.

Project Outcome

The results were outstanding. The collar was restored to a condition comparable to when it was newly manufactured, with all scale removed and the internal threads completely unaffected.

By using Cast Zinc Shot, General Engineering Company successfully saved the component, reduced downtime, and eliminated the need for extensive manual cleaning and repair. This allowed more time to focus on production efficiency and continuous improvement initiatives.