Glass beads used in the abrasive blasting process provide several important benefits. Blasting with glass beads enables the quick and efficient cleaning of part surfaces without eliminating a significant portion of the metal. In one operation, cleaning, finishing, peening, and deburring can all be accomplished, resulting in considerable cost and time savings.
Specific Benefits of Glass Bead Blasting Media for Metal Finishing Operations
The various benefits of blasting glass beads to perform metal surface finishing include:
Cleaning
Metal finishing processes such as electroplating require proper cleaning to be performed. Glass bead blasting removes debris on surfaces without altering dimensions.
Finishing
The use of smaller glass media for surface blasting will produce a smoother surface finish. The use of larger glass media will produce a surface with more texture.
Peening
Glass bead blasting media uses a stress-resistant and cost-effective method of producing an even metal part surface.
Deburring
Eliminates burrs from the edges and corners of a metal component, enabling proper assembly and correct operating of the completed product.
Small, Medium, and Large Sized Glass Bead Media
Glass media blasting is a process used in various manufacturing processes. Large sized glass beads are ideal for rough surface cleaning and deburring applications – auto parts and metal castings are examples. Medium sized glass beads are well-suited for blasting of metals such as stainless steel and aluminum and are useful for hiding defects on the surface of substrates. Small sized glass beads are preferable for lighter requirements such as fine detail work on a surface.
Less Dust Production = Multiple Benefits
Another exceptional benefit of using glass bead blasting media is that is produces a minimal amount of dust. One reason is that a lower psi can be used when blasting glass beads than many other types of abrasive media. Lower dust levels during plastic bead blasting increase the visibility of operators, enabling greater work efficiency. With less dust and dirt produced, there is a corresponding cost and time savings connected with maintaining a clean work area.
Glass beads produce a smooth finish compared to the rougher edges that result from other blasting media. This is very beneficial when you need to smooth out or polish a part rather than grind irregularities from surfaces.
Glass beads are also among the safest types of blasting media because they do not leave behind contaminants that may corrupt or damage their finished components. This is important for medical industry components.