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:

Aircraft wheels are some of the most highly stressed components on an airframe. Preparing them correctly for non-destructive testing (NDT) is critical for safety, reliability, and cost control.

Wet blasting is recognised as the most effective method for paint stripping and surface preparation of aircraft wheels prior to NDT.

What it does...

• Removes paint, coatings, sealants, and in opeation contaminants in a single operation

• Prepares surfaces before MPI, DPI, FPI, ECT and other NDT inspections

In high-performance sectors such as aerospace, motorsport and advanced manufacturing, reliable adhesive bonding on composite parts is essential.

Surface preparation plays a far bigger role than many realise.

Here’s why wet blasting is the best finishing process for preparing composite surfaces prior to bonding:

When reliability depends on what you can't see, surface preparation becomes critical.

Wet blasting is a trusted method for preparing jet engine components for non-destructive testing (NDT), delivering inspection-ready surfaces without the risks associated with aggressive dry blasting.

Why teams choose wet blasting for jet engine component NDT preparation:

• Cleans and prepares components in a single, controlled step

• Removes oils, grease, carbon, corrosion, oxides and heat scale

Composite propeller blades require surface treatments that are precise, repeatable, and material-safe. Wet blasting is the perfect solution for achieving this balance.

Here's how wet blasting is applied, and why it delivers clear advantages.

Key applications

• Surface preparation prior to painting, coating, or bonding

• Removal of old coatings, oxidation, and light contamination

• Uniform surface texturing to improve adhesion

• Cleaning complex geometries without damaging fibres or resin systems

Advantages over dry blasting