Abrasive Types and Grit Sizes for Flexible Hones: BRM Announces Technical Article; Explains How to Select Flex-Hone® Tools for Deburring and Surface Finishing
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 24, 2014 -- Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), American-owned supplier of a full line of surface finishing solutions, is announcing a technical article about how to select abrasive types and grit sizes for Flex-Hone® tools. The California manufacturer’s flexible honing tools feature abrasive globules that are permanently laminated to flexible nylon filaments.
Flexible honing is a low-pressure, low-temperature abrading process that removes burrs and improves the surface finish of cylinder walls. Flexible hones have more cutting points than rigid hones, and provide a full 360° of cutting action. As the abrasive globules on a BRM ball hone wear, fresh cutting particles are continuously exposed. Flex-Hone® tools are Made in the USA, and are easy-to-use.
Abrasive Types and Base Materials
As BRM’s technical article explains, standard Flex-Hone® tools are available with aluminum oxide (AO), silicon carbide (SC), zirconia alumina (ZA), boron carbide (BC), tungsten carbide (WC), levigated alumina, and diamond abrasive. Flexible cylinder hones with cubic boron nitride (CBN) or ceramic abrasive are available by special order. The base material of the workpiece determines which abrasive to choose.
For example, ZA and SC Flex-Hone® tools are used to deburr and surface-finish cast iron and stainless steel. ZA abrasive provides longer tool life than SC, however, and is also suitable for use with low and medium carbon steels. Diamond Flex-Hone® tools are recommended for deburring, surface finishing, and edge-blending carbide, ceramic, hardened tool steels, heat-treated steels, and other hard materials.
Grit Sizes
In addition to abrasive type, grit size is an important specification for flexible honing tools. As BRM’s technical article explains, grit selection is a function of the amount of work to perform and the degree of surface improvement that’s required. Depending on the application, flexible cylinder hones in different grit sizes may be required.
For example, if a surface requires significant improvement, start with a lower-grit ball hone and then use one or more higher-grit deburring tools to achieve a final surface finish. If the starting surface finish is coarse, beginning with a fine-grit tool is less effective. For some applications, such as Nikasil engine cylinders, a specific combination of Flex-Hone® abrasive type and grit size (240-AO) is recommended.
To learn more about flexible honing for edge blending, burr removal, and surface finish improvement, download the Flex-Hone® Resource Guide and watch the Brush Research and The Flex-Hone® tool video.
About Brush Research Manufacturing
Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), makers of flexible honing tools and a full line of industrial brushes, is located in Los Angeles, California. For over 55 years, BRM has been solving surface finishing challenges with brushing technology. BRM’s Flex-Hone® tool is the industry standard against which all other ID surface finishing solutions are compared. Choose NamPower brushes for OD applications.
Media Contact:
Heather Jones
Vice President of Marketing
Brush Research Manufacturing Co. Inc.
4642 Floral Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90022
HJones(at)brushresearch(dot)com
For Immediate Release:
http://www.brushresearch.com/
Ph: (323) 261-2193
Heather Jones, Brush Research Manufacturing, http://www.brushresearch.com, (323) 261-2193 Ext: 710, [email protected]
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