Abrasive Blasting Media

Blasting media is defined as any abrasive that cleans, removes, finishes, or prepares a surface. The media is propelled with the use of compressed air or via centrifugal force by a bladed wheel. The media impacts the surface to be finished to erode any unwanted materials, to prepare a surface for a coating to be applied, or to provide a desired surface finish.

Type of Abrasive Blasting Media

Shot Blast Glass Bead

Shot Blast Glass Bead are spherical in shape and are used in blasting & peening Application.

The shape of Blast Glass Bead glass beads allows for a four-step process in one application because they can clean, finish, peen, and in some cases even deburr.

It leaves a nice, bright, satin finish on metallic surfaces.

The wide range of sizes available in glass beads allows for a variety of surface finishing and cosmetic textures. Shot Blasting Glass Bead are also chemically inert and will not leave contamination, or residue, on surfaces.

Applications:

Cosmetic and satin finishing
Blast cleaning when metal removal from work piece is of concern
Mold cleaning
Automotive restoration
Light to medium peening of metal parts to reduce fatigue
Carbon or heat treat scale removal

Physical Characteristics:

Round shape
5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale
Also available in mil spec, or military specification, sizing
Bulk density is approximately 100 lbs. per cubic foot

Brwon Aluminium Oxide

Brown fused aluminum oxide is a general-purpose, loose grain abrasive that is used in abrasive blasting, polishing, lapping, or other finishing applications.

When blast equipment is paired with a media recovery system, aluminum oxide offers multiple turns/recyclability before it breaks down. Typically propelled by air, aluminum oxide acts as a powerful, multi-edged abrasive that will penetrate the work piece while creating an exceptionally clean and uniquely etched surface. This unique surface finish is excellent preparation for an application of paint or powder coating via anchor pattern creation.

Applications:

Abrasive blasting
Polishing
Lapping
Cleaning of investment castings
Anchor pattern creation for coating or bonding applications
Surface preparation for thermal spray coatings
Stone and granite monument lettering
Glass etching or frosting
Matte surface finishing
Anti-skid surfaces
Paint, coating, scale, rust, or contaminate removal

Physical Characteristics:

Sharp, angular shape
Hardness is around 9 on the Mohs scale
Due to hardness and durability, aluminum oxide is generally reusable for multiple turns with the proper abrasive reclamation equipment
Chemically inert
High-melting point
Medium to high bulk density
Available in macro and micro grit sizes to reach a wide variety of application needs

White Aluminium oxide

White fused aluminum oxide is an aluminum oxide abrasive created using the same process as brown fused aluminum oxide except that a higher purity alumina is used in the composition. The final product is a purer aluminum oxide that can be used in a specialty process without losing any of the strength and sharpness of brown aluminum oxide.

White aluminum oxide contains virtually no iron content making it a safe abrasive for applications that require minimal foreign contamination. This allows white aluminum oxide to be used in applications such as blasting orthopedic implant parts, aerospace components, or exotic alloys. White aluminum oxide can be found in a variety of bonded abrasives used in surface or cylindrical grinding. General industry applications for white aluminum oxide include abrasive blasting, microdermabrasion, anti-skid surfaces, and lapping.

Applications:

Abrasive blasting
Anti-skid surfaces
Lapping
Orthopedic implant blasting
Aerospace component finishing
Refractory coatings
Anchor pattern creation for coating or bonding applications
Surface preparation and finishing of exotic alloys
Bonded abrasives and grinding
Microdermabrasion

Physical Characteristics:

Sharp, angular shape
Hardness is around 9 on the Mohs scale
Due to hardness and durability, abrasive is generally reusable for multiple turns
Chemically inert
High-melting point
Medium to high bulk density
Macro, micro, and custom grit sizes and blends available

Plastic Blasting Media

Plastic blasting media is a versatile abrasive media that can be used in a variety of applications. It is a lightweight, angular-shaped media most commonly used in the removal of paint or other coatings without harm to delicate substrates such as aluminum or composites.

Plastic media is created from either recycled plastic products or resin. The most common plastic media types are polyester (type I), urea (type II), melamine (type III), or acrylic (type V). Each type has a different hardness to meet the application need.

