¿Cómo tratan las perlas de circonio los defectos superficiales de los productos de vidrio?

4 de septiembre de 2024

In today’s home decoration and art market, hand-blown glass products have become a highlight in modern home decoration (especially in the high-end market) with their unique craftsmanship, delicate texture and personalized design, and are increasingly favored by consumers. This type of glass product not only reflects the exquisite skills of the craftsmen, but also incorporates a variety of artistic styles, making each product a unique work of art. For example, the works of artists such as Matsuto Koichi and Reto ZÜND, in addition to their exquisite and elegant appearance, also evoke people’s extended thinking about nature, aesthetics, the future, social relations or other things.

However, despite the unparalleled beauty and artistic value of hand-blown glass products, their surfaces often undergo complex processing. During the manufacturing process, fine dirt may accumulate on the surface of the glass or form an uneven oxide layer, which not only affects the appearance of the product, but also may affect its service life and quality. Therefore, in order to ensure that each hand-blown glass product achieves the best visual effect and finish, it is particularly important to use advanced surface treatment technology.

Among the many surface treatment technologies, zirconia beads have become an ideal choice for hand-made glass products due to their excellent performance. This medium performs well in removing fine dirt and oxide layers. They can effectively clean glass surface defects while maintaining its original luster and texture. Next, I will discuss in detail the application of zirconia beads in the surface treatment of hand-blown glassware and analyze how it can improve the quality and visual effect of glass products. I will also list the use occasions and advantages of zirconia beads of different sizes to help you better understand and make choices.

First of all, the production process of hand-blown glassware usually includes the following steps:

Prepare glass melt: melt raw materials (such as quartz sand, sodium carbonate, limestone, etc.) in a high-temperature furnace to form a glass melt.
Blowing: The staff uses a blowpipe to absorb the molten glass and blows it into shape. This process requires the blowpipe to be rotated continuously to ensure that the glass expands evenly.
Preliminary shaping: Through manual skills, the craftsman blows the glass into a rough shape. The molded works at this stage are often rough and require subsequent processing.
Cooling: The formed glass is gradually cooled to avoid cracks caused by rapid cooling.
Surface treatment：In this step, zirconia blasting beads can be used to treat the surface of the glass. Sandblasting helps to remove fine dirt, oxide layers or uneven parts on the glass surface, thereby improving the finish and visual effect. By adjusting parameters such as the size of the sandblasting particles and the sandblasting pressure, different surface effects can be achieved, such as a smooth surface or a frosted effect.
Detail decoration: Further decoration or fine processing of glassware, such as cutting, engraving, etc.
Final cooling and inspection: The treated glassware is finally cooled, checked for defects, and then packaged.

The role of sandblasting media in glass making is mainly concentrated in the surface treatment stage, because the surface of handmade products may not be as uniform as that of machine products. Sandblasting creates friction on the glass surface through high-speed spraying, removes dirt, oxide layers and other defects on the surface, makes the surface smoother and more uniform, and helps improve the appearance and texture of the final product. This process is particularly important for hand-blown glassware.

Firing process

Why choose zirconia blasting beads?

Compared with other sandblasting media, zirconia blasting beads have great advantages. For specific research, please refer to the paper written by Smith, L. et al.: “Abrasive Blasting of Glass Surface: An Experimental Study”. This study explores the effects of different sandblasting particles on glass surface treatment, including zirconia blasting beads. The article provides detailed experimental data and comparative analysis to help you understand the performance of various sandblasting in glass surface treatment.

The following are the basic characteristics of zirconia blasting beads:

Excellent wear resistance: Zirconia blasting beads are made of high-purity, highly wear-resistant zirconium oxide material and have very high wear resistance. This allows them to maintain a long service life during the treatment process and reduce the need to frequently replace sandblasting media.
Efficient cleaning ability: Zirconia blasting beads have high hardness and can effectively remove fine dirt and oxide layers on the glass surface without damaging the glass body, which is crucial for the quality control of high-end handmade glass products.
Uniform blasting effect: Since zirconia blasting beads have uniform particles and stable size, they can provide consistent blasting effect, ensuring the smoothness and appearance of the treated surface.
Reduce secondary pollution: Zirconia blasting beads will not leave contaminants on the treated surface, which is particularly important for maintaining the purity and high transparency of glass products, especially in applications where high visual effects are required.

Our zirconia blasting beads are available in 5 sizes (download product information), corresponding to different use occasions. Based on its unique performance advantages and treatment requirements, YZ150 (150-200 microns) is the most suitable particle size for glass surface treatment. The following details why this specific particle size was selected.

