Products

Waterjet
Cutting Abrasives

Waterjet cutting abrasives for precise cutting

The right abrasive determines cut quality and economy of any waterjet system. Garnet sand (almandine) is the global standard – hard, fracture-resistant and uniform. Olivine sand offers a cost-efficient alternative for less demanding cuts. Microbeads AG supplies the right cutting abrasive from 12/24 mesh up to 200 mesh for different material thicknesses. Steel, aluminium, glass, stone or composite – with the right cutting abrasive you achieve precise edges with minimal heat input.

Garnet sand

Product information waterjet cutting media

12/24 mesh to 200 mesh

Garnet sand is a natural almandine garnet classified as a chemically inert, non-metallic mineral. The raw material is extracted as river and beach sand in south-eastern India and subsequently processed. Thanks to its pronounced hardness and high durability, garnet sand is suitable for a broad range of abrasive applications: sandblasting, high-pressure waterjet cutting, sweeping of galvanised components, and façade cleaning. Its high specific gravity, favourable chemical properties, and excellent wear resistance additionally make it a well-proven filter material.

Standard grain sizes

Mesh	µm
12/24	600 – 1700
20/40	500 – 1000
30/60	200 – 600
80	180 – 350
120	180 – 250
200	75 – 150
Further grain sizes	on request

Chemical composition

CONSTITUENT	SHARE
SiO₂	34 – 36 %
Fe₂O₃	approx. 31 %
Al₂O₃	20 – 25 %
MgO	5 – 7 %
CaO	1 %
MnO	1 %

Product properties

PROPERTY	VALUE
Hardness	Mohs 7.5 – 8
Spec. weight	approx. 3.5 – 4.3 g/cm³
Bulk weight	approx. 1.9 – 2.2 kg/l

Possible blasting systems

Blasting system
Pressure blasting machines
Injector blasting machines
Waterjet cutting machines

Packaging

25 kg bags on pallets (max. 40 bags per pallet); minimum order quantity from 1 × 25 kg in a carton. Available loose in big bags on pallets on request.

Downloads

Product Information Material Safety Data Sheet

Olivine sand

Product information waterjet cutting media

GL10 to GL100

Olivine sand is produced from the naturally occurring mineral olivine, which is composed of forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) and fayalite (Fe₂SiO₄). Its combination of hardness, grain shape, and density makes olivine sand an economically attractive alternative to conventional blasting media such as silica sand and slag. Because the material contains neither chloride ions nor corrosive salts, virtually no conductivity develops on the treated surface; re-rusting after processing is reliably prevented, and the resulting surfaces meet recognised industrial standards. The product is suitable for a variety of substrates, including steel, aluminium, stone, and masonry (further surface profiles on request). Olivine sand can be used both as a standard blasting medium and as a cutting abrasive for high-speed waterjet cutting. The material contains no free crystalline quartz – a significant advantage, as the use of silica sand is prohibited in several countries due to the risk of silicosis; olivine sand complies with all applicable health and safety regulations. All grades are mined, further processed, and classified into several fractions in accordance with the strict requirements of the manufacturer's ISO 9001 programme. A consistent, reproducible grain size distribution and uniform chemical composition guarantee repeatable surface properties and reliable cleanliness.

Chemical composition (average values)

wt.-%	GL10	GL30	GL40	GL45	GL50	GL55	GL60	GL65	GL70	GL80	GL100
MgO	46.2	48.8	49.3	49.6	49.6	49.6	49.7	49.6	49.7	49.0	48.9
SiO₂ *	41.6	41.8	41.9	41.8	41.7	41.7	41.6	41.7	41.5	41.6	41.7
Fe₂O₃	6.8	7.6	7.5	7.5	7.4	7.4	7.4	7.4	7.3	7.4	7.4
Cr₂O₃	0.43	0.66	0.44	0.41	0.31	0.31	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.33	0.38
NiO	0.31	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32	0.32

* currently as silicates; contains < 0.1 % free crystalline silica. Values in wt.-%.

Product properties

PROPERTY	VALUE
Colour	greenish grey
Grain shape	angular
Hardness	6.5 – 7.0 Mohs
Spec. weight	3.3 g/cm³
Bulk density (loose)	1.7 g/cm³ (EN 1097-3)

Standard grain sizes (average values)

Sieve [mm]	GL10	GL30	GL40	GL45	GL50	GL55	GL60	GL65	GL70	GL80	GL100
2.00	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0.0	0.0
1.40	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0.0	0.0	5.0	24.4
1.00	–	–	–	–	–	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	10.0	47.2
0.710	–	–	–	–	0.0	2.0	3.5	5.0	10.2	17.0	20.5
0.500	–	–	–	0.0	0.1	6.8	11.9	17.0	34.3	26.0	4.5
0.355	–	–	0.0	4.7	6.1	12.9	18.2	23.5	40.7	30.0	1.8
0.250	0.0	0.0	0.3	39.8	50.2	42.2	36.5	30.9	12.0	8.0	0.8
0.180	0.3	0.2	32.5	33.4	33.3	27.3	22.6	17.8	1.8	2.0	0.3
0.125	1.0	31.8	50.7	17.2	8.4	7.1	5.8	4.5	0.5	1.5	0.2
0.090	3.2	43.7	12.6	3.7	1.4	1.3	1.1	0.9	0.2	0.2	0.1
0.063	6.2	17.5	3.4	1.0	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.1
Pan	89.3	6.8	0.5	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1

Values = sieve residue in %. "–" = not classified / not relevant. This data sheet does not constitute a specification!

Possible blasting systems

Blasting system
Waterjet cutting machines

Packaging

25 kg bags on pallets (max. 40 bags per pallet); minimum order quantity from 1 × 25 kg in a carton. Available loose in big bags on pallets on request.

Downloads

Product Information Material Safety Data Sheet

Focusing tubes

Product information waterjet cutting media

Focusing tubes for various waterjet cutting machine manufacturers – available on request. Please state the machine type and the required inner diameter when submitting your enquiry.

WaterjetCutting Abrasives