Applications:

Mold cleaning
Contaminant removal
Paint or coating stripping, particularly in the aerospace industry
Deflashing of plastic or rubber parts
Cleaning of delicate parts

Physical Characteristics:

Angular or blocky shape
Hardness:

Polyester (type I) – approx. 3.0 Mohs
Urea (type II) – approx. 3.5 Mohs
Melamine (type III) – approx. 4.0 Mohs
Acrylic (type V) – approx. 3.5 Mohs

Light bulk density, lends to high velocity when used in blast equipment

Walnut Shell

Walnut shell is a lightweight, angular abrasive. Walnut shell is most commonly used to polish or clean a surface. It is suitable to use on soft substrates like aluminum, wood, plastic, and composites. Walnut shell could be used in place of plastic media in some applications. Due to its friability, any walnut shell media left inside the part will typically break down with minimal damage. Walnut shell is a good consideration when blasting components used in food preparation equipment cleaning.

Applications:

Fire or smoke restoration
Removing paint or baked-on carbon deposits from ferrous metals
Brick restoration or graffiti removal
Stripping, deburring, or cleaning of soft substrates
Blasting to remove very light contaminants
Polishing in mass finishing processes

Steel Grit

Like steel shot, steel grit is a very common metallic blasting abrasive. Grit is different from steel shot in that it is randomly shaped and angular. Steel grit, given its sharp shape, will etch or erode surfaces.

It comes in a variety of shapes and levels of hardness. It has a high bulk density like steel shot and can have wear-and-tear effects on equipment if it is not properly outfitted to handle the media.

Steel grit is sized via a screening process. A size of steel grit will contain a variety of particles within a set range for that given size. The larger the size number, the smaller the steel grit particle.

As with any steel media, ferrous contamination against the surface being blasted will occur. Because of its durability and low-attrition rate, steel grit is a popular choice in wheel blast equipment and properly outfitted blast rooms.

Steel Grit Characteristics:

Angular, random shapes
Bulk Density – approx. 300 lbs. per cubic foot
Grit Size Range: G16 – G120
Deflashing of plastic or rubber parts
Cleaning of delicate parts

Applications:

Producing uniform, matte finish with a sharp, coarse texture
Blast cleaning and profiling of steel and other hard surfaces

Steel Shot

One of the most common metallic abrasives is steel shot. Steel shot can sometimes be confused as steel grit, but they are very different products.

Steel shot is spherical in shape. Steel shot will provide a smoother surface finish than steel grit.

Steel shot comes in a variety of sizes and levels of hardness. The bulk density is very high and must be taken into consideration with how that might affect your blasting equipment. Appropriate equipment needs to be implemented in order to properly use steel blasting media.

Processes using steel shot must be able to tolerate a level of ferrous residue on the workpiece. When steel breaks down, it will leave ferrous contamination on the parts being blasted. Because of its durability and low-attrition rate, steel shot is a popular choice in wheel blast equipment and properly outfitted blast rooms.

Steel shot is sized by screening. The sizing numbers for shot pertain to the actual size of the shot particulate, not a mesh size. The larger the number designation for steel shot the larger the size of shot. Low-carbon steel shot is available as well.

Steel Shot Characteristics:

Spherical Shape
Bulk Density – Approx. 300 lbs. per cubic foot
Shot Size Range: S70 – S780

Applications:

Cleaning
Peening steel and other hard surfaces
Preparation of concrete

Ceramic Shot & Grit

Ceramic shot and grit are excellent blast abrasives for a range of air, wheel, or wet blasting applications. Ceramic products are also referred to as zirconia bead or zirconia grit due to their high percentage of zirconia. Unlike many other abrasives, ceramic shot and grit are very resilient and highly elastic. Ceramic products have virtually zero iron content making them ideal in applications where ferrous contamination is a concern.

Ceramic Shot

Ceramic shot, also known as ceramic beads, are spherical in shape. They are typically used for shot peening or cleaning processes. Ceramic shot does not fracture nearly as quickly as glass beads and is both harder and more elastic.

Applications of Ceramic Shot:

Shot peening
Contaminant removal
Micro-surface profiling
Blasting titanium* or stainless steel
Mold cleaning

Physical Characteristics of Ceramic Shot:

Spherical shape
Hardness – approx. 50 – 65 Rockwell C
Approximate bulk density of 150 lbs. per cubic foot

Ceramic Grit

Ceramic grit is an angular-shaped abrasive. Ceramic grit is best in surface etching applications or difficult contaminant removal processes.

Applications of Ceramic Grit:

Cosmetic finishing
Micro-surface profiling
Precision deburring
Blasting titanium or stainless steel
Contaminant removal

Physical Characteristics of Ceramic Grit:

Angular, random shape
Hardness – approx. 50 – 65 Rockwell C
Bulk density – approx. 140 lbs. per cubic foot