Bristle Blasting vs. Shot Peening
Shot peening bombards a surface with spherical media to induce compressive residual stress; bristle blasting strikes it with rotating wire bristle tips. Both cold-work the surface, and this 2014 study compares what each process leaves behind.
Download the full paper (PDF) ↓
What does the comparison cover?
The study looks at the surface characteristics that matter downstream: texture and profile geometry, the residual stress state of the treated layer, and the suitability of each surface for subsequent coating or bonding.
Why is residual stress relevant to surface preparation?
Compressive residual stress can improve fatigue behaviour, while tensile stress can shorten it. A preparation method that cold-works the surface, rather than heating or smearing it, influences this stress state. The paper examines where bristle blasting sits on this spectrum; the companion NACE residual stress study extends the analysis.
What should specifiers take from it?
That surface preparation is not only about cleanliness: the mechanical state of the prepared layer matters for fatigue-loaded and bonded applications. Read the full paper for the measured stress and texture data.