Inovatec MachineryTop Quality Zirconia Bead Supplier Based in China

FAQ for Zirconia Beads Page

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Does your business involve grinding and milling? If yes, then you will be interested in zirconia beads.

The right type of zirconia beads can help to improve the efficiency of the whole process and will also help to bring down the overall cost.

Inovatec offers some of the best zirconia beads in the market and in wide varieties.

So, you can choose one according to your milling and grinding needs.

 

1. What Are Zirconia Beads?

Zirconium dioxide is called Zirconia. Zirconia beads are the spherical balls of zirconia.

Inovatec manufactures different types of zirconia beads.

The percentage of zirconia content will vary for different beads.

They are used for grinding and milling different elements inside a mill machine.

 

2. What Are The Advantages Of Using Zirconia Beads

The benefits of using zirconia balls media for grinding and milling operations are listed below.

 

2.1. High Media Life

The high media life is one of the major factors that attract business to zirconia beads.

You can reuse the zirconia beads many times.

The dense homogeneous internal structure ensures that there is almost zero wear and tear.

Beads come with a glossy smooth surface that is less prone to cracks.

 

2.2. Time-Saving

The tough and hard nature of the zirconia beads helps to bring down the processing time drastically.

Thus, you will able to save a good amount of time if you use zirconia beads for grinding, milling, and dispersion.

 

2.3. Good Grinding Efficiency

An efficient grinding process is key to run a successful finishing process.

The zirconia media ensure that the dispersion/milling/grinding process gets completed in the lowest possible time with best results.

So, the efficiency is good with the use of zirconia balls.

 

2.4. Durability

Zirconia beads are highly durable when compared to other grinding media.

You can use it many times.

 

2.5. Reliability

The fact that the zirconia beads are less prone to wear and tear makes it more reliable.

It has a non-porous surface.

So, it will not get contaminated with solvents and other debris.

 

2.6. Cost-Effective Media

Zirconia beads are generally costly.

But the fact that there is no wear and tear, makes it possible to reuse the beads many times when compared to other media types.

It will help to bring down the operation cost over time.

So, the use of zirconia beads for grinding will make the whole process cost-effective in the long run.

 

2.7. Ultra-fine Grinding

Ultra-fine grinding demands high precision.

The smaller size zirconia balls held to reach most of the areas in the parts for an ultra-fine grinding process.

 

2.8. Suitable for High-Velocity Grinding & Wet Polishing

If your grinding process demands high-velocity grinding, then you can go with the zirconia media without any doubt.

It supports a high-velocity grinding process with good results.

You can also run a highly stable wet polishing process using zirconia balls as the media.

 

2.9 Can be used with Expensive Parts

Expensive parts like gold and silver demands for less material removal during the grinding process.

The small size zirconia beads does the job of milling such parts efficiently without removing much material.

So, you can use these beads for milling and polishing expensive materials.

 

3. What Are The Different Sizes Of Zirconia Balls Offered By Inovatec?

Inovatec offers zirconia beads as small as 0.3mm up to 60mm size.

This size range will help you to select one according to your polishing and dispersion requirement.

If you don’t know which size to select for your process, you can contact us.

We will help you to choose the right size.

 

4. What Are The Different Applications Of Zirconia Beads?

Zirconia beads can be used for milling and grinding in various sectors and applications.

The list is given below.

 

4.1. Inks

Zirconia beads are used in the dispersion of magnetic inks, printing inks and also in tattoo inks.

 

4.2. Food Stuff

Food Stuffs processing industries also make use of zirconia balls.

 

4.3. Metallic Minerals

Metals like gold and silver use zirconia beads for grinding and polishing.

 

4.4. Paints

Zirconia beads are useful for the dispersion of paints.

 

4.5. Pigments & Enamels

Pigments and enamels also make use of these beads for the dispersion process

 

4.6. Adhesives & Glues

Sealants, glues, and adhesives is another application.

 

4.7. Pharma & Medical Applications

Zirconia balls are widely used in dental and optical sectors for polishing purpose.

 

4.8. Non-Metallic Minerals

You can use it for milling and grinding of non-metallic minerals like CaCO3.

