Grinding Wheels

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Grinding Wheels

Bonded Abrasives Used For Grinding and Cutting

Abrasive Grinding Wheels are used in many different grinding and machining applications. The wheels are engineered to perform very well for specific materials. Grinding wheels are a form of bonded abrasive made up of three things:

  1. Abrasive Grains - The "grit" or particles of compounds that will cause the chipping when a grinding wheel is used.
  2. Bonding Agent - The compound designed to hold the grains together. The compound's durability determines the resistance of the wheel.
  3. Reinforcement - A material that provides structural strength to the wheel. It allows the abrasive to withstand lateral pressure applied during use.

United Abrasive Grinding Wheels are designed to remove more stocke with less wear than other brands on the market.

Common Abrasive Grains

  • Aluminum Oxide - Tough and blocky grains used to cut through high tensile strength materials (including metal) without excessive fracturing.
  • Ceramic - A ceramic aluminum oxide grain that can be 2-3 times more durable than normal aluminum oxide.
  • Silicon Carbide - A hard, very sharp abrasive grain used to cut through concrete but not suited for metal.
  • Zirconium - A fine and dense grain used on rugged stock.

Things To Watch For While Grinding

Glazing

When using an abrasive grinding wheel, the grains and bonding agent wear down exposing new sharp grains. As this process continues, the wheel will shrink in size until it is no longer useable. Sometimes, the grains will wear but the bonding agent will not chip away. When the wheel has no grains exposed but the bonding agent is still intact, the wheel will no longer grind. This is called Glazing.

Solutions For Glazing

  • Dress the wheel for a temporary solution
  • Using a softer bond or coarser grit wheel in the future will prevent the same effect
Loading

When using a grinding wheel, the stock being ground away can become lodged in the wheel. This will prevent the grains from grinding further into the material. When the excess stock builds up between the bonded agent and the abrasive grains, it is called loading.

Solutions to Loading

  • Dress the wheel for a temporary solution
  • Change the the wheel. It is most likely not the correct wheel for the application.

All Abrasives Are Made in The USA