A leading global manufacturer of garden and forestry equipment has introduced a fully automated shot blasting solution to improve the quality of complex plastic engine components produced at its manufacturing facility in the United States. The system, supplied by the surface finishing specialist Rösler, enables precise and efficient removal of flash from injection-molded parts while seamlessly integrating into the existing production workflow.
The company, headquartered in Germany and known worldwide for its high-performance tools used in landscaping, forestry and construction applications, operates manufacturing sites across multiple continents. Maintaining strict product quality standards is critical to its reputation. However, two thermoset engine components previously sourced from external suppliers in the United States did not consistently meet the required dimensional accuracy and functional standards.
To address the issue, the manufacturer decided to bring production of these parts in-house. The decision included establishing an efficient solution for removing flash generated during the injection-molding process. Drawing on its experience in Europe, where suppliers successfully use Rösler technology for plastic component finishing, the company contacted Rösler’s U.S. subsidiary in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The resulting solution is based on the RWS 1200 swing chamber shot blast machine, designed specifically for the gentle de-flashing of thermoset and highly filled thermoplastic components. The system operates within a fully automated production line that includes threaded bolt insertion, injection molding, component cleaning and final transfer to the assembly line. Each production cycle processes two parts within a total cycle time of 60 seconds.
The RWS 1200-I4-SAT2 machine features two processing chambers, each equipped with rotating satellite stations and dedicated fixtures to hold workpieces measuring approximately 55 × 80 × 80 millimetres. While one chamber performs the blasting operation, the other handles unloading of finished parts and loading of raw components. This dual-chamber arrangement minimizes downtime and ensures continuous operation.
A robotic handling system positions each component precisely onto custom fixtures developed jointly by Rösler and the customer. Inside the blasting chamber, specially designed non-abrasive media are propelled by four injection nozzles mounted on a vertical linear shuttle. These nozzles direct the media onto the rotating components with high precision.
The process allows temporary pauses in the rotation of the workpieces so that difficult areas such as drilled holes can be thoroughly cleaned. Individual nozzles can be activated or deactivated depending on the specific process step, ensuring efficient use of blasting media and energy.
Once the de-flashing process is complete, compressed air removes residual media and dust. All process parameters—including robotic positioning, nozzle control and rotation sequences—are stored in component-specific programs and monitored through the system’s PLC interface. The system completes the de-flashing process approximately 15 seconds faster than the required cycle time, resulting in lower compressed-air and media consumption. This improvement reduces operating costs while maintaining consistent product quality.
A media recycling and cleaning system maintains blast media quality, while an integrated ATEX-compliant dust collection system ensures safe operation. Antistatic additives introduced into the blasting chamber further prevent dust adhesion to finished components. The installation demonstrates how advanced surface finishing technologies can improve quality control and production efficiency in the manufacturing of complex plastic parts.
