Abrasive blasting is the operation of forcibly propelling a stream of
abrasive material against a surface under high
pressure to smooth a
rough surface, roughen a smooth surface, shape a surface, or remove surface
contaminants. A pressurized fluid, typically
compressed air, or a
centrifugal wheel is used to propel the blasting material (often called the
media). The first abrasive blasting process was
patented by
Benjamin Chew Tilghman on 18 October 1870.