Choosing impact media of the right size is essential for the success of mechanical plating and galvanizing processes. Our size designations are based upon mesh screen sizes, which can be found in ASTM E11. The first two digits represent the smallest screen through which most of the beads will pass, and the next two digits represent the largest screen upon which most of the beads will be retained. For example, the PS1625 is a glass bead mixture with 80 percent of the beads larger than 25 mesh and smaller than 16 mesh. The following is a list of glass bead sizes available from PS&T:
| PS0304 |
A 5mm Molded Bead |
| PS0406 |
A 4mm Molded Bead |
| PS0607 |
A 2.85mm-3.30mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS0810 |
A 2.00mm-2.30mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS1012 |
A 1.70mm-2.00mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS1014 |
A 1.55mm-1.85mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS1216 |
A 1.25mm-1.55mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS1418 |
A 1.00mm-1.25mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS1825 |
A 0.75mm-1.00mm Screened Bead Mixture |
| PS2030 |
A 20-30 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
| PS3040 |
A 30-40 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
| PS4060 |
A 40-50 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
| PS5070 |
A 50-70 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
| PS6080 |
A 60-80 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
| PS7000 |
A 70-100 Mesh (80 percent Range) Bead Mixture |
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Special Orders
PS&T can also "special order" any type of glass beads that you might require for any special application. Simply contact us and let us know what you need.
Size Variation
Beads are conventionally given a nominal size range. However, not all beads fall into that size range. Up to 20 percent may, by specification, be above or below the nominal size range. For example, a typical 20-30 mesh bead may have as much as 5 percent as large as 14 mesh (but none as large as 12 mesh) and as much as 15 percent finer than 30 mesh (but not finer than 40 mesh). If this represents a problem for a specific part type, the plater can screen out the offending media sizes using appropriately sized screens.
Beads that are very fine (100 mesh and above) are quickly lost in most mechanical plating processes because of hydraulic flow. The lighter a bead is, the more likely that the flow will be strong enough to carry the bead into the waste treatment system. For that reason, all platers make up their load of glass beads primarily with fine beads. Some have practices in which they routinely add a fixed quantity of beads (often 50 pounds or one bag) per barrel per week.
Occasionally, the media will become so severely contaminated with tramp metal and metallic fines that the most economic means of recovering it is to remove all of the fine particles — glass beads and contaminants — and discard them.
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Glass Bead Sizes
