Spherical Glass Media
Glass Beads
Spherical borosilicate glass media for satin finishing, controlled peening, and cleaning without dimensional change on precision and cosmetic components.
Overview
Gentle spherical finishing media
Macloid Glass Beads are manufactured from lead-free borosilicate glass and formed into precise, rounded spheres compliant with MIL-PRF-9954. Their spherical geometry cleans, peens, and finishes by burnishing rather than cutting — base material is preserved and tight dimensional tolerances remain unchanged after blasting.
The result is a smooth, bright satin finish free of the directional scratch pattern produced by angular abrasives. Because borosilicate glass is chemically inert and contains no free iron, it is ideal for stainless steel, aluminium, and medical components where contamination must be absolutely avoided.
Available across a wide range of mesh sizes for cabinet and automated systems. Glass Beads are recyclable over many cycles and deliver controlled, repeatable compressive peening for fatigue-critical parts without tearing the surface.
Hardness
6 Mohs
Shape
Perfect Sphere
Material
Borosilicate Glass
Finish
Satin
Specifications
Mesh size table
| Mesh designation | Size range (mm) | Typical application |
|---|---|---|
| #10 (60–325) | 0.044–0.250 | Fine cosmetic finishing |
| #11 (70–140) | 0.106–0.212 | Satin finishing |
| #13 (40–70) | 0.212–0.425 | General cleaning |
| #7 (30–50) | 0.297–0.595 | Light peening |
| #6 (20–30) | 0.595–0.841 | Surface peening |
| #5 (16–20) | 0.841–1.190 | Coarse cleaning |
Applications
Where Glass Beads excel
Shot peening
- Controlled compressive stress induction
- Fatigue life improvement on spring steel
- Gear and shaft peening without tearing
- Residue-free peening for aerospace parts
Cosmetic finishing
- Satin finishing of consumer hardware
- Uniform low-glare surface texturing
- Decorative finishing of fittings and trim
- Bright cleaning without directional scratches
Medical device cleaning
- Finishing of surgical instruments
- Clean satin texture on implants
- Residue-free device preparation
- Non-contaminating surface treatment
Automotive decorative parts
- Uniform matte surface on alloy wheels
- Cosmetic prep for anodising
- Injection mould cleaning without etching
- Die and tooling maintenance
Get started
Need a bright satin finish?
Request a quote or contact our specialists to choose the right Glass Bead mesh for your finishing, peening, or cleaning needs.