Glass Bead Blasting

Companies use glass bead blasting, which is a type of abrasive blasting, for surface finishing, specifically to prepare metals by smoothing them. Bead blasting provides superior surface cleaning to remove paint, rust and other coatings. 

The glass bead blasting process is environmentally-friendly and chemical-free and can be used to detect weld and solder flaws. Advantages of using glass bead blasting include:

  • A large variety of grades available for different jobs and profiles.
  • Does not interfere with coatings as it is no-reactant.
  • It leaves no residue or embedded contaminants, and also does not cause any dimensional surface change.
  • Improved corrosion resistance and the ability to smooth away surface flaws.
  • No detectable crystalline silica.

How it works

Glass bead blasting is essentially applying fine glass beads of various sizes at varying degrees of pressure. Smaller glass spheres result in a smoother surface while larger spheres produce a more textured finish.

Glass beads do not remove any of the base metal or imbed the surface. It will produce a better, more uniform finish while also adding sheen or brightness to the part.

 It has a variety of applications, including:

  • Finishing: Can be used on a wide range of materials, including metals, glass, plastic and rubber. 
  • Cleaning: Without causing a dimensional surface change, glass bead blasting removes/cleans foreign substances.
  • Deburring: In order to assemble and operate parts, corners and edges may need to be deburred. Glass bead blasting can remove burrs and feathered edges while ensuring no base metal from the surface is removed.
  • Peening: Peening extends the life of metal parts by combating stress cracks and corrosion. 

The Pro Blast Technology Way

The price of glass beading varies by project – so if you are located in the Northern/Central Minnesota area or in Northeast Wisconsin, we urge you to contact us to discuss our media blasting services. 

We also offer spray foam installation, polyurea coating and commercial painting services. Our trained staff can assist you with the correct solution to your surface prep problems and provide a free project quote!