Process Optimization
Abrasive Media Guide
Popular categories
Using the right media for your application is the difference between chucking dirt and ensuring consistency and repeatability. The abrasive media is the most significant variable in MicroBlasting. Abrasives that are free of impurities produce superior results. Comco maintains strict quality control during every phase of powder processing, ensuring each lot of precision abrasive meets our high expectations.
The Right Abrasive for Your Application
Three components drive abrasive media selection:
- particle shape
- particle size
- particle hardness
For instance, a sharp and hard abrasive like aluminum oxide is an excellent cutting abrasive, ideal for working on metals or hard, brittle parts. Sodium bicarbonate’s softer needle-like shapes make it perfect for abrading pliable materials. Each abrasive’s unique properties produce distinct results.
Comco offers a wide range of abrasive types and sizes to suit almost any application. To find the right abrasive for your application, see our Abrasive Media Guide below or contact our Applications Engineers for recommendations.
| Abrasive | Description | Part # | Particle Size (Micron) | Particle Shape | Hardness (Mohs') |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aluminum Oxide | The go-to cutting abrasive. The shape and hardness of its particle make it an excellent abrasive against metals or hard, brittle parts. Common uses include cutting, deburring, and texturing surfaces. | PD1001 PD1009 PD1012 PD1003 PD1029 PD1014 | 10 17.5 25 50 100 150 | Blocky & Sharp | 9 |
Crushed Glass | Manufactured by crushing glass beads. The result is a mild abrasive media with lots of shard-like edges. Crushed glass delivers a light degree of abrading. | PD1027 | 50 | Blocky & Sharp | 5-6 |
Glass Bead | Useful for applications where stress needs to be relieved but preservation of tight tolerances is critical. Can also lightly deburr or apply a satin-like finish on a part. The spherical shape of its particles prevent them from cutting into most surfaces. Relieves stresses by “pounding” a part surface. | PD1030 PD1004 PD1033 | 35 50 100 | Spherical | 6 |
Plastic Media | Created by grinding and carefully sizing recycled plastic. Similar in size to walnut shell media, it effectively deburrs machined plastic parts without causing dimensional changes to the part itself. Useful for removing conformal coatings. | PD1035 PD1013 | 50 200 | Blocky | 2-4 |
Pumice | Volcanic ash that is formed when lava is permeated with glass bubbles. Lava has similar properties and chemical make-up as glass, which helps make pumice a mild abrasive. Useful on applications when something like aluminum oxide is too aggressive. | PD1015 | 75 | Blocky & Sharp | 6 |
Silicon Carbide | The most aggressive media used for micro-abrasive blasting, with a hardness just under that of a diamond. Typically used where material removal must be fast. An excellent abrasive for deburring stainless steel and titanium parts. | PD1005 PD1006 | 20 50 | Blocky & Sharp | 9+ |
Sodium Bicarbonate | A soft abrasive. Needle-like or “monoclinic” shapes make it excellent for abrading polymers. Its particles cut through soft surfaces where a blockier particle would tend to bounce off. Great at selectively removing a coating from a wire without damaging the underlying part. Water soluble. | PD1007 PD1031 | 50 100 | Monoclinic | 3-4 |
Walnut Shell | Manufactured by grinding nut shells. Particles are much larger in size than most micro-abrasives. It is used to deburr polymer coatings and deflash molded plastic parts. | PD1008 | 250 | Blocky | 3-4 |
Wheat Starch | One of the softest abrasives. Excellent for abrading pliable materials. Cuts through soft surfaces where a blockier particle tends to bounce off. It is used to selectively remove coatings on circuit boards without damaging components. | PD1017 | 100 | Needle-like | 2 |
