Abrasive Blasting, Shot Peening & Surface Prep worked example

Blast Masking Time at 17% handling and verification allowance: a worked example

What does the result look like when handling and verification allowance reaches 17%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. a lead wants to know how long tape, plugs, caps, or hard masking will take before blasting starts

The inputs for this scenario

  • Areas to mask: 180 features (unchanged)
  • Masking application rate: 45 features / hr (unchanged)
  • Handling and verification allowance: 17 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 15)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Base masking time = masking workload รท masking rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4.68 hr for masking labor time, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4 hr for base masking time.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 17 % for handling allowance.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 45 features / hr for masking rate.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where handling and verification allowance sits at 15% and the headline result is 4.6 hr, this scenario comes in 1.74% above the baseline at 4.68 hr.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when handling and verification allowance is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. A single masking rate assumes features are roughly uniform; mixing simple tape-offs with intricate boot fabrication on one job will make the estimate optimistic.

Results at a glance

  • Masking labor time: 4.68 hr (headline result)
  • Base masking time: 4 hr
  • Handling allowance: 17 %
  • Masking rate: 45 features / hr

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Blast Masking Time calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.