Shot/Grit blasting vs. Shot peening

Many people mix the two mentioned phrases, but they are completely different processes.
Shot or grit blasting is used when we need to prepare a surface for coating, remove rust or create the right roughness. By doing this, we accelerate shot or grit (abrasive media) through a nozzle at high speed. When the particles hit the surface, they displace and remove a small part of its material.
By selecting different abrasive materials, we get different results.



While in the case of shot peening, the main difference is that we do not remove any material, but hit it with round shots. When a shot hits the surface, it creates a small dimple or indentation, releasing stress in the material and closing microcracks so corrosion is inhibited on the inside. That means that material is now stronger and has a longer lifetime.


Source: ferroecoblast.com