Zirconia Silicate Beads

FAQ for Zirconium Silicate Beads

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The uniform and compact internal structure of the zirconium silicate beads makes it a tough media.

The advantages of using zirconium silicate beads for grinding and milling are many.

Inovatec manufacture some of the best quality zirconium silicate beads in the market.

We have over 20 years of experience in manufacturing different types of grinding media.

We also manufacture mass milling machines that will help you to run an efficient grinding process.

 

1. What Are Zirconium Silicate Beads?

Zirconium silicate beads are a type of media that is used for grinding, milling, and dispersion of materials.

They have a glossy appearance with a satin-smooth finish.

This media can be used in both horizontal mills well as the vertical mill.

It consists of 65 percent of zirconia and the rest is Silicon Dioxide (SiO2) and Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3).

The percentage of zirconia is lowest in the zirconium silicate beads.

It makes these beads the cheapest amongst all other types of zirconia beads offered by Inovatec machinery.

2. What Are The Benefits Of Using Zirconium Silicate Beads?

The benefits of using zirconium silicate Media are given below.

 

2.1 Cost-Effective

Cost is an important factor in any business.

When compared to other zirconia beads, the zirconium silicate beads is less expensive.

The fact that they can be used multiple times for many years makes them a cost effective media in the long run.

 

2.2 Time Saver

The zirconium silicate beads come with very good grinding efficiency.

These media balls are capable of grinding more metal surface in less amount of time.

Thus. It helps to save your valuable time.

So, you can grind more materials at the same time.

 

2.3 High Media Life

The high lifespan of the zirconium silicate beads is another major factor that makes customer invest in this media.

The high media life ensures that you can use the media balls many times for many years without any issues.

It is always better to invest in a high life media.

You can avoid the hassle of frequent purchase of media.

 

2.4 High Breakage Resistance

They are highly resistant to wear and tear.

So, they have high breakage resistance.

 

2.5 High Grinding Efficiency

The grinding efficiency is really high when compared to other ceramic grinding media.

So, more parts can be ground in less time.

 

2.6 High Chemical Resistance

These media balls have high chemical resistance.

So, most of the acids doesn’t affect his media.

 

2.7 Easy to Clean & Store

The round spherical form of the zirconium silicate media makes it possible to clean the media easily and store it.

 

2.8 Reliable Media

You can use zirconium silicate beads for many years without having any issues.

So, it is highly reliable.

 

2.9 Environment-Friendly Media

The zirconium silicate beads do not produce any toxic waste during the grinding process.

It is less prone to wear and tear.

So, it produces very little waste also.

So, it is an ecofriendly media

 

2.10 Corrosion Resistant

The zirconium silicate beads are not prone to any oxidation or corrosion effect.

So, it is easy to store and use.

 

3. What Are The Different Applications Of Zirconium Silicate Beads?

Various applications of zirconium silicate beads are given below.

 

3.1 Inks & Paints

Zirconium silicate beads act as a good dispersion media for paints and inks.

 

3.2 Pigments & Dye

Industries that make dye and pigments make use of these media balls for the dispersion and grinding process.

 

3.3 Agrochemical Industry

The agrochemical sector also makes use of the zirconium silicate media balls for the grinding and dispersion process.

3.4 Electronics Sector

Capacitors, inductors, and many other electronic components use these media in the manufacturing process

 

3.5 Ceramic Materials

Ceramic materials can be grinded using the zirconium silicate balls.

 

3.6 Pharma Sector

Zirconium silicate beads are widely used in the pharma sector.

 

3.7 Metallic Materials

Expensive metals like gold, silver, and copper make use of these media balls for grinding with a low material removal rate.

 

3.8 Battery

Battery manufactures make use of zirconium silicate balls for the dispersion of electrolytes in the battery.

 

3.9 Cosmetic Sector

The raw materials for many cosmetic products are ground with the help of these media balls.

 

3.10 Food Stuff

The food industry is another major sector that uses zirconium silicate beads for mass grinding and milling.

 

4. Do Inovatec Machinery Provide Free Samples Off Zirconium Silicate Beads To Customers?

Yes, we offer free samples of zirconium silicate beads to our customers on request.

If you are interested in receiving samples, then you can contact us and share your sample size, tolerance limit, and size of the bead.

We will ship the beads to you after manufacturing the sample as per your specification.

