Sandblasting is one of the most common methods used to clean metal surfaces. It is highly effective at removing rust, preparing a surface for paint, or removing a previous finish or coating.
A variety of different materials can be used for sandblasting, the most common of which, of course, is sand. In traditional sandblasting, the desired object is cleaned by blasting sand at high speed and high pressure directly at it. Sand granules are small and abrasive and are thus highly effective at removing rust and other impurities.
It is important to know the difference in effect between the available sand blasting media, as different kinds are better suited to different applications, such as stripping, cleaning, etching, polishing and strengthening. The surface to be blasted will also determine the type of media to be used.
At the end of the day, the sand blasting media you choose will depend on what you want to remove, what surface you want to remove it from, and how much impact the material that surface is made from, can withstand.
Some common choices include:
Aluminum Oxide
Aluminum oxide is a very sharp, durable blasting abrasive than can be recycled many times. It is most widely in blast finishing and surface preparation.
Crushed Glass Grit
Crushed glass grit is non-toxic, inert and does not contain free silica. Its angular shape makes it ideal for aggressive surface profiling and removal of coatings and surface contamination. Unlike coal and copper slags, it contains no heavy metal, which makes it lighter. This means up to 50% less media can be used.
Glass Beads
Made from lead-free, soda lime-type glass, these beads are shapes into preformed balls, which produce a much smoother and brighter finish than angular abrasives.
Silicon Carbide
This is the hardest blasting media available and has a very fast cutting speed. It is perfect for etching glass and stone.
Plastic Abrasive
Plastic abrasives are fast and consistent. They are perfect for stripping coatings and paint from aluminum and other delicate metals. The comparative softness of plastic abrasive media makes it ideal for automotive and aerospace applications.
Business Name designs and manufactures some of the highest quality blast media products available today. To get the full picture, visit Website Domain.
