The selection of shot peening media is specified in the industry or customer specification
to which the job is processed (for example, specification AMS 2431/6 specifies the
use of glass shot). For those customers that would like assistance with writing
their own proprietary specification, Industrial Metal Finishing’s engineers are
available to assist with shot peening media selection.
Cast steel shot is created by atomizing molten steel, then heat treating and sieving
the resulting material.
Advantages:
- More durable (longer life) than glass and ceramic shot
- Available in carbon steel and stainless steel
- Ability to achieve the highest intensity
- Easiest to maintain spherical particles
Disadvantages:
- More difficult than cut wire shot to maintain spherical particles
- Less durable than cut wire shot
- High material cost
Cut wire shot is created by cutting drawn steel wire to lengths approximately the
same size as the width of the wire. The resulting wire is then rounded to remove
the sharp edges.
Advantages:
- Produces uniform results due to its consistency in size, shape, and hardness
- Tends to wear down into smaller diameter rather than fracture into particles with
sharp edges
- More durable (longer life) than cast steel, glass, and ceramic shot
- Available in carbon steel and stainless steel
- Ability to achieve the highest intensity
- Easiest to maintain spherical particles
Disadvantages:
- High material cost
- Limited sizes
Glass shot is created by atomizing molten soda lime, then sieving the resulting
material.
Advantages:
- Available in wide range of sizes
- Low cost material
- Inert material, will not cause ferrous contamination or leave residue on work piece
- Environmentally friendly
Disadvantages:
- More difficult than steel media to maintain spherical particles
- Less durable than steel and ceramic media