The Benefits of Aluminum Oxide Blasting Media

Sandblasting is a common technique used in industrial applications for finishing parts and manufactured products by shooting them forcefully with a media. Although originally sand was the default media of choice, the practice has evolved to include many different kinds of media, ranging from various metals, to plastic, to stone. One of the most commonly utilized types of blasting media is aluminum oxide, which, due to its low cost and versatility, has found its way into many industries and manufacturing facilities. 

Cost-Effective Blasting Media

The main appeal of aluminum oxide blasting media is the fact that it is one of the most cost-effective options for blasting media. This is partially due to the low cost of its production, but also has to do with its ability to be recycled. Aluminum oxide is also one of the harder forms of blasting media and therefore can be used multiple times over before needing to be disposed of or recycled. Unlike certain other metal blasting media, aluminum oxide is immune to rust, which not only increases its longevity, but also ensures that no rust deposits will be left on the parts that are being blasted. 

Versatile Uses

Another benefit of using aluminum oxide is its ability to be used in many different kinds of situations and operations. Due to the fact that aluminum oxide won’t rust, it can be used in wet blasting, as well as dry. This is useful for times when you want to use additional chemicals, such as cleaning solvents or adhesions, with the blasting. Aluminum isn’t the heaviest of blasting media, but it is heavy enough to be very effective at removing rust, paint, or other contaminants from components without the worry of damaging the components. Due to all of these properties, aluminum oxide has found places in virtually every manufacturing and industrial field that requires the use of blasting. 

At Mikro Industrial Finishing, we carry many different kinds of blasting media to suit the purposes of all of our customers. Whether you are a large facility looking to find blasting media for your new finishing equipment or a small operation looking to only finish a few batches, we have you covered. To learn more about our blasting media, finishing equipment, and services, please call us any time at (860) 875-6357.