Aluminum Oxide Media for Sandblasting
Aluminum oxide media is one of the most durable and effective abrasives used in sandblasting. Known for its hardness and versatility, aluminum oxide is ideal for both aggressive cleaning and fine surface preparation. Manufactured from high-purity aluminum oxide, this media is sharp and angular, providing excellent cutting power and delivering superior results on a wide range of materials. Whether you need to strip paint, remove rust, or prepare surfaces for coating, aluminum oxide is a trusted choice for professionals.
Key Benefits of Aluminum Oxide Media:
- Durability:
Aluminum oxide is one of the hardest abrasives available, offering excellent longevity and resistance to breakdown, which makes it highly effective for repeated use in sandblasting operations.
- Aggressive Cutting Power:
The sharp, angular shape of the particles ensures a high cutting rate, making it ideal for heavy-duty applications that require fast and efficient material removal.
- Versatile:
Aluminum oxide is suitable for a wide range of surfaces, including metal, concrete, stone, and even glass, allowing for various applications across different industries.
- Recyclable:
Like many abrasives, aluminum oxide can be reused several times, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option for sandblasting.
- Versatile:
Unlike some other abrasives, aluminum oxide produces minimal dust, which improves visibility and reduces respiratory concerns during operation.
Aluminum Oxide Sizes and Their Applications:
1. Fine (Mesh 180-220):
- Applications: Used for light cleaning, surface etching, and polishing. This fine grade is often chosen for delicate tasks requiring a smooth finish without heavy abrasion.
- Common Uses: Glass etching, precision cleaning, automotive refinishing, and preparing surfaces for painting or coating.
2. Medium (Mesh 120-150):
- Applications: Ideal for general-purpose sandblasting, such as cleaning metal parts, deburring, and creating a matte finish. This medium grade is often used in various industrial applications for both surface preparation and cosmetic finishing.
- Common Uses: Removing rust, scale, or old coatings; surface preparation for painting; automotive bodywork.
3. Coarse (Mesh 60-80):
- Applications: Coarse aluminum oxide is ideal for more aggressive tasks, such as stripping paint, rust removal, and cleaning concrete or stone surfaces. The larger particles provide increased cutting power for tougher jobs.
- Common Uses: Heavy-duty paint stripping, corrosion removal, concrete cleaning, and surface profiling.
4. Extra Coarse (Mesh 40-60):
- Applications: The extra coarse grade is used for the most demanding sandblasting applications, such as surface preparation for coating or roughening surfaces for adhesive bonding. It can remove heavy layers of scale, rust, and other contaminants.
- Common Uses: Surface profiling, aggressive rust and scale removal, and cleaning industrial machinery and large metal structures.
Popular Applications for Aluminum Oxide Media:
- Metal Finishing & Preparation: Aluminum oxide is commonly used in the metalworking industry for cleaning, deburring, and preparing surfaces. It’s ideal for creating smooth finishes on steel, aluminum, and other metals while also providing excellent results for rust and paint removal.
- Automotive & Aerospace Industries: In automotive restoration and aerospace applications, aluminum oxide is a go-to abrasive for removing rust, preparing surfaces for paint, and deburring delicate parts without causing damage.
- Construction & Concrete Industry: For surface preparation of concrete and stone, aluminum oxide can be used to clean, etch, and profile surfaces. It’s ideal for removing laitance, roughening surfaces for better adhesion of coatings, and preparing floors for resurfacing.
- Glass & Ceramic Etching: Due to its fine cutting properties, aluminum oxide is used in decorative etching applications on glass and ceramics, providing precise results for intricate designs.
- Surface Profiling & Coating Preparation: Aluminum oxide is particularly useful for creating a roughened surface profile, which is essential for proper bonding of coatings, paints, or adhesives. It’s commonly used in the preparation of industrial machinery, pipelines, and other equipment.
Choosing the Right Aluminum Oxide Size for Your Application:
Choosing the correct size of aluminum oxide media is essential to achieve the desired finish and performance for your sandblasting project. Smaller grades are great for fine finishing and polishing, while coarser grades are better suited for removing tough coatings and preparing large surfaces.
- Fine grades are ideal for precision work or when a smooth, polished finish is required.
- Medium grades are suitable for general cleaning, etching, and deburring.
- Coarse and extra coarse grades are best for heavy-duty applications like paint stripping, rust removal, and surface profiling.
Contact Us for Your Aluminum Oxide Media Needs:
At Fortna Equipment Co, we offer high-quality aluminum oxide media in a variety of sizes to meet the needs of your sandblasting projects. Whether you're working with metal, stone, glass, or other materials, we have the right abrasive to get the job done efficiently and effectively. Contact us today for advice on the best aluminum oxide media for your applications and to place an order.
All of our equipment comes from the Clemco brand, offering a wide variety of products that guarantee authenticity and quality.
Get the Best Sandblasting Equipment Today. Call 303-756-6066 to Speak With Our Experts.