 

4.9. Battery

Lithium phosphate batteries make use of these beads.

 

5. Which Are The Different Mills From Inovatec Where You Can Use The Zirconia Media?

You can use the following mills from Inovatec depending on your application type.

 

5.1. Horizontal Mills

A horizontal mill is the best choice for ink and paint dispersion.

You can use zirconia silicate balls and the yttria-stabilized zirconia beads in this grinding mill.

 

5.2. Vertical Sand Mill

If you are looking to disperse paints and pesticides, then you can go for a vertical sand mill.

Zirconia silicate beads and yttria-stabilized zirconia beads can be used for the dispersion process.

 

5.3. Stirred Mill

If you are looking for a grinding mill to grind metallic elements like silver, gold, and copper then consider buying the stirred mill.

You can use zirconia toughed alumina, also known as ZTA for grinding.

 

6. Zirconia Beads Vs Glass Beads- Which Is Best For Grinding And Polishing?

You may get confused whether to select glass beads or zirconia beads for your grinding process.

We will do a comparison of both the beads.

It will help you to decide which one is best for you.

 

6.1. High Polishing Efficiency

Zirconia beads are denser than the glass beads

So, the polishing efficiency will be higher because of the large weight per unit volume.

6.2. Bead Toughness

The strength of the zirconia ball is more than that of the glass bead.

It is mainly due to its high dense structure.

So, they are more tough.

 

6.3. Wear and Tear Rate

The wear and tear rate is more for the glass beads when compared to zirconia beads.

So, you can use zirconia balls many more times for grinding than the glass beads.

 

6.4. Size range

Glass beads are not available in the smaller size range.

Zirconia beads are available in the small size range.

 

6.5. Cost Factor

The zirconia balls are more costly than the glass beads.

But you can use zirconia balls many times for grinding and milling when compared to the glass beads.

So, zirconia balls are cost-effective in the long run.

 

7. How To Select The Right Zirconia Bead Size?

The right size of zirconia media will help to make your process more efficient and cost effective.

Large size media will have more life than small size one. But that does not mean that you need to choose the largest possible size.

The size must be selected in such a way that it matches with the size of the parts or elements under processing.

If the particle size is large, then go for a large media size. It will help to break up the particles effectively.

Most of the conventional mills make use of large size medias.

Attritors commonly use small size zirconia beads.

Media size of 5mm is mostly used in many of the attrition mill applications.

15mm zirconia balls are used in lab mall mills.

You need to also consider the gap between the mill walls and stirring arms while selecting the zirconia bead size.

The size of this gap must be larger than the bead size to prevent any sort of jamming.

 

8. How To Use The Zirconia Beads Inside The Mill Chamber?

First, you need to ensure that you are using the zirconia beads of the right size.

The mill must be properly cleaned before loading the beads into it.

Ensure that the outlet of the machine does not have any kind of blocks.

The speed of rotation must be set to an appropriate value.

Pre-grinding is recommended before starting the actual process.

You can run it along with the resin and solvent mix for around 30 minutes.

The viscosity of the slurry is an important factor in deciding the rotational speed of operation.

If the viscosity is low then you need to run the pre-grinding process only for half the time.

The speed of rotation also must be kept low for a low viscous slurry.

If it is solid content, then you don’t have to run it at very high speeds.

The beads will have sufficient kinetic energy to do the grinding process efficiently.

You must use resin for cleaning the beads if you are looking to grind paint.

Sometimes solvent needs to be added for cleaning purpose.

In such situations, you need to run the process at lower speeds and the beads must be cleaned immediately after the process.

If you are using small beads for a prolonged process, then there is a chance that some of the beads may get broken during the process.

In such cases, you need to remove the broken ones and replace it with zirconia beads of the same size and weight.

The processing time will vary for different parts.

It is because the finish requirement will be different for various materials and applications.

 

9. How Does Inovatec Ensures The Quality Of The Zirconia Media?

Inovatec machinery follows strict quality standards in the production line.

All the raw materials that are used to manufacture the beads undergo strict quality inspection and tests.