 

5. Can You Share Some Tips To Select The Right Size Zirconium Silicate Beads?

Inovatec machinery manufactures zirconium silicate beads in different size range, 0.3mm to 60mm.

This wide range ensures that you can easily select one size for your grinding requirements.

The right size zirconium silicate beads will help you to make the whole process efficient and cost-effective.

So, you must ensure that you select the right media size.

We will share some tips which can help you to select zirconium silicate beads of the right size.

 

5.1 Life of the Media

The media life is a critical parameter.

You must ensure that you can use the selected media size for many years without any breakage or deformation.

If you go with the smaller media, then life will be less.

The smaller media is more prone to breakage than the larger one.

So, choose wisely.

 

5.2 Separation of the media

You should be able to separate the media from the parts easily at the end of the process.

So, the media size must be different from the part size.

You will be using a separation method to do this job.

So, ensure that the size matches the separation method.

 

5.3 Size of the part

The size of the material needs to be considered first.

The media must be able to reach all the area in the part for an efficient grinding process.

If the part has holes or crevices, then ensure that the media does not get stuck in these holes.

Here, a small size media will be more useful as it can reach more surface area for grinding.

It will help to increase the grinding efficiency of the process.

If you still find it hard to select the right media size, then check with our engineers.

They will help you to select the right size based on your milling requirements.

 

6. What Is The Typical Lifespan Of Zirconium Silicate Media?

The life span of the zirconium silicate beads will vary for different applications.

Some parts require more processing time whereas other parts require less grinding time.

So, life will be more if you use it for parts that require less grinding time.

 

7. How To Use The Zirconium Silicate Balls In A Grinding Machine?

If you use the zirconium silicate beads in the right way inside the milling machine, then you can make the process efficient and cost-effective.

Firstly, you need to ensure that the grinding chamber is neat and clean.

The zirconium silicate beads must undergo a visual inspection before putting it into the chamber.

It is done to ensure that there are no broken media balls.

Check and ensure that there are no blocks in any of the outgoing pipes of the machine.

Use the appropriate resin and solvents to pre-grind the media in the chamber.

The pre-grinding must be done for a predefined time.

The viscosity of the slurry determines the pre-grinding time.

If the viscosity is low, then the pre-grinding time can be less.

For a more viscos slurry, higher pre-grinding time is recommended.

The next parameter to set is the rotational speed.

The rotation speed is also dependent on the slurry viscosity.

It is directly proportional to the slurry viscosity.

The rotational speed will be high for a highly viscous slurry and vice versa.

You must load the chamber with parts and media in the recommended ratio.

If it is a wet grinding process, then you can run the machine at lower speeds.

Once the processing is complete, you must separate the media from the parts.

The processing time will vary for different applications.

The media must be washed and cleaned properly before storage.

Check the media for any damages.

If any, please remove the broken parts.

 

8. What Are The Different Ways By Which We Can Increase The Life of Zirconium Silicate Media?

There are many factors that affect the life of the zirconium silicate beads.

The factors are listed below.

 

8.1 Media Stress

Stress is a great factor that affects media size.

Higher the media stress, lesser will be the media life.

So, try not to run the media for grinding continuously for a very long time.

It will put the media under more stress.

 

8.2 The Right Media to Part Ratio

Most customers tend to use a lower media ratio than the recommended thinking that they can process more materials.

But it will do more damage than good.

The media life will come down if you use a lower ratio than the recommended value.

So, always ensure that you maintain the right part to media ratio inside the chamber during the grinding process.

When there is fewer media in the chamber then parts will come in contact and there is a chance that the parts may get damaged during the rotation.

The finish on the parts will not be uniform.

 

8.3 Always Buy High-Quality Media

You may be able to get zirconium silicate beads for half the standard price.

But these media will be made from very poor quality raw materials.

So, life will be very less and the media will be prone to wear and tear.

So, you will end up buying the media again.

The quality of the finish also will not be good.

So, always invest in high-quality media.

Inovatec machinery manufactures the best quality zirconium silicate beads.

 

8.4 Lowering the Heat Generated

When you grind the materials with the media inside the chamber, there will be some generation of heat.

This heat will be more if it is a dry grinding process.

In such cases, try to make some set up to lower the temperature inside the chamber whenever excess heat is generated.