Advantages of YZ150

Moderate particle size: Fine particles of 150-200 microns can handle fine dirt and are suitable for high-precision applications. Too large particles will cause a rough surface, while too small particles may not effectively remove dirt. This size can provide a uniform blasting effect, removing dirt while maintaining a smooth surface.
Effectively remove fine dirt: In handmade glass products, fine defects are often stubborn. YZ150 has sufficient removal capacity without causing excessive wear or damage to the glass surface, which makes them ideal for handling such subtle problems.
Mejorar el acabado superficial: YZ150 can provide fine sandblasting effects, which helps to improve the finish and transparency of glass products. By precisely controlling the sandblasting process, you can ensure that the glass surface achieves the best visual effect and gloss.
Optimize sandblasting operations: Excellent wear resistance and chemical stability can effectively reduce the blasting time and wear during the sandblasting process, making the operation more efficient and extending the service life of the sandblasting equipment, which is of great significance for improving production efficiency and reducing processing costs.

In summary, zirconia blasting beads are ideal for handling hand-blown glassware due to their excellent wear resistance, efficient cleaning ability, uniform sandblasting effect and reduced secondary pollution. The particle size of YZ150 (150-200 microns) shows unique advantages in effectively removing fine dirt, improving surface finish and optimizing sandblasting operations.

Application and advantages of different sizes

YZ300 (250-300 microns)

Application: Suitable for rough treatment of large workpieces and structural parts, such as bridge and shipbuilding.
Ventajas:

Efficiently removes large areas of oxide scale and rust.
Suitable for large-scale cleaning operations and improves cleaning efficiency.
Forms a coarse surface roughness to provide good adhesion for subsequent coatings.

Case study: Florence Steel Company in the United States uses YZ300-sized zirconia beads to treat large steel components to remove rust and oxide scale. This improves the surface quality of the structural parts and provides good adhesion for subsequent coatings.¹

Steel bridge

YZ200 (200-250 microns)

Application: Suitable for surface treatment of medium-sized mechanical parts and castings.
Ventajas:

Effectively removes medium-thick oxide layers and dirt.
Provides good surface roughness, suitable for subsequent processing with medium requirements.
Strong wear resistance, reducing the consumption of sandblasting materials.
Fine particles can handle fine dirt and are suitable for high-precision applications.

Case description: Schneider Electric in Germany uses YZ200 zirconia beads in its machinery manufacturing process to remove medium-thick oxide layers and dirt. This treatment improves the surface roughness of mechanical parts and is suitable for subsequent finishing. ²

YZ100 (80-125 microns)

Application: Suitable for small precision parts and high-demand surface treatment.
Ventajas:

Remove fine dirt and burrs with high precision.
Form a uniform surface gloss and improve the appearance quality of the product.
Suitable for use in high-tech fields such as optical devices and electronic components.

Case description: Nikon uses YZ100 zirconia beads to treat optical lenses to remove fine dirt and burrs to ensure optical performance and appearance quality. This process plays an important role in the fine processing of optical devices. ³

YZ50 (45-90 microns)

Application: Used for ultra-precision parts and occasions with extremely high surface treatment requirements.
Ventajas:

Able to remove extremely fine impurities and provide flawless surface treatment effects.
Suitable for applications with extremely high surface quality requirements, such as medical devices and high-end electronic products.
Moderate price, high-cost performance.

Case description: Mettler-Toledo uses YZ50 zirconia beads for ultra-precision surface treatment in the production process of its medical devices to remove extremely fine impurities and ensure the quality and safety of the products. ⁴

Principles for selecting zirconia beads

Select according to the size of the workpiece

Large workpieces should choose sandblasting beads with larger particles to improve cleaning efficiency.
Small workpieces should choose sandblasting beads with smaller particles to avoid excessive impact on the workpiece.

Select according to surface quality requirements

Workpieces with high surface quality requirements should choose sandblasting beads with smaller particles to obtain higher surface finish.
Workpieces with high cleaning efficiency requirements can choose sandblasting beads with larger particles.

Select according to material hardness

For materials with higher hardness, choose sandblasting beads with larger particles to improve cleaning efficiency.
For materials with lower hardness, choose sandblasting beads with smaller particles to avoid damaging the workpiece.

Select according to production cost

Sandblasting beads with smaller particles are usually more expensive, and the appropriate specifications should be selected according to the budget.
Sandblasting beads with larger particles are relatively cheap and suitable for reducing costs in large-scale production.

Different sizes of zirconia blasting beads

Actual operation and precautions

Matching of equipment and process conditions

The selection of sandblasting equipment should be matched according to the particle size of the sandblasting media, the injection pressure and the nozzle size. Reasonable equipment matching can ensure the consistency and stability of the sandblasting effect.

Control the temperature and humidity of the sandblasting environment to avoid excessive humidity causing sandblasting media to agglomerate, thereby affecting the sandblasting effect.

Management of sandblasting media

Regularly check and replace the sandblasting media to avoid the problem of media wear during use affecting the sandblasting effect.

Reasonably store the sandblasting media to prevent the entry of moisture and impurities.

