Abrasives are usually made of hard metals used in a variety of manufacturing and domestic applications for woodworking and metalwork to form or complete a piece of work.
Abrasives are generally used by hand or machine to grind away pieces of wood or mineral. It gives a sleek, elegant, or finished look or carries away a piece of material slowly until the aspired shape is achieved.
Types of Abrasives Material
Types of Abrasives are divided into two main sections
- Natural Abrasives
- Synthetic Abrasives
Natural Abrasives
Diamond, Garnet, Corundum, and Quartz are some examples of natural abrasives.
Natural abrasives include diamond, corundum, and emery; they occur in natural deposits and can be mined and processed for use with little alteration.
Synthetic Abrasives
Synthetic abrasives are designed to simulate organic material and are made rather than excavated. Both kinds of abrasives are utilized in a wide range of forms and are most frequently coated or bonded.
Abrasives come in the design of grinding rollers, bands, rods, plates, blocks, free grain, sanding sponges, and sheets.
Bonded Abrasives
Bonded abrasives are those that are made into grinding wheels, cut off wheels, segments, cones, and other such forms or “bonded” types used for many aspects of woodworking and metal finishing or cutting applications.
Bonded abrasives are usually used with a drill or rotary tool. The idea for bonding abrasive material, whether natural or synthetic, together is so the grain bits hold together to give a hard material for the goals of cutting or grinding.
Coated Abrasives
Coated abrasives are metals that can be used likewise to bonded abrasives. Free and closed coat are the two types of abrasive layers. In an open coat abrasive, 50% or 75% of the cover is coated with abrasive grain.
These grains incorporate materials such as corundum, garnet, silicon carbide, light brownish aluminum oxide, heat handled aluminum oxide, zirconia alumina, and ceramic alumina.
Abrasive Backing Types
Abrasive backing varieties are paper, fabric, film, or fiber. The coated abrasive structure consists of backing, adhesive, and metals.
The minerals or grains are typically adhered to the backing and most frequently include both a make and size coat. A make coat is utilized to the backing then the metal or grain is employed, accompanied by a size coat of adhesive.
Paper Backings
Paper backings get in six weights or widths: A, B, C, D, E, and F. A and B load are lightweight papers used for light to medium grade grains. These are usually used for hand sanding and handheld electric sanders. B is somewhat thicker and more valuable than A weight paper.
C and D weight paper backings are an average weight thickness that is largely used for mediocre grade grains and is typically practiced for sheets, discs, and light-duty sanding areas.
E and F weight papers are more solid and more durable and are ready to help the heavy sanding needed for heavier grains.
E and F are used largely for production sanding and take the figure of file board paper, belts, and discs. F density is also used for drums and cones.
Cloth backings
Cloth backings comprise cotton, rayon, and polyester. A backings density and stiffness are marked in weights J, X, Y, M, S, T, and Z. J weight is the thinnest and most resilient of the cotton backing. X weight is average and handles the most comprehensive application range such as tools.
Y weight is used for complex drills intended for heavy-duty applications. M weight is one of the more substantial cotton cloth backings used for more advanced heavy-duty applications.
A and T weights are utilized in extra broadcloth belts and give the optimal strength in both knitting directions with T weight being practiced with high horsepower machine.
Also Read: What is Centerless Grinding?
Rayon is durable and resilient and resistant to tearing and fraying at the ends. Polyester is a very strong and tough backing used in treatments that require extra strength and a water-resistant cloth backing.
Grain backing is hard and strong but flexible enough for the drum and disc sanding services made from rag stock.
Polyester film is another yard and adjustable backing that is used for very light to medium grain discs rolls, and areas.
Film products are usually used in combination with water-based solvents as the backing is fully waterproof.
Industrial Applications of Abrasives
The industry utilizes abrasives in three basic models. They can be bonded to a metal to form solid machines such as grinding wheels, cylinders, bands, cups, segments, or sticks.
They can be added to the paper, cloth, plastic, or other substance, as is done with sandpaper. Or they may be practiced in a loose form, as when a splash of sand is used to wipe the surface of a building while sandblasting.
Most industrial uses of abrasives settle into one of four general categories. Cleansing involves the extraction of dirt and blemishes from the surface of an object. One part is the use of grinding wheels to polish off the façade of a metal.
Shaping is the method by which an abrasive is used to create the desired shape. Grinding a tool is an illustration of shaping.
Sizing is a sort of polishing which an abrasive fades away a surface until it finds some exact shape. Cutting is the division of a material into two separate parts, as when a diamond saw is utilized to cut through a portion of the metal.
Industrial Trades of Abrasive Materials
This broad market includes all manufacturing applications using abrasives in the manufacturing process.
Major Markets Use Abrasive Materials
- Woodworking and fabrication: furniture, kitchen cabinets and custom casework
- Metal fabrication: light sheet metal fabrications, metal components and metal casework
- Fiberglass, plastics and composites: manufactured products for major manufacturers or automotive, aircraft and other industries
- Automotive manufacturers
- Aircraft and other aerospace manufacturers
- Marine trades manufacturing
Abrasives Material & Automotive Aftermarket:
This large market includes all repair and parts fabrication applications using abrasives in the process.
Major targets in this market include:
- Automotive maintenance and repair: collision repair facilities, mechanical repair facilities and custom paint facilities
- Automotive aftermarket parts manufacturers: custom accessories and aftermarket car and truck parts
Common Applications for Abrasive Materials
- Buffing
- Honing
- Drilling
- Grinding
- Polishing
- Cutting
- Sharpening
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