Shot blasting is another term, such as sandblasting, that is often used as a generic term for various types of blast finishing such as bead blasting, grit blasting and sand blasting.

Shot blasting as a process is often used in the foundry industry for 'fettling' castings and is frequently is undertaken in an 'airless' or wheel blast machine where the blast media (steel shot) is 'thrown' at the substrate by a rotary wheel, rather than propelled by air.