Mastering of operating technology

Operators should be familiar with sandblasting technology and process flow to ensure that the sandblasting effect meets expectations.

Regularly conduct operation training and skill improvement to ensure the safety and efficiency of sandblasting operations.

Problemas comunes y soluciones

Uneven sandblasting

Problem description: Uneven surface treatment occurs during sandblasting, which may affect the appearance and quality of the final product.

Solution:

1. Check the nozzle: Confirm whether the nozzle is blocked or worn. Check and clean the nozzle regularly, and replace the nozzle if necessary to keep the sandblasting uniform.
2. Sandblasting equipment maintenance: Regularly conduct a comprehensive inspection of the sandblasting equipment to ensure that all components are operating normally, including the sandblasting chamber, air source system and flow control device.
3. Adjust the sandblasting parameters: Appropriately adjust the sandblasting pressure and medium flow to ensure that the sandblasting mode of the sandblasting machine is consistent with the processing requirements.
4. Check the sandblasting distance and angle: Ensure that the sandblasting distance and nozzle angle are consistent to avoid uneven processing due to angle problems.

The sandblasting effect is not ideal

Problem description: The surface does not achieve the expected cleanliness or roughness after sandblasting.

Solution:

1. Adjust the sandblasting pressure and flow: Adjust the pressure and flow according to the specific requirements of sandblasting to ensure that dirt and oxide layers can be effectively removed.
2. Select the appropriate specifications of sandblasting beads: Select the appropriate specifications of zirconia blasting beads according to the type of material and processing requirements to ensure the expected effect.
3. Optimize process parameters: Optimize the process according to the actual processing situation and adjust the settings of the sandblasting machine to match the processing requirements.

The sandblasting media wears too quickly

Problem description: The sandblasting media wears too quickly during use, resulting in reduced sandblasting efficiency.

Solution:

1. Reduce the sandblasting pressure: Reducing the sandblasting pressure can reduce the wear rate of the sandblasting media and extend its service life.
2. Reduce the impact force: Adjust the sandblasting equipment to reduce the impact force between the media and the workpiece, thereby reducing wear.
3. Regularly replace and replenish the media: Regularly check the wear of the sandblasting media, and replace or replenish it in time to maintain a good sandblasting effect.

Dust is generated during sandblasting

Problem description: A large amount of dust is generated during sandblasting, affecting the working environment and the health of operators.

Solution:

1. Ensure good ventilation: Install an effective ventilation system in the sandblasting room to maintain air circulation and reduce dust concentration.
2. Install a filtration system: The equipment is equipped with an efficient air filtration system that can capture dust and keep the working environment clean.
3. Clean the sandblasting room regularly: Clean the sandblasting room and surrounding areas regularly to prevent dust accumulation.

Tips and suggestions for improving sandblasting results

Optimize sandblasting parameters

Adjust pressure and flow: Adjust the sandblasting pressure, flow and nozzle angle according to the material type, degree of dirt and sandblasting requirements. The best sandblasting parameter settings can improve the processing effect and efficiency.
Sandblasting angle and distance: Selecting the appropriate sandblasting angle and distance will help ensure uniform sandblasting and achieve the desired surface effect.

Keep the equipment clean

Clean the equipment regularly: Clean the sandblasting equipment, nozzles and pipes regularly to prevent dust and impurities from affecting the sandblasting quality.
Maintain the sandblasting room: Clean the interior of the sandblasting room regularly to prevent dust and residues from interfering with the sandblasting process.

Choose the media reasonably

Choose the media according to the processing requirements: Select the appropriate zirconium oxide sandblasting bead specifications according to the type of material being processed, surface requirements and degree of contamination to ensure consistent and satisfactory sandblasting results.
Evaluate the media performance: Select sandblasting media with high wear resistance and stability to reduce wear and improve sandblasting efficiency.

Control the sandblasting environment

Maintain a dry environment: Control the humidity of the sandblasting environment to avoid the impact of excessive humidity on the sandblasting media and ensure the stability of the sandblasting effect.
Ensure good ventilation: Keep the sandblasting environment well ventilated to reduce the impact of moisture and dust on the sandblasting media and effect.

These detailed suggestions and solutions help improve the sandblasting effect and ensure that problems in the sandblasting process are effectively solved, thereby improving production efficiency and product quality.

Through a deep understanding of sandblasting technology, we can see that zirconia blasting beads, with their excellent characteristics, perform well in removing fine dirt and oxide layers. At the same time, sandblasting beads of different sizes can meet a variety of needs from rough processing to fine grinding, ensuring that different surfaces can achieve the ideal state and quality. Through scientific and reasonable operation and management, continuous exploration and application of advanced sandblasting technology can not only improve product quality, but also promote the progress and development of related industries, and bring more exciting innovations and breakthroughs to different markets.

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