FAQs

Industrial abrasives are tools that use materials to shape or smooth a workpiece through constant rubbing. As the abrasive rubs against the workpiece, it wears away parts of the surface through friction. This leads to a smooth and reflective surface; however, it can also shape workpieces with beaded, satin or matte finishes if needed. There are many types of materials that create custom abrasives, and some work better with certain types of workpieces. Below you will find a guide to different types of industrial abrasives and our recommendations on when best to use them.

Custom abrasives have a number of uses in industry. For one, they help clean surfaces and remove any coarse materials. They help to shape and size different workpieces as needed. In addition, you can use them to separate or remove parts of a workpiece. Today, many prefer man-made abrasives such as ones that use aluminium oxide to natural ones. This is due to their reliability and ease of use. Due to the hard and brittle nature of these materials they tend to form shard edges that help reduce heat produced during abrasion. As such, these materials are best used for smooth finishes, whereas tougher materials that resist fracture are a better choice for rough grinding.

Abrasives can come in three basic forms: bonded to create solid tools like wheels, coated with backings to create strips and belts, or loose and applied through liquid or air pressure such as sandblasting. Abrasion occurs when a surface is scratched, and in order to scratch a surface effectively the abrasive tool needs to be made of a much harder material. By using the Mohs scale of hardness, a material with a value between six and ten can be used on materials such as glass, metal, stone, plastic and wood. A material’s hardness, strength and toughness determine how easy it is to work with. Hardness determines how easily the abrasive material penetrates the surface, while strength and toughness determine how easily the penetrated material is to remove. As such, different abrasive materials will work better with different types of surfaces.

Here at Vagmi Abrasives we offer a wide range of industrial abrasives for any purpose. View our range of abrasive products online or speak with our team for more information today.