Bonded abrasives can be subcategorized into conventional bonded and precision bonded abrasives. Coated abrasives are commonly recognized as traditional sandpaper and can be found in most home improvement stores. However, when it comes to surface finishing, conventional ceramic coated abrasives are known to be brutal on base materials, wear out abrasive discs quickly, and produce inconsistent results. In fact, it would be fair to say that the only thing that is consistent about coated abrasives for production is that they are bad for a business’ bottom line.
Efficient use of time, resources, and materials is critical to the success of an operation and that includes reducing the need for rework on projects. Furthermore, to improve a workpiece’s surface and achieve the desired finish, operators require premium precision abrasive tools that will prevent materials from being damaged and reduce the need for rework on projects.
Achieving the perfect surface finish is an exact science
Abrasive products made by 3M™ Company have been sold into both the industrial and home improvement markets since 1905. Since that time, premium quality cutting speed and long-life abrasive solutions are what customers have come to expect from 3M, and the Scotch-Brite™ Precision Surface Conditioning range combines the benefits of two of 3M’s patented abrasive technologies to offer a truly unique abrasive solution that is the first of its kind.
Nonwoven Web Technology
In 1958, 3M invented an innovative new form of abrasives made from a nonwoven web of fibres. This nonwoven abrasive technology eventually expanded into a range of products and applications that were introduced to market under 3M’s Scotch-Brite™ brand.
Whereas traditional ceramic abrasives are coated on the surface to bond the fibres of the grains, non-woven abrasives use blending and binding process to bond synthetic fibres at the point of manufacture. This process effectively forms a fully bonded open web fibre matrix that is flexible and conformable to surface materials and longer lasting in operation. The woven backing structure gives strength and integrity to the nonwoven web to hold up to the rotational speeds of handheld pneumatic and electric grinders.
Precision Shaped Grain Technology
As a global leader in material science, 3M were the first to develop Precision Shaped Grain abrasives that use microreplication technology to form lasered sharp peaks for smoother, cleaner cutting and grinding process. Precision Shaped Grain incurs minimal material-on-material wear and reduces heat build-up, ensuring a consistent and clean surface finish – every time. In addition to reliable surface finishes, a few of the other key advantages to using Precision Shaped grain are a quicker turnaround time on production, extended disc life of abrasives, and reduced fatigue on operators.
When combined with a nonwoven backing, Precision Shaped Grains create a premium quality abrasive product that is ideal for low pressure fabricating and manufacturing applications that use aluminium and soft metals; carbon steel; stainless steel; and more.
Designed to make life easier
True to their maxim ‘science applied to life’ the Scotch-Brite™ Precision Surface Conditioning range offers operators an expansive variety of sizes and grades to suit every application and substrate. Workers can simply select the grade of finish they want and anticipate a reliable consistent finish on workpieces, without any change to the dimensions or geometry of the base material they are working with.
The additional convenience of bright vivid color-coded discs in shades of blue, green, red, brown and black make for easy identification of the finer versus the coarse discs in a workshop. Furthermore, the Extra Coarse discs can replace fibre and flap discs (P150 and finer) to reduce process steps.
Add-on: The Scotch-Brite™ Universal Surface Conditioning Back-up Pad
Designed to optimize the performance of nonwoven abrasive discs, the Scotch-Brite™ Universal Surface Conditioning Back-up Pad features a low-profile design that is compatible with most grinder guards. The add-on comes packaged with everything an operator needs for quick and easy tool attachment, including three attachment nuts and an optional snap-in centre post.
For more information on the Scotch-Brite™ Precision Surface Conditioning discs and 3M™ abrasive solutions, visit your location Motion Australia branch today and speak to a technical sales representative about finding the right abrasive solution for your workshop.
