Glass beads are a forgiving blasting media – until the wrong size or grade is used. Here are seven mistakes we see most often when buyers move from steel grit or sand to glass beads.
1. Choosing beads as big as the old grit
Glass beads work by peening with a round, uniform impact. Sizing should match the surface finish target and the air pressure, not the old abrasive grit number. Start from the finish spec (Ra) and work back.
2. Ignoring the band
A wide band means some beads are too coarse (deep peens) and some too fine (dust-like, low energy). Ask for the mesh band and a batch screen analysis.
3. Reusing media past its life
Broken beads lose roundness and start acting like sharp angular media. Inspect regularly and top up rather than running until the finish visibly changes.
4. Using beads on surfaces that need chemical cleanliness
Glass beads are excellent for mechanical cleaning, but confirm the profile requirement: some specs need angular media to create anchor pattern.
5. Forgetting ferrous contamination on stainless
One reason buyers choose glass over steel media is to avoid embedding iron. Use dedicated equipment and keep glass beads away from steel shot lines.
6. Wrong pressure for the bead size
Too much pressure fractures fine beads; too little leaves coarse beads bouncing. Tune pressure to the diameter you actually ordered.
7. Buying on price per bag instead of price per finished part
Consistent roundness and tight sizing usually lower total cost by reducing rework and media consumption.
Where to start
Linghang supplies blasting-grade glass beads from 75 µm to 1.18 mm with roundness ≥80% and low iron content – safe for stainless and aluminium. Send us your substrate, finish target and blasting equipment, and we will recommend a starting grade from our grinding & blasting range.