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Q&As since 1989
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Glass bead blasting of stainless steel mill plate
Q. We have been asked by some customers to supply our food processing machinery with a glass bead blasted exterior finish. We expect this is much less costly than polishing, and would appreciate any info. regarding surface preparation of the stainless steel (mill plate), bead suppliers, correct bead size, and estimated bead usage/sq.ft. to achieve an acceptable finish. Any illustration, characterization, or specification of a typical bead blast finish for this industry would also be a big help.
Many thanks,
Dave Munsell- Utica, New York
2003
A. Dave,
An abrasive blast finish (glass bead) is a lot rougher and faster to achieve than a polished finish; however, there are other considerations. Selecting the right system is important and a lot of that depends on your volume. There are 2 types of systems to consider besides size. One is a vacuum and the other is a pressure blast system. I suspect that the size of your parts may lend themselves for you to consider an automated system. Hand held methods and the human factor may effect the results and/or produce non-uniform looking parts over large areas. You have a lot to consider and you should consult a knowledgeable sales person and/or company who produces automated systems.
AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2003
Q. I'm an architect in NYC and I've specified glass bead stainless steel on a number of projects, primarily for kitchen counter tops but for other items as well. In addition to specifying this for aesthetic reasons, the finish also has the advantage of not picking up fingerprinting or other grease smears.
Recently, I've specified it on a project out of state - in Colorado and the subcontractors are having a hard time matching my control samples. The control samples that I have are from these previous jobs, and the original fabricators tell me their finish is proprietary. I know that there must be some standards for this finish but I'm having a hard time finding them. The finishes that they have submitted have been both sandblasted and glass bead blasted - but none have been as deep into the finish as I want. And, all of the samples they have submitted show as much finger grease as a brushed finish. This is for sheet goods as well as structural T's, tube sections, etc. -- lots of different stock material and I'm aware that it will take differently depending on the material. What I care about the most is the sheet goods, since it will experience the most wear.
Any recommendations on standards or cleaning agents that can be used on stainless steel kitchen counters that will be okay with hot cooking utensils or pots on them?
Lea Cloudarchitecture - New York, New York
2004
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