Description
High-Cutting Blasting Media for Tough Coatings (Use with Care on PCBs)
Aluminium oxide blasting media is a high-hardness, angular abrasive used when you need faster cutting action for difficult coating removal and surface preparation.
In electronics rework it is typically selected for tough, highly cross-linked coatings or heavy build areas where softer media may be too slow. Because it is more aggressive than VanAcrylic, sodium bicarbonate, or walnut shell, it should be used with care on populated PCBs to avoid damage to solder resist, fine features, and sensitive substrates.
Why choose aluminium oxide?
- ✔ Fast cutting action — efficient removal on harder or thicker coatings
- ✔ Angular grain — strong “bite” for deburring and surface prep
- ✔ Consistent blasting performance when matched to the correct tank range and nozzle tip
- ✔ Useful for non-PCB work — fixtures, shields, frames, housings, and metal parts
- ✔ Completes your media toolkit for when low-aggression media are not sufficient
Typical applications
- Removing tougher conformal coatings where softer media are too slow
- Targeted stripping of heavy build areas (process-dependent)
- Surface preparation and deburring on metal parts and fixtures
- General refurbishment and cleaning of robust substrates
Important note for electronics (PCB use)
Aluminium oxide is more aggressive than VanAcrylic, sodium bicarbonate, or walnut shell. When used on populated PCBs, it can increase the risk of solder resist erosion, substrate damage, or loss of fine feature definition.
Best practice: treat aluminium oxide as a specialist option for difficult coatings, use the lowest effective pressure, keep the nozzle moving, and validate on sacrificial samples before live product.
Recommended system for best results
For controlled blasting and cleaner, safer operation, pair aluminium oxide with a dedicated micro-abrasive workstation and proper dust capture. We recommend the:
👉 Vaniman ProBlast 3 ESD Complete System (with StoneVac II)
- Stable pressure control and repeatable media delivery
- HEPA dust capture at source for cleaner work areas
- Better visibility during precision rework
- Turnkey setup with matched components
Supply format
- Media type: Aluminium oxide (angular mineral abrasive)
- Grade: 50 micron / 220 grit
- Pack size: 15 lb bag
- Use case: Micro-abrasive blasting for coating removal and surface preparation
- Compatibility: Suitable for Vaniman ProBlast systems (setup dependent)
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🇪🇺 EU or international customers: please contact SCH directly for pricing, shipping, and lead times.
📞 Call: +44 (0)1226 249019 | ✉ sales@schservices.com | Contact us →
