What are sandblasting beads?

by | May 8, 2014 | Business

Recent Articles

Categories

Archives

Plastic bead blasting uses small spheres of plastic that are used in lieu of sand or other highly abrasive media when preparing the surface of metal or other materials. Plastic beads offer an alternative to more aggressive media and provide a different appearance when used on various substrates. As the plastic beads are harmless, the blasting can be carried on indoors with no need for complex extraction equipment.

During the blasting process the compressor is attached to a machine which contains the plastic beads, the beads are forced out through a hose and nozzle at very high velocity. When abrasive media such as sand is used the effect is far different than when softer media such as plastic beads or walnut shells are used. A worker pans the nozzle back and forth over the object until the surface has been completely cleaned by the beads.

The objective of using plastic bead blasting is to remove rust, oxidization, paint, etc from a surface but in the process, not to damage the substrate. The shape and density of the plastic beads do not cut aggressively into the surface like sand which has a harmful affect on the underlying surface. Rather than remove unwanted material in an abrasive manner the beads gently peen the surface which produces a sheen when the substrate is metal.

The plastic beads are available in different sizes and densities. Depending on the media the beads are used extensively for automotive paint stripping, cleaning aircraft and automobile engines as well as removing paint for the surface of aircraft and other aero-space products. The different sizes produce different effects and the worker is responsible for selecting the right media for the project.

As well as plastic bead blasting, blasting can also be accomplished with glass beads but once again, the correct media is all based on the task. Glass beads are often used when the operator is actually looking for a particular surface finish; large diameter beads produce considerable indentations in the substrate while tiny beads produce a matt, rather understated finish.

As well as being gentle on the surface of the substrate, plastic beads used in blasting eliminate the need for any special air removal systems and the beads can be reused. When the objective is to prepare an automobile body for painting the paint can be stripped without having to mask the glass, chrome or rubber parts.

plastic bead blasting is the forte of Opti-Blast. The media that they offer are Urea, Melamine and Acrylic; each of which has a unique place in various industrial situations.

Similar Posts