The primary distinction between conventional wire brushing using an angle grinder and bristle blasting lies in the mounting and dynamic behavior of the bristles. In a traditional rotary wire brush, the bristles are rigidly affixed to the hub, sometimes twisted or knotted in clusters to enhance stiffness. In contrast, bristle blasting employs a flexible belt-mounted bristle system.
As the brush rotates, rows of bristles are momentarily restrained by a fixed "accelerator bar" just before making contact with the workpiece. This constraint induces a backward flexion in the bristles due to their elastic mounting. Upon passing the accelerator bar, the bristles are abruptly released, causing them to snap forward with increased velocity. The stored elastic potential energy from the backward deflection is converted into additional kinetic energy upon release, amplifying the impact force upon the workpiece surface. This mechanism results in a significantly more intense surface interaction compared to a conventional rotary brush operating at the same rotational speed, thereby enhancing surface cleaning efficiency.
A good reference on this is also the wiki site.
If you want to learn more about the applications of Bristle Blasting you can also follow the masterclass on Corrosion Alliance
