Glass Beads vs. 10X Superoxalloy

When it comes to sandblasting, choosing the right abrasive can significantly impact your project’s safety, outcomes and efficiency. While glass beads have long been a popular choice thanks to their gentle action, 10X superoxalloy products stand out as a substitute for glass bead media because of their superior cutting power, durability and health benefits for operators. 

Choosing between either product depends on your overall project needs and how each aligns with critical business goals like environmental impact and cost-effectiveness.

Understanding Glass Beads

Glass beads for sandblasting are made of soda-lime glass, which is the same raw material used to manufacture windows and glass bottles. Glass beads for sandblasting are made of smooth and rounded particles, distinguishing them from other abrasive media like aluminum oxide or silica sand with more angular particles. Glass beads are commonly used in surface finishing processes like peening, cleaning or polishing.

Glass bead blasting can be used on a variety of substrates, including metals, plastics, and even rubber. It is often used in aerospace and other higher-precision manufacturing processes as an additional processing step to clean, peen, or polish parts and prepare surfaces for various coatings.

Operational Considerations

Glass beads are not a quick solution in sandblasting and typically only operate at lower blasting pressures, which are best for finishing delicate surfaces. The size of the glass beads also affects the finish — smaller beads create a finer finish, while larger beads with high pressure are best for more aggressive surface preparations. As they contain no free silica, glass beads may be safe for sandblasting. However, it is important to note that some glass bead abrasives may contain lead or arsenic, making glass beads dangerous in certain cases.

The Advantages of 10X Superoxalloy

10X superoxalloy products are advanced abrasive materials designed for sandblasting. An ideal glass bead media alternative, they are engineered to outperform traditional abrasives in terms of safety, environmental impact, and efficiency.

Superoxalloy abrasives are a patented blend of materials that combines extreme particle impact resistance, efficiency, and durability with a unique set of particle shapes to produce high-performance blasting results. This enables you to achieve superior cutting and cleaning power while minimizing dust and debris generation during sandblasting operations.

Key benefits include:

• High durability: 10X superoxalloy abrasives are extremely durable, allowing for multiple reuses and reducing the amount of abrasive materials you need.
• Low dust generation: Superoxalloy produces significantly less dust, which improves visibility during blasting and reduces the risk of respiratory issues for operators.
• Superior cutting power: The particle toughness of superoxalloy abrasives ensures effective contaminant, coating, and corrosion removal, offering precision with high efficiency.
• Environmentally friendly: The longer life span and lower dust production of 10X superoxalloy abrasives contribute to a smaller environmental footprint. Superoxalloy products are recyclable and biosoluble — made from 100% recycled wool insulation manufacturing byproducts.
• Versatile: 10X superoxalloy products can be used on various materials, including wood, concrete, steel, aluminum, Inconel, titanium, stainless steel, magnesium, etc.

Operational Considerations

10X superoxalloy abrasives maintain consistent performance throughout their life span, ensuring uniform surface preparation. This reliability is crucial in industries where surface quality directly impacts the performance of coatings or treatments. A few applications for these products include:

• Paint stripping: 10X superoxalloy removes old paint from surfaces or industrial equipment without damaging the underlying substrate.
• Rust removal: These abrasives also easily remove rust from metal surfaces, restoring the surfaces to a condition suitable for painting or other coatings.
• Concrete cleaning and restoration: When cleaning or preparing concrete surfaces for repair, 10X superoxalloy abrasives provide the aggressive action needed to remove old coatings and contaminants.
• Powder coating: Preparing surfaces for coating, painting, or bonding requires a clean, profiled surface. 10X superoxalloy products provide the blasting action needed to prepare surfaces for new powder coatings with a longer-lasting finish.

10X Superoxalloy Products

10X superoxalloy products are designed with operator safety in mind. The low dust generation minimizes inhalation risks. Additionally, 10X superoxalloy is made from mineral wool byproduct, not hazardous substances like crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis. These characteristics make superoxalloy compliant with industry safety standards and regulations.

There are three product families of 10X superoxalloy to consider for your next project:

• EpiX is a precision-grade, finer mesh abrasives which are ideal for device or equipment manufacturing, surface preparation, tool cleaning, and applications requiring a precise, uniform finish. These characteristics make EpiX a suitable glass bead substitute. This superoxalloy comes in EpiX EP for 46-, 54- or 60-grit aluminum oxide use. EpiX MP is ideal in applications needing 80- or 100-grit aluminum oxide, and EpiX LP has a low profile of less than 1.5 mils for softer metals.
• KinetiX media is often used in pipelines, military vehicles, steel applications requiring a 2.0 to 3.5 mil profile, and large production jobs. It is available in 20/70 for all-purpose use and 40/70 for medium coatings or general-purpose use.
• DynamiX is best for thick coatings that are difficult to remove and require a 3.5 mil or higher profile depth. It is often used on tough applications like bridges, steel ships, pipelines, cladding removal jobs and rail cars.

Glass Beads vs. 10X Superoxalloy: Which Is Best?

While glass beads are beneficial for gentle cleaning and finishing, superoxalloy offers superior performance in industrial applications thanks to its durability, effectiveness and cost efficiency. Superoxalloy is the right choice when your task requires aggressive surface preparation, especially in environments where maximum abrasion and longevity are critical. For your applications requiring a lighter finish or direct glass bead replacements, consider 10X’s EpiX products. 

To help you make a clear decision, here’s a breakdown and comparison of each sandblasting material:

• Abrasiveness: Glass beads work best for abrasion on gentle surfaces, while superoxalloy is the perfect choice for highly abrasive requirements on tough applications.
• Durability: Glass beads are reusable but will break down. 10X superoxalloy is extremely durable and lasts longer than glass beads when used at the same PSI.
• Blast pressure: Glass beads are best for lower-pressure applications. In comparison, 10X superoxalloy can handle higher blast pressures of over 120 PSI for optimal performance.
• Environmental impact and safety: Glass beads are often made from recycled material, creating a lower environmental impact. 10X superoxalloy is made from 100% recycled industrial materials, and its longer life span reduces overall material consumption. 10X superoxalloy abrasives are also the only abrasive in the world with a monograph from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
• Surface contamination risk: Glass beads have a minimal surface contamination risk as a nonreactive material. 10X superoxalloy has an extremely low risk and is suitable for environments with strict contamination controls.
• Operational efficiency: It takes time to effectively prepare a surface and remove contaminants with glass beads. In comparison, 10X superoxalloy products are the fastest-acting and most cost-effective abrasives in the industry.
• Versatility: Glass beads are suitable for a wide range of materials. Superoxalloy can also be used on a variety of materials while offering superior capabilities for specialized industrial applications.

Switch to 10X Superoxalloy Blasting Abrasives

While glass beads offer a gentle approach to sandblasting tasks, 10X superoxalloy abrasives stand out as the more efficient and versatile choice for industrial manufacturers. Their enhanced cutting power, durability, biosoluble composition, and cost-effective nature make them a superior option for diverse applications, including replacing glass beads.

At 10X Engineered Materials, we offer blasting abrasives that match your project’s needs. Our 10X superoxalloy products deliver a higher-quality finish than other products and offer an array of additional benefits not found in other abrasive materials. Shop 10X superoxalloy products today or contact our team of professionals for assistance and enjoy our free technical support.