Schuurmedium

Schuurmedium is a term used in Dutch industrial terminology to describe an abrasive material employed to remove material from a surface by mechanical wear. It is used in processes such as abrasive blasting, grinding, and finishing to clean surfaces, roughen profiles, deburr, or prepare substrates for coatings.

Common schuurmedia include natural sands and mineral slags, garnet, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, glass beads, steel shot, and plastic or ceramic media. Selection depends on the substrate material, desired surface roughness, and coating adhesion requirements. Particle size and shape influence performance: finer, rounded media create smoother finishes; coarse or angular media deliver more aggressive cleaning.

Applications span metal fabrication, automotive, aerospace, shipbuilding, and construction. Schuurmedia are used to remove old coatings and rust, strip oxides, and create a controlled surface profile that improves coating bonding. They may be deployed in dry air blasting or wet blasting, as well as in mechanical grinding.

Key considerations include hardness, density, friability, and bulk handling. Reusability is common for many media, with spent media disposed as industrial waste. Safety and environmental concerns involve dust generation, silica exposure risks, and proper containment, ventilation, and personal protective equipment.