Blast-O-Lite® Beads

Blast-O-Lite® glass beads are formulated of chemically inert soda-lime glass to produce a clean surface for parts and equipment. The beads are spheres of uniform size and hardness to impact the surface of the part. Blast-O-Lite® glass beads meet OSHA standards for cleaning operations, and release no free silica or toxins that may harm workers or the environment. Breakdown of glass beads is generally caused by fracture and does not contaminate work pieces. Another advantage of using Blast-O-Lite® glass beads is disposability; spent glass is environmentally friendly as compared to chemical cleaning methods. Normally this simplifies the disposal which results in reduced cost and required paperwork.

Finishing with Blast-O-Lite® Beads

Using a variety of different Blast-O-Lite® glass beads, a broad range of materials including plastic, glass, metal and rubber can be finished. A finer, smoother non-glare finish is achieved with smaller spheres, while larger spheres produce a more textured finish. The bright satin finish is the desired effect in parts ranging from medical equipment to stainless steel propellers. Special effects are easily achieved through simple masking before the blasting process, and every type of finish is reproducible, time after time. 

The impact of Blast-O-Lite® glass beads smoothly blends away surface defects, and improves the corrosion resistance of the finished surface. Blast-O-Lite® glass bead finishing is accomplished without dimensional change to the metal surface, and does not impart contamination or residue, unlike other finishing methods.


For moving parts, finishing with Blast-O-Lite® glass beads improves lubrication and reduces friction. Glass bead finished surfaces create a sealing action that reduces susceptibility of aluminum, magnesium and other metal surfaces to chemicals and corrosion, therefore, extending part life. The glass bead finishing process also improves adhesion capabilities with paint, plastic and rubber coatings.

Deburring with Blast-O-Lite® Beads

Removing burrs, feathered edges and nicks from tools, equipment and parts is a risky operation. Dislodged burrs can infiltrate machinery or work areas and cause damage or injury. Corners and edges must be deburred with precision to assemble and operate properly. No base metal must be removed from the surface of the part.

Blast-O-Lite® glass beads offer a one-step, low cost, deburring alternative that reduces risk. Glass beads, utilized in impact blasting operations, accelerate rapidly and efficiently into an air stream, reaching the target at extremely high velocity to safely blast and smooth burrs and rough edges in one step.

The impact blasting process is fast for energy efficiency, and the bright, clean, precision finish is reproducible, even on materials with close tolerances. 

Peening with Blast-O-Lite® Beads

Flex-O-Lite's Blast-O-Lite® glass beads offer a low cost, one step finishing alternative. Peening with Blast-O-Lite® glass beads creates a uniform surface layer of compressed stress, which acts to combat stress cracks and corrosion,

therefore, increasing the life of metal parts. Blast-O-Lite® glass beads offer uniform size and a high degree of roundness to precisely control the process performance for stress relief.

Peening with Blast-O-Lite® glass beads leaves no metallic contamination on the workplace. This eliminates the second step of removing metallic contamination left by steel shot or other peening media. For delicate thin-walled parts and thin welds, peening with Blast-O-Lite® glass beads provides the right balance of stress relief without over-stressing and causing damage.

Cleaning with Blast-O-Lite® Beads

The impact of beads removes foreign substances from the base surface without dimensional change. The beads are available in a wide range of sizes to clean hard to reach fillets and interstices easily and quickly.