Finishing aluminum parts with bead blasting is a convenient, effective way of ensuring your components get your desired finish, are more protected against fatigue damage like cracking, and are prepared for any secondary finishes that may be required.
With competitive price and timely delivery, SUNSONG sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
To put it simply, bead blasting works by firing small beads of media, made of materials like glass or steel, against the surface of parts at high pressure, resulting in a uniform finish. The bead blasting process strengthens aluminum components and improves their overall longevity.
The size and material of the media used to bead blast aluminum will affect the components differently, so the all-important first step is to determine what the required end result will be.
For example, smaller media can produce brighter finishes with satin textures, while using larger media will result in rougher, if still uniform, finishes. Glass media will not affect the color of the substrate, which can help retain a higher polish, while steel and other materials may darken the color slightly, especially when using larger sized media.
After the size and type of media are selected, the components are put into a durable blast cabinet and the operator uses a blaster gun that propels the media at high pressure against the surface of the components. This process can take time on larger surface areas or for rust removal, but the precision provided by bead blasting is excellent for consistent, reliable results.
A wide range of aluminum components can benefit from bead blasting, and the process is used in various industries. It’s particularly useful for aluminum due to its ability to clean or create a surface finish without removing significant material or altering the dimensions of the part.
Any aluminum parts that require cleaning, deburring, peening or a uniform, professional-looking finish are great candidates for Eaglemaster’s bead blasting service.
Bead blasting can also be used for preparing aluminum components for various post-finishes, including powder-coating and painting, allowing for an even wider range of applications.
When deciding whether bead blasting is the ideal finishing process for your aluminum components, it’s worth taking the time to understand the broad benefits and potential downsides.
Benefits of bead blasting aluminum include:
Considerations to keep in mind:
The key to a successful bead blasting process is efficient tooling that serves the right purposes. Let’s look at the different tools required to get the best results.
The media itself is an essential bead blasting material. Machinists generally use two types of beads for a bead blast surface finish. They are glass beads and steel beads.
Glass beads are made from lead-free, soda-lime glass designed to come in spherical shapes. These materials are more environmentally friendly since you can recycle them over 30 times. They are also softer on components’ surfaces.
On the other hand, steel shots come from molten steel designed into round objects with round molds. They are cost-effective alternatives because they are durable and allow several recycling rounds. Steel beads are more effective for polishing or removing unwanted textures on metal surfaces.
This is where the whole blasting process occurs. You must choose a high-quality bead blaster cabinet that can ensure the safety of the personnel carrying out the operation. At the same time, the cabinet should not compromise the quality of results.
A typical bead blasting machine must be constructed with a solid material. Steel is the perfect choice in this case because it is a sturdy and durable material. Cabinets made from steel usually last longer and can withstand the high level of pressure that comes with the process.
Want more information on bead blasted aluminum? Feel free to contact us.
Likewise, you don’t want your cabinet to have weak legs and disrupt the finishing process. The legs of the glass bead blaster cabinet must be strong enough to support the weight of the cabinet, the bead blasting media, and the workpieces. Weak legs will constantly shake and be unsteady, and this can be dangerous to the operator. Moreover, having your tool break down during the bead blast finish will be daunting.
So, what are the essential components of a good glass bead blasting cabinet?
The cabinet’s sealing on the inside must be very good. Remains or debris from abrasive blasting finishes can be dangerous to the health. Therefore, the seals must prevent the dust or debris from leaving the cabinet.
Your bead blaster cabinet should have larger windows to help observe workpieces adequately as you work inside the cabinet. However, what’s more important than the window’s size is its protection. Some glass beads tend to cause frosting on the glass after some time.
As a result, they may impair visibility, affecting the quality of results. Therefore, you should put replaceable protective sheets on your cabinet’s view window for longer blasting with no issue.
A bead blast finish cannot occur without the blasting gun. Therefore, it is a vital component to always keep in mind. There are several blast gun designs, and their operations also differ. While some work using a hand pedal, others work via a foot pedal.
The choice of blast gun is up to you or the operator. However, if your project requires long blasting sessions, you should consider blast guns with foot pedals. They are more comfortable and cause less strain on the operator.
Safety and comfort are a priority for every bead blasting process. Blasting gloves are among the protective gear to ensure adequate protection of the operator. The gloves often come together with the cabinet. Since you may be holding the blast gun in your hands, you want to protect them from residual harm. These gloves also help you get a good grip on the gun.
From the several bead blasting media available to the pressure used during the process, many variables can affect the final appearance of bead blasted parts. Therefore, you must provide adequate specifications to control these variables for quality and consistent results.
Let’s go over the best practices and tips for better control of the bead blast finishing process and excellent finishes.
The kind of media you use will determine the feel and look of your eventual bead blast finish. For instance, fine glass beads will give you a uniform, satin finish, while coarse glass beads give a rough finish. On the other hand, steel shots are best used for polishing and removing unwanted textures from materials.
The lower the grit of your abrasive material, the coarser the particles will be. In contrast, higher grits have finer particles. Generally, media sizes can be very fine, fine, medium, or coarse. Your choice will depend on the result you wish to get. You should include this information in your part drawings or order notes when you request a quote.
The nature of the bead blasting process will directly impact the surface roughness of the component. Sometimes, it is difficult to keep to tight surface roughness requirements when using bead blast surface finish. Therefore, keeping the surface roughness at nothing lower than 32 µin Ra if you need a smooth part is preferable.
Suppose your component has surfaces or features that should not have the bead blast finish. In that case, you should include masking callouts for these features. Examples of such features are O-ring grooves and sealing surfaces. You may also add masking requirements for small pitch threaded features.
You also want to keep the pressure of the bead blaster as low as possible. Glass beads often give the best results at low pressures. Therefore, you want to start with about 50 PSI. This will increase the lifespan of your beads and will give you the optimum bead blasting finish.
Smashing the beads on the component at extremely high pressures may crush the beads and increase total production costs. Likewise, you tend to produce excess debris and dust, which may be dangerous to the operator or deposit on the component’s surface.
When bead blasting aluminum, you must first strip off its oxide layer because it may be too difficult to polish. Glass beads won’t help get rid of this layer. Therefore, you will need to use sharp cutting material to remove the oxide layer or rust.
The company is the world’s best column cladding supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.