In the case of the wet grinding process, water or any other liquid can be used to reduce the temperature.

 

8.5 Storing the Media

It is best to wash and clean the media before storing it.

So, try to do it regularly after each use.

 

8.6 Larger Media Size

The size of the media is an important factor that affects media life.

Large size media is less prone to tear and wear when compared to small size media.

So, life will be more for the large size media.

So, if you can execute an efficient grinding/ milling/ dispersion process using a large size media, we would recommend you to go with one.

 

9. What Are The Different Grinding Machines Offered By Inovatec That Can Use Zirconium Silicate Beads?

Inovatec offers the following milling machines for customers to use the zirconium silicate beads.

 

9.1. Horizontal Mills

Horizontal milling machine is one of the popular grinding machines from Inovatec machinery.

You can use zirconium silicate beads in this machine for grinding.

 

9.2. Vertical Sand Mill

The vertical sand mill is good for the dispersion process.

You can disperse pesticides and inks using this machine.

The zirconium silicate beads can be used in this machine for grinding different materials.

 

9.3. Stirred Mill

If you are looking for a machine to grind metallic and ceramic materials then stirred mill from Inovatec is for you.

You can use it for grinding expensive metals like gold and silver.

 

10. Can You Share Some Tips To Increase the Efficiency Of A Grinding Process That Use Zirconium Silicate Media?

There are many ways by which you can increase the efficiency of the milling process that use zirconium silicate beads as the media.

These factors are listed below.

 

10.1 Media Size

The size of the media is a critical factor that affects the grinding process efficiency.

The small size media has the ability to reach more surface area of the part than the large size media.

So, small size zirconium silicate beads can finish the grinding process faster than the large size ones.

So, the processing time will be less for the small size media balls.

Thus, the grinding efficiency is more.

The life of the small size media is less than the bigger ones.

So, you need to make a trade-off here.

 

10.2 Timely Replacement of the Media

Some of the media balls may get broken if the grinding process is run for a long time.

So, you need to do a regular inspection of the media state during the process.

If you find any deformed or broken media pieces, then you must stop the process and replace the broken ones immediately.

Broken media will impact the efficiency of the grinding process.

So, immediate action will ensure that the process efficiency is not compromised.

Your broken media removal procedure must not take too much time.

 

10.3 Temperature Control

The grinding of the parts with the zirconium silicate beads will result in the generation of lots of heat inside the chamber.

This can affect the efficiency of the whole process.

So, you must have proper methods to remove the heat generated during the process.

If it is a wet grinding process, then the water or the solvent can be used to remove the excess heat.

For a dry grinding process, the chamber must have some sort of temperature controller to lower the temperature.

 

10.4 Regular Maintenance of the Machine

There is a chance that the milling machine gets break down during operation if you don’t do the regular service and maintenance activities.

So, make sure that the maintenance activities happen regularly without fail.

If any part needs a replacement, then replace it as early as possible.

 

10.5 Machine Load

The load in the machine is another critical parameter that will have a direct impact in the efficiency of the whole process.

Don’t operate the machine above the recommended load.

If you overload the machine then the machine life will come down, media life will get reduced and you will not get the desired quality finish on the material.

It is also not a good habit to run the machine at low loads.

So, make sure that the load capacity is at least 60 percent.

For a highly efficient process, the load capacity must be in the range of 80 to 90 percent.

These values may change with the type of the machine.

So, check the operating manual of the machine to know the load recommendation values.

 

10.6 Zirconium silicate bead Quality

The quality of the media balls will also impact the efficiency of the process.

If you go for cheap media then you won’t get good efficiency.

The cheap media will have low quality.

So, it will take more time to process the materials.

These media will also break down easily and will have lesser quality than the high-quality media.

So, always go for the best quality media for your grinding process.

Inovatec machinery offers one of the best quality zirconium silicate beads in the market.

So, you can buy from us with confidence, for an efficient grinding process.

10.7 Media Inspection Before & After Process

It is essential to do a visual inspection of the media before and after the grinding process.

If there are any deformed media then you can remove them.

The visual inspection of the media ensures that you always use high-quality media with your materials for grinding or milling.

 

11. How Much Is The Processing Time With The Zirconium Silicate Media Balls?

The processing time depends on various factors.

These factors are given below.

 

11.1 Bead Size

The size of the beads which you use for grinding is a critical parameter that decides the processing time.

