Glass bead blasting abrasives are a popular and versatile choice in the abrasive blasting world, known for their unique characteristics.
What Are Glass Bead Abrasives?
They are spherical beads made from soda-lime glass, manufactured to precise sizes. They are typically inert, non-toxic, and can be recycled multiple times in a closed-loop system. Their round shape is what distinguishes them from angular abrasives like sand or aluminum oxide.
Key Characteristics
Unlike angular abrasives that cut or gouge a surface, glass beads work primarily through peening and burnishing.
Peening: The impact of the beads work-hardens the surface layer, inducing compressive stresses that can increase fatigue resistance.
Burnishing: They smooth and polish the surface, creating a uniform, satin, or bright finish.
TYPICAL CHEMICAL ANALISIS [%]:
| SiO2 | Na2O | Fe2O3 | Al2O3 | MgO | CaO | Other |
| ≥65.0% | ≤14.0% | ≥0.15% | 0.5-2.0% | ≥2.5% | ≤8.0% | 2.0% |
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
| Bulk Density | Real Density | Mohs Hardness | HRC hardness | Roundness | Magnetic |
| 1.5g/cm3 | 2.5g/cm3 | 6-7 | 46 | ≥80.0% | ≤0.1% |
AVAILABLE SIZES
| Sandblasting | 20# 30# 40# 50# 60# 70# 80# 90# 100# 120# 140# 150# 170# 180# 200# 220# 240# 325# |
| Grinding | 0.8-1.2mm 1-1.5mm 1.5-2mm 2-2.5mm 2.5-3mm 3.5-4mm 4-4.5mm 4-5mm 5-6mm 6-7mm |
| Road Marking | BS6088A BS6088B EN1424 EN1423 AASHTO TYPE1 AASHTO TYPEII JIS NO.1 JIS NO.2 |
Advantages & Benefits
Non-Destructive Cleaning: Removes light rust, paint, scale, and carbon deposits without damaging the underlying substrate. Perfect for cleaning molds, engine parts, and delicate surfaces.
No Embedment: Their hardness (5-6 Mohs) and spherical shape mean they are less likely to embed in softer base metals (like aluminum) compared to harder, angular abrasives.
Improves Fatigue Life: The peening action can enhance the durability of metal components by relieving tensile stresses.
Creates a Desirable Finish: Produces a clean, matte, low-glare satin finish that is often aesthetically pleasing and provides a good key for coatings.
Environmentally Friendly: Typically free of silica and other hazardous materials. They are inert, non-toxic, and generate less dust than many alternatives.
Reusable: High-quality glass beads can be recycled 30+ times in a properly designed blasting system, making them cost-effective over time.
