Urea (Type II) Plastic Abrasive Grit

Benefits

• Durable and Reusable
• Medium Hardness (MOH 3.5)
• Low Dusting
• Does Not Generate Heat During Blasting
• Suitable for Multiple Substrates
• Meets MIL-P-85891

Blasting Applications

• Rubber Molds
• Urethane Bumpers
• Aircraft engine components
• Auto / Bus / Truck Bodies
• Helicopters
• Tanks
• Wheels
• Surface Sealants
• Airframes
• Aircraft Components
• Fiberglass Components

General Applications

• Printed Circuit Boards
• Semiconductors
• Soft Metals Such as Aluminum and Magnesium
• Carbon Graphite Composites
• Axial Lead Diodes / Capacitors / Clear Optical Sensors
• Computer Housing Panels
• Copper Armature Wires
• Metal Die-Castings
• Steel
• Gears
• Tire Molds
• Actuator Assemblies

Urea plastic is a thermosetting material used to produce controlled plastic abrasive particles for blasting. In Urea Plastic Blast Media, the resin is formed into angular grains that provide consistent stripping action without the aggressive impact of many mineral abrasives.

What Is Urea Plastic?

Urea plastic is commonly produced from urea-formaldehyde resin. The resulting thermoset material can be processed into abrasive particles with controlled size and shape. Kramer Industries identifies Urea Type II as a medium-hardness plastic abrasive with a MOHS hardness of 3.5 and Barcol hardness of 54-62.

Is Urea the Same as Formaldehyde?

Urea and formaldehyde are not the same substance. Urea is an organic compound, while formaldehyde is a separate chemical compound. They can react together to form urea-formaldehyde resin, which is used in producing Urea Plastic Abrasive Grit.

The term urea media therefore refers to the finished abrasive material rather than pure urea. Understanding this distinction is important when discussing the material’s composition, performance, handling, and intended industrial use.

What Is Urea Made Of?

Urea itself is a chemical compound, while urea plastic is a thermoset resin-based material. For abrasive blasting, the resin is processed into angular particles with controlled particle sizes. Urea Blasting Media is then selected according to the substrate, coating, required strip rate, and blasting equipment.

Surface Preparation With Urea Plastic

Urea Plastic Blast Media is useful for removing paint, coatings, and contaminants from selected surfaces without the aggressive cutting action associated with harder abrasives. It is commonly used in automotive and aircraft restoration and can also be used on composites, fiberglass, soft metals, and precision components.

Urea Plastic Abrasive Grit provides a balance between stripping speed and substrate protection. The appropriate pressure, nozzle size, particle size, and blasting distance should be selected according to the application.

Urea Media for Aerospace and Automotive Applications

Urea media is widely used for aircraft component cleaning, automotive paint removal, mold cleaning, and surface preparation of composite materials. Its controlled impact can help remove coatings while reducing the likelihood of warping or unnecessary substrate damage.

Urea Blasting Media is also used for rubber molds, urethane bumpers, aircraft engine components, vehicle bodies, helicopters, tanks, wheels, airframes, and fiberglass components. These applications require matching the abrasive grade and blasting conditions to the material being cleaned.

Urea Plastic for Electronics and Sensitive Components

Urea plastic can be used for printed circuit boards, semiconductors, computer housing panels, capacitors, sensors, copper armature wires, and other components where controlled cleaning is required.

Because the media is non-metallic and designed for controlled stripping, Urea Plastic Abrasive Grit can be considered for applications where a conventional mineral abrasive may be unnecessarily aggressive. Testing a representative area is recommended before full-scale processing.

Selecting Urea Plastic Blast Media

The correct grade depends on the substrate, coating thickness, desired strip rate, particle size, blasting pressure, and required surface condition. Urea Plastic Blast Media is generally selected when a stronger strip rate is needed than softer plastic media can provide while still maintaining a lower level of aggression than many mineral abrasives.

Kramer Industries offers Urea Type II plastic abrasive for a range of surface preparation requirements. Urea Plastic Abrasive Grit is available in multiple mesh sizes, allowing operators to select a suitable particle size for the application.

Equipment and Process Considerations

Urea media works with compatible pressure blast cabinets, suction cabinets, and automated blasting systems that support plastic abrasive media. Air pressure, nozzle size, blasting distance, media flow, and blast angle should be adjusted according to the substrate and coating.

Urea Blasting Media should be kept clean and dry during storage and handling. Proper recovery and media separation can help maintain consistent performance and extend usable media life.

Reusability and Media Life

Urea Plastic Blast Media is durable and reusable. Actual media life depends on blasting pressure, coating type, substrate, recovery efficiency, contamination, and particle breakdown.

When suitable particles remain intact and clean, Urea Plastic Abrasive Grit can be reused for additional blasting cycles. Monitoring the media condition helps maintain consistent stripping performance and avoid using degraded particles.

Urea Compared With Other Plastic Media

Urea Type II sits between softer acrylic and harder melamine in the plastic abrasive range. It provides a balance of stripping performance and substrate protection, making it useful for automotive, aerospace, mold cleaning, and other applications.

The best plastic media depends on the substrate and coating. Kramer Industries can help match the media to the application. Urea media can be selected when the application requires more cutting action than acrylic while avoiding the higher hardness of melamine.