How Does Bead Blasting Work?

How does bead blasting work? The term bead blasting can refer to the process of sandblasting or abrasive blasting, however, in most cases, it refers to the projecting of media in the form of a bead or sphere against a substrate such as stainless steel, aluminum, or any material that requires a surface conditioned via blasting.

Most abrasive blasting is done with media that are jagged and leave a "coarser" surface finish. Bead blasting refers to the use of round spherical media that, when impacted against the surface of a part, will leave a more uniform finish caused by the sphere "dimpling" the surface. This process is most often used when a smooth uniform finish is required and the part must have a dull "satin" finish. The use of steel shot in this way is most often for tensile conditioning of the given substrate.

Bead blasting is the process most often used to achieve a surface finish that is both "rough" and consistent. Fine glass bead blasting is commonly used on aluminum parts that need a "dull" or "satin" finish. A coarser glass bead is used to give a uniform "rough" finish while masking any imperfections in the substrate surface.

Other materials such as aluminum oxide, silica carbide, or garnet, even in their finest grits, will leave any substrate it impacts with a much darker "grayer" finish, whereas glass bead blasting allows the substrate to maintain its base color resulting in a whiter or brighter finish.

Applications of Bead Blasting

Bead blasting helps to achieve uniform surface finishes without affecting the part's dimensions. This process is not an aggressive one, as you would see with other media. Also, it works perfectly with a wide range of materials, making it suitable for various industries. Manufacturers use bead blast surface finish to enhance the durability of components.

This finishing process is flexible, and it fits into an extensive array of manufacturing processes. For instance, smaller beads help with lighter processes that require finely detailed work. On the other hand, medium-size beads are the best choice when dealing with metal materials like stainless steel and aluminum. They are popular for their ability to hide defects on component surfaces. Larger beads are perfect for deburring and cleaning rough surfaces on metal castings and automotive parts.

Bead blasting helps for a range of purposes, including:

ㆍPeening. This is often used in firearms to prevent the metal from cracking and resist fatigue. A study found that peening can increase fatigue strength by up to 17.14%. It also allows the component to take paint a lot smoother.

ㆍDeburring

ㆍCosmetic finishing

ㆍRemoving paint, calcium deposits, rust, and scale

ㆍPolishing materials like stainless steel, aluminum, and cast iron

ㆍPreparing metal surfaces for powder-coating and painting

Interested in Our Bead Blasted Silver Decoration Sheets?

If you're looking for Bead Blasted Silver Decoration Sheets ( can be done as Silver, Gold, Black, Gold Rose, Bronze, Brown, Nickle Silver, and so on, or customer's color) then you've come to the right place! Feel free to contact Sunsong online for a quote and let us help you achieve your goal!