Glass Bead is an abrasive with unique properties widely used in processes such as cleaning or metal surface preparation, mainly in sandblasting equipment. Glass beads are made by crushing and sorting high quality crushed glass. In manufacturing, the crushed glass is fused into spheres and then annealed to remove internal stresses and prevent breakage. This transparent, clear, spherical product is used without particles becoming embedded in the workpiece, contaminating it or causing other damage. Different sizes of abrasives and different operating parameters are used to achieve different levels of lustre on the surface of the workpiece. Particularly decorative effects can be achieved by selective localised controlled blasting with glass beads on the surface of the workpiece.

The excellent properties of glass beads make them ideal for cleaning or deburring workpieces with tight tolerances without damaging the surface. Furthermore, the inherent strength of glass beads makes them suitable for use in equipment that recycles abrasives.

Glass beads are widely used to treat surfaces with residual tension or that are under cyclical pressure, creating a compressive stress layer for surface strengthening. The use of glass beads for surface strengthening reduces potential hazards such as surface erosion or surface fatigue.

Surface treatment with glass beads is very cost-effective and precisely controlled.

The chemical properties of glass beads are degenerative and non-toxic, leaving no ferrous or other hazardous residues on the surface of the workpiece or adversely affecting the surrounding environment.

Applicable industrial scope

Aerospace industry; automotive industry; sandblasters/painters; consumer goods manufacturing; foundry industry; subcontractors, semiconductor industry.

Applicable Processes

Integrated circuit block holder cleaning; strengthening parts such as turbine blades of aircraft engines; decorative parts; surface treatment before electroplating or electrolytic spraying; cleaning or deburring of non-ferrous components, cleaning of melt residues in high temperature moulds.

Guidelines for use

Glass beads with a large particle size clean up slowly, producing a strong strengthening force, removing larger contaminants and producing a high surface finish.

Smaller glass beads clean faster, produce stronger reinforcement, remove smaller contaminants and produce a poorer surface finish.