Precision-Shaped Grains: Faster Cutting, Longer Lasting, Easier to Use

This structural innovation represents one of the most important changes in the abrasives industry in decades. With a grinding wheel that lasts this long, shops now have a new easy-to-use abrasive that is not only good for workers, it’s good for business.

Metal fabricators have been using bonded wheels to grind metal and level welds for many years, and those in job shops and contract manufacturing would probably state that the traditional way of doing things has been adequate.

However, shop owners would likely agree that there is always room for improvement in terms of lowering manufacturing costs, increasing throughput and improving productivity. Additionally, fabricators would welcome technologies that could reduce fatigue.

HOW CONVENTIONAL GRAINS WORK
To understand how such improvements in productivity and throughput could be made, as well as how operator fatigue could be reduced, an examination of the current technology is necessary. Today most abrasive grain is manufactured rather than mined. These grains come in particles of various shapes and sizes due to the fact that they are manufactured with conventional crushing and screening techniques.

When these grains are coated onto an abrasive backing, the result is a random distribution of grain that is irregular in shape and size. The irregular cutting surface results in a “plowing” effect as it cuts through material. This plowing causes an increase in friction, which dulls the grain and causes the abrasive to cut more slowly, which adds time to the grinding process.

For the operator of a 10 lb or heavier portable grinder, this inefficiency means he must apply more pressure to cut away metal. The combination of longer grinding time and the additional pressure required can add up to considerable worker fatigue.

MICROREPLICATION AS AN ALTERNATIVE
A new type of bonded abrasive grinding wheel has been introduced that has the potential to address all of these problems. The technology used in Cubitron™ II bonded abrasive grinding and cut-off wheels capitalizes on two core technologies: microreplication and ceramics.

Microreplication technology uses tiny, precisely shaped structures to give materials new physical or optical properties. This technology has very broad applications and is currently used in products ranging from reflective road signs to drug delivery patches. In the abrasive field, microreplication is used to produce small three-dimensional “precision-shaped grains” that structurally resemble triangles whose geometry creates a precise and consistent abrasive surface that is ideal for metal-finishing applications.

The controlled geometry of these precision-shaped grains gives them significant performance benefits when compared against conventional crushed grains. Because the grains are engineered with a consistent size and shape, their distribution onto the backing is more consistent as well. When in use, precision-shaped grains continuously fracture to form new sharp edges and points, resulting in a “self-sharpening” effect.

REAL-WORLD IMPLICATIONS
These capabilities allow precision-shaped grains to slice through metal, as opposed to the plowing action of conventional abrasives. With this efficient metal removal via slicing action, heat-related part damage and discoloration can be greatly reduced. The continuous fracturing of the grains allows grinding wheels to cut cleaner and faster than conventional ceramic abrasives and to last many times longer.

The fact that the grains stay sharp over their life means that shops can enjoy fast, consistent cut rates throughout the long life of the abrasive. These improvements allow abrasive wheels to remove more material with less pressure. In fact, data shows that competitive products require up to three times the amount of pressure to match the cut of these abrasives.

The practical ramifications of this technology are clear. These innovative new abrasives are capable of cutting faster, staying sharp longer, and cutting with less pressure than their traditional counterparts – all of which can help reduce operator fatigue and improve productivity. This represents one of the most important changes in the abrasives industry in decades.

With an easier to use grinding wheel that lasts longer, the shops now have a new abrasive that is not only good for workers, it’s good for business.