THIS PAPER EXAMINES BLAST FINISHING AS APPLIED TO ABRASIVE AND NONABRASIVE APPLICATIONS. IT DISCUSSES THE VARIOUS MEDIA USED FOR DEBURRING AND SURFACE FINISHING AND THE TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED IN EQUIPMENT. PARTICULAR ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE DEVELOPING FIELD OF NONABRASIVE BLAST DEBURRING AS A PRODUCTION PROCESS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE THEORY OF AIRLESS BLASTING, SUCTION TYPE AIR BLASTING, AND PRESSURE TYPE AIRBLAST EQUIPMENT. IT DISCUSSES SOME OF THE CRITERIA IN CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE PROCESS BASED ON THE MEDIA AND APPLICATION INVOLVED. THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE FLEXIBILITY AND PROCESS CONTROL THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH DRY BLAST FINISHING.