Steel Abrasive Wheel

What Are Abrasive Wheels?

Abrasive wheels are precision tools with grains on the outer circumference which effectively create thousands of cutting points as the wheel spins. Put simply, abrasive wheels are revolving wheels, cylinders, discs or cones made of abrasive particles, which have been bonded together, using inorganic or organic substances. Inorganic bonds such as clay, glass, porcelain, sodium silicate, magnesium oxychloride or metal, are generally fired in a furnace to give the bond a hard, strong but brittle structure. These wheels are used for precision grinding applications as they hold their shape, but require dressing. Dressing an abrasive wheel means removing the very outer surface of the wheel so that a new sharp surface can be exposed. This is because over time the outer edge will blunt. Ways to dress the wheel depend on what the wheel is made of.

Types of Wheels

Cutting off wheels: Subject to maximum thickness and hole size limitations. This might be steel-centred with diamond abrasives or organic bonded abrasives.

Abrasive: These are cutting tools consisting of abrasive grains, held together by organic or inorganic bonds. Diamond and reinforced wheels are included.

Organic wheels: Bonded by an organic material. For example resin, rubber, shellac, or other similar bonding agent.

Inorganic wheel: Bonded by an inorganic material. Such as clay, glass, porcelain, sodium silicate, magnesium oxychloride, or metal.

Vitrified wheel: A subset of inorganic wheels. Bonded with clay, glass, porcelain, or related ceramic materials.

Wire brush and buffing wheels: Similarly, other types of grinding wheel attachments include wire brush and buffing wheels that are usually used for cleaning.

What Are Abrasive Wheels For?

Abrasive wheels are of great importance for industries that perform surface treatment through mechanical processes. In these industries, products are demanded that solve the main problems that arise in automatic or semi-automatic machines: constant cutting power, long life and uniform finish.

They are also used in portable electric, pneumatic, and flex-shaft machines for grinding, cleaning, and satin finishes.

Furthermore, at an industrial level, a wide range of products is required to suit each type of material; as well as the different applications to be carried out:

• Lapping, deburring, grinding and trimming.
• Sanding, finishing and polishing.
• Satin.
• Cleaning.

What Materials Can They Treat?

Abrasive wheels are used for finishing operations on the following materials:

• Raw wood and MDF
• Wood and varnished melamine papers
• Metals
• Ceramic and stoneware
• Printed circuits

Uses of Abrasive Wheels

There are many different types of abrasive wheels, making them suitable for a wide variety of different tasks. Some examples include:

• Straight wheels are basic grinding wheels often used in home workshops. They can be found on bench or pedestal grinders. Straight wheels are most commonly used for surface grinding and to sharpen tools, such as wood chisels and lawnmower blades.
• Cup wheels can re-sharpen, finish or polish concrete and stone. However, with a small enough grit they can also remove adhesive and paint from materials.
• Dish wheels look similar to cup wheels but are shallow and have a thinner edge. Their shape allows the tool to reach into narrow cracks and crevices that a cup wheel cannot access.
• Cut-off wheels usually have a very narrow grinding surface. They make deep, narrow, precise cuts at 90-degree angles. They are used with both portable and stationary tools on numerous materials including aluminium, plastic, sheet metal and stainless steel.
• Segmented wheels have segmented sections instead of a continuous rim. When used with cooling or lubricating fluids, these wheels remove large amounts of material rapidly without damaging its surface.
• Plug and cone wheels can clean and remove excess metal from castings where other wheels cannot easily access.