The most important bead blasting material is the media itself – the glass beads. Glass beads come from 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 bead blasting is gentler since the beads are softer on the parts’ surface.
Pros and Cons of Bead Blast Finish
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 bead 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.
