Compressor for soft blasting

Soft blasting (known in France as aérogommage) strips gently: a fine abrasive, projected at low or medium pressure, removes paint, rust, graffiti or grime without digging into the surface. It is used on wood, stone, brick, metal, classic vehicles, shutters and façades. The blasting machine meters the abrasive, but the compressor does all the work: without enough air, the pressure drops at the nozzle and the job stops moving.

Air flow comes first

A soft blasting machine consumes air continuously, without a break. The right compressor is therefore chosen on its real air flow at working pressure, not on its power alone. That flow depends mainly on the nozzle diameter: the bigger the nozzle, the more air it uses. A nozzle also widens as it wears, and its consumption rises over time.

Use the consumption given by your blasting machine's manufacturer for the nozzle you use. Add a margin for nozzle wear and a possible blow gun. Our flow and pressure converter switches between L/min and m³/min, and between bar and psi.

Pressure, set to suit the surface

Soft blasting works over a wide pressure range: low on softwood, sandstone or fragile surfaces, higher on metal or thick coatings. The compressor must hold the highest pressure you need, with the matching flow. A compressor set to 8 bar covers most uses, with the machine's regulator then bringing the pressure down to the level required.

Dry air, or the abrasive sticks

Water in compressed air is the enemy of dry soft blasting. Damp abrasive clumps, blocks the metering valve and comes out in bursts. On bare steel, moisture also brings back a thin film of rust. A refrigerated dryer and filtration at the compressor outlet solve the problem. Our article which air dryer to choose explains the options.

Which compressor for soft blasting?

• K 150, 15 kW 4-in-1 screw compressor: 2.2 m³/min at 8 bar, or 2,200 L/min. Compressor, 340 L receiver, refrigerated dryer and filtration on a single frame: the air reaches the blasting machine dry. The simplest choice for a stripping workshop.
• S 150, 15 kW standalone screw compressor: the same flow, for a workshop that already has its receiver and dryer, or wants to place them elsewhere.
• K 110, 11 kW 4-in-1 screw compressor: 1.7 m³/min at 8 bar, for small nozzles and lighter renovation work.
• M 220, 22 kW mobile screw compressor: 2.0 m³/min at 12.5 bar, on a twin tank and wheels, to move the compressor from one workstation to another. It needs a 380 V three-phase supply; add a dryer at the outlet for soft blasting.

Industrial sandblasting machines with large nozzles, or several blasting machines running at once, need more than 2.2 m³/min. Those installations are handled as an industrial project, quoted case by case.

After-sales support that keeps up

AIRSTAHL compressors carry a 2-year warranty, with spare parts available for 15 years and consumables in stock in France, near Paris. Every machine comes with its documentation, and service kits are grouped by model: in soft blasting, where dust gets everywhere, an intake filter changed on time extends the life of the compressor.

Calculate my demand for this trade Request a quote