Only those materials that pass the quality tests are passed for the production stage. Others will get rejected.

We procure the raw materials from our regular vendors who meet our production quality standards.

There will be an inspection and testing at the end of the production to ensure that the final zirconia beads meet the quality requirement.

A size check test is also conducted to ensure that the size of the beads is within the accepted tolerance levels.

Thus, Inovatec ensures the best quality zirconia media to the customers.

So, you can buy from us with confidence.

 

10. What Are The Different Types Of Zirconia Beads Offered By Inovatec Machinery?

 

Inovatec offer four types of zirconia beads for grinding, dispersion, and polishing.

The list is given below.

 

10.1. Yttria Stabilized Zirconia Beads

The purest form of the zirconia beads is the yttria-stabilized zirconia balls.

They come with a large 95 percent of zirconia content and the remaining part is yttria.

The yttria act as the stabilizer.

They are known for their high density and large mechanical strength.

High durability and reliability make it an excellent choice for milling.

 

10.2. Zirconia Silicate Beads

They contain 60-65 percent of zirconium content.

These beads are an excellent choice for grinding, milling, dispersion, and polishing purpose.

 

10.3. Alumina Toughened Silicate Beads

The alumina toughened silicate beads are the economical option amongst all the beads offered by Inovatec.

Here, the beads will have 60-80 percent of alumina and 10 percent of zirconium.

You can use it for your dispersion and milling needs.

 

10.4. Ceria Stabilized Zirconia Balls

Higher-strength and excellent wear resistance make them very popular.

They are known to last three times more than the normal zirconium silicate beads.

They are used for grinding CaCO3, printing inks, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, metallic minerals, etc.

 

11. What Are The Different Ways To Increase The Efficiency Of Milling/Grinding Process Using Zirconia Beads?

 

You must always ensure that the grinding process is run in an efficient manner.

It will ensure that you can reap more profits from your business.

 

11.1 Cooling system

The grinding process with zirconia beads will result in the production of heat inside the chamber due to high dense media.

This high heat will impact the efficiency of the process.

It can even damage the materials.

So, it is recommended to use a proper cooling system for the chamber to ensure that heat generated gets nullified.

 

11.2 Size Factor

Bead size is another important factor that affects the efficiency of the process.

Smaller bead size will get in contact with more area, as a result, the overall grinding time will get reduced.

So, the efficiency will be more.

But, the life of the smaller bead will be less when compared to the bigger one.

So, a trade-off should be done.

 

11.3 Chamber Capacity Vs Load

The capacity of the chamber is another factor.

You must not load the chamber more than 85 percents of the rated load capacity.

For maximum efficiency, ensure that the load is not less than 60 percents.

 

11.4 Avoid Bead Deformation/Breakage

The gap between the agitator arm of the mill and the walls and bottom of the chamber must be at least 3 times larger than the bead size.

It will ensure that the zirconia ball will not get broken or deformed during the grinding process.

 

11.5 Strainer Aperture Size

The zirconia beads in the mixture must not pass through the strainer.

In order to ensure a smooth and efficient process, the zirconia bead size must be at least two times larger than the aperture size of the strainer.

So, make use of these tips to increase the efficiency of your milling process with zirconia beads.

 

11.6 Bead Quality Check

It is a good practice to check the quality of the zirconia media before lading into the milling machine.

You can inspect and ensure that the beads are not broken or in a deformed state.

Visual inspection would be sufficient to do this check.

If you find such beads, then remove them and load the chamber only with beads in the right shape and size.

The same check can be applied for the beads after the process, before storing them.

 

11.7 Follow the Milling Machine Manual

We recommend following the operating instructions provided in the respective milling machine manual.

It will ensure a smooth and efficient process.

Also, do the necessary maintenance works without fail at regular intervals for the machine.

 

Conclusion

Now, you know the different varieties of zirconia beads offered by Inovatec machinery.

Inovatec machinery not only provide zirconia beads, but also provide the complete solution for your milling, grinding, and polishing needs.

It includes the different mill machines along. We will also support you with free sample beads on request.

You can always get in touch with us for any kind of support. Our engineers will be happy to assist you.