Smaller beads help to bring down the processing time.

This is due to the fact that smaller beads will be in contact with more surface area of the part, hence better grinding efficiency.

Bigger ones will take more time to complete the grinding process.

 

11.2 Rotational Speed

Speed of rotation is another factor that impacts the grinding time.

Higher speed will make the processing faster.

But you must also check the operators recommended operating conditions to ensure that you run the machine in the safe operating limits.

 

11.3 Slurry Viscosity

The viscosity of the slurry is also taken into account.

If the viscosity is more, then the frictional force will be more between the media and the materials.

Higher viscosity also allows you to increase the rotational speed of the chamber.

If the viscosity is low then the friction will be less and the grinding time will be more

 

11.4 Load capacity of the machine

The machine load capacity is another factor.

If the machine comes with a higher load capacity then you can process more parts at the same time.

 

11.5 Material Finish Requirement

The final finish of the material will also affect the processing time.

If the final finish of the part is glossy, then you need to run the machine for more time.

So, the processing time will be more.

 

11.6 Grinding Machine Type

The type of the machine is another critical factor.

Some machines are capable of running at higher speeds when compared to others.

So, if you invest in those machines and if your parts support high rotational speeds then you can reduce the overall processing time.

 

12. Is It Possible To Use Zirconium Silicate Media To Grind Expensive Metal Parts?

Expensive metal parts like gold, copper, and silver parts can be ground using zirconium silicate beads.

The zirconium silicate balls will ensure that the material loss is kept to the minimum.

 

13. What Are The Different Sizes Of Zirconium Silicate Balls Offered By Inovatec Machinery?

Inovatec machinery offers zirconium silicate beads in a wide range of sizes.

The smallest size offered is 0.3mm and the largest size is 60mm.

This size range will meet most of your grinding and milling requirements.

If you don’t know which size is best for your application, you can contact us.

Our trained and experienced engineers will help you to select the media balls of the right size.

 

14. Is It Possible To Increase The Life Of The Zirconium Silicate Media?

Yes, you can enhance the life of these media balls so that you can use it many more times.

 

15. Is There Any Ratio Of Parts To Zirconium Silicate Beads To Be Used Inside The Milling Machine?

Yes, there is a ratio to be maintained between the materials and the zirconium silicate media balls.

The ratio will vary for different applications.

The basic ratio will be given in the operating manual of the machine.

You can also check with our engineers to get the right ratio.

The correct ratio will ensure that you get the desired result in the minimum possible time.

Thus, you can make the whole process highly efficient.

 

16. Is It Required To Dry Zirconium Silicate Balls Before Storage?

You don’t have to dry the media balls before storage.

These zirconium silicate beads are not prone to any oxidation or corrosion effect.

So, the humidity will not affect the media.

But it is a good idea to dry the beads so that you can use it instantly for the next milling process.

 

17. How Does Inovatec Guarantees The Quality Of Zirconium Silicate Media?

There are many steps taken by Inovatec machinery that ensure high-quality zirconium silicate beads to the customers.

All the raw materials required for the production of these beads are sourced from certified vendors.

All these raw materials are subjected to different quality tests.

These tests will ensure that all the batches of the raw materials meet the production standards.

All the production activities are carried out under the supervision of qualified and trained engineers.

Each batch of zirconium silicate beads after production is further subjected to quality testing.

If there are any deformation or other issues then that batch will get rejected.

Only the batches that pass the quality tests are sold to the customers.

These are the different ways by which Inovatec guarantee the best quality zirconium silicate beads to the customers.

 

18. Can We Use Zirconium Silicate Balls For Wet Tumbling?

Zirconium silicate beads support both dry tumbling as well as wet tumbling.

These beads are compatible with most of the solvents and resins.

 

19. What Are The Different Shapes Of Zirconium Silicate Media Offered By Inovatec Machinery?

The zirconium silicate media is available in only one shape, the ball type.

No other media shapes are offered by Inovatec machinery.

 

Conclusion

Inovatec machinery not only manufactures zirconium silicate beads but also provide the complete solution for mass finishing needs.

So, you can get in touch with us to make the whole grinding process cost-effective and efficient.

Now you know the advantages of using zirconium silicate beads in the grinding process.

So, invest in the right type of media and machine.

It will definitely take your business to new heights.