Glass beads blasting: Pros and Cons

Glass beads come from a lead-free, soda-lime glass shaped into spherical objects. Glass bead blasting is environmentally friendly. You can recycle them up to 30 times. Compared to other abrasive blasting techniques, glass beads blasting is gentler since the beads are softer on the parts’ surface.

Pros and cons of glass beads blasting

While bead blasting offers several advantages to the manufacturing space, there are a few downsides to consider. Here, we will be going through the different benefits and drawbacks of the glass beads blasting process.

Pros

• It is a safe process compared to other blasting methods.
• Glass bead blasting is a good alternative to sandblasting.
• The process is environmentally friendly.
• Recycling is possible before replacement.
• Glass beads are useful in pressure or suction blast cabinets.
• Excellent for delicate components.

Cons

• Not suitable for tough materials as it may take a longer time.
• It may not last as long as steel blast media.
• Glass beads do not leave any profile for paint adherence.

Applications of glass beads blasting

Bead blasting helps to achieve uniform surface finishes without affecting the part’s dimensions. Also, it works perfectly with a wide range of materials, making it suitable for various industries. Manufacturers use bead blast surface finish to enhance the durability of components.

This finishing process is flexible, and it fits into an extensive array of manufacturing processes. For instance, smaller beads help with lighter processes that require finely detailed works. On the other hand, medium-size beads are the best choice when dealing with metal materials like stainless steel and aluminum. They are popular for their ability to hide defects on components surfaces. Larger beads are perfect for deburring and cleaning rough surfaces on metal castings and automotive parts.