FINISHING
thicknesses, grades, grain types and densities, allowing you to finish materials simply and consistently. Unlike traditional abrasives, the aggression is determined less by the grit used and more by the density of the material. The lower the density the more flexible a product is. The higher the density the more aggressive unitised abrasives become.
UNITISED ABRASIVES, A CLOSER LOOK
I
n the modern world of metalworking, the use of stainless steel, aluminium and high-grade or exotic steel
alloys is an ever-increasing trend, while the lack of skilled workers means that a time served welder will often need to be able to sand and polish to the highest standard. Architects eagerly use such materials
in their ultramodern constructions, and it is just as relevant in contemporary interior design, with stainless steel tables and balustrades demanding high specification finishes so there is a constant pressure on the metal fabricator. The material properties of these alloys are indispensable in
pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals too. In this world unitised abrasives are a metal fabricator’s best friend in finishing these metals safely and comfortably and meeting customers’ demands.
Unitise abrasive construction Three-dimensional compressed abrasives or ‘unitised abrasives’ consist of crimped nylon threads bonded into an open web structure and impregnated with engineered abrasive grit. These impregnated nylon slabs are stacked to become a solid sheet in a hot press. From these sheets, the various sizes and shapes can then be prepared. Unitised abrasives come in various
What’s the difference? Pick up a piece of sandpaper and press it onto your workpiece and you have an ‘unforgiving’ or hard contact. Press a unitised abrasive onto that same workpiece and the first thing you will notice is that the unitised conforms slightly to the surface. This makes it your new best friend when you need a high-quality finish without the risk of damaging the workpiece. Unitised abrasives combine reasonable aggression with an excellent finish. Perhaps more surprisingly, using a unitised abrasive can often mean that a very high-quality finish can be obtained in fewer steps, making these products very suitable for industrial applications. The unitised material is an excellent addition to the range of traditional abrasives, as it accounts for a perfect, consistent, and reproducible finish of the workpiece after material removal. An important feature of unitised
abrasives is that the material can be easily processed in all sizes and shapes. They are also available in different grit types and densities, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. In standard production the thinnest
22 / WELDING WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 03 - MAY 2024
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