Recoverable blasting media have two basic shapes. Round (spherical) and angular. The most common recoverable industrial blast media are:
Spherical Shaped Media:
- Ceramic Beads
- Glass Beads
- Stainless Shot
- Steel shot
Angular Shaped Media:
- Aluminum Oxide
- Ceramic Grit
- Crushed Glasses
- Garnet
- Plastic Beads
- Silicone Carbide
- Stainless Grit
- Steel Grit
- Walnut
General Abrasive Media Information:
- Spherical media are used for peening and produce smoother surface finishes
- Angular media chip at a parts surface removing paint, rust, and scale quicker than round media and produce a rougher surface finish and better anchor patterns for coating adhesions.
- Higher blast pressures reduce media life.
- Higher blast pressures increase production
- Dust collection keeps media clean
- Harder workpieces reduce media life
- The production rate of media, labor, and air compressor expense
Recoverable Media Life Cycle:
| Abrasive Media | Media Life Cycles | %Breakdown |
| Silica sand | 1 | 100 |
| Garnet Sand | 3-5 | 25 |
| Plastic Media | 7-9 | 13 |
| Glass Beads | 9-12 | 10 |
| Silicon Carbide | 9-10 | 11 |
| Aluminum Oxide | 10-12 | 9 |
| Ceramic Media | 70-90 | 1.2 |
| Steel shot, steel grit | 80-100 | 1 |
| Stainless shot, Stainless grit | 150-225 | 0.5 |
