Media blasting abrasives involve abrasive media being propelled against a particular surface to clean, roughen, or smooth it out. This is often done as preparation for another process, such as paint stripping in order to repaint the surface. Today’s applications will usually involve the use of steel-shot hard media, glass media, or plastic blast media. Find out about some of the applications where media blasting is used below.
Usage in Many Industries, Including Aviation
Media blasting abrasives are used in many different industries today; some of those industries include the following:
– Electronics
– Defense
– Aviation
– Automotive
– Industrial manufacturing
– Marine
– More
Mil-Spec approved media blasting abrasives were originally made to be used in branches of the US military like the Airforce, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army, particularly for aviation and boat components. However, because of the quality of Mil-Spec approved plastic blast media, it is also used by the commercial industry and private industry.
The part’s surface material make-up and end purpose of blasting—whether paint stripping or surface preparation during the blasting process—will determine what type of abrasive is used. It comes down to whether you want the deepest penetration in the material that is best for cleaning or removing contaminants versus the softest stripping to prepare the material for another process or create shine.
Main Types
There are four common types of materials used for blasting media today:
Sand: Rarely used today because the silica used in this process is considered a notable health hazard for the workers involved.
Aluminum Oxide: Offers fast results and strength.
Plastic Abrasives: Very good on surfaces for paint stripping and decontamination
Glass Beads: Environmentally friendly, recyclable, and very versatile for many different types of applications.
You should call an expert blast media manufacturer in the US to learn about the best media to use for your industry and parts, especially if you are a part of an MRO team.
