What is a bonded abrasive ?
A resin bonded abrasive is a grinding or cutting tool composed of abrasives grains which are held tightly together by a bonding agent and typically reinforced with a woven material. Within the bonded abrasives category are grinding and cutting wheels, as well as "stones" in a variety of shapes and size.
Three Main Components of Resinoid Bonded Abrasives are as follows:
- Abrasives Grains: Abrasives grains are the Main component of grinding wheels. These are the cutting tools glued in wheels. There are different abrasive but most commonly used are Aluminum Oxide and Silicon Carbide, Alumina Zirconium. Aluminum oxide is used to grind materials such an hard steel Aluminum oxide it the most common abrasive used in grinding wheels. Silicon carbide grinding wheels is used to grind the low tensile strength materials, such an aluminum, brass and softer bronzes, it is also used on most non-ferrous metals. Alumina zirconium is a very fine, dense crystalline grain which can be used for rugged stock removal.
- Bonding Agent: The Bonding agent that hold the grains together determines the resistance of the wheel. There are six types of bonding agents. In the Resinoid bond, synthetic resins are used to unite the grains of the abrasive. A resinoid wheel produces a higher surface finish, and should be run at a higher surface feet per minute.
- Reinforcement: The reinforcement material provides extra strength to use the wheel at miximum RPMs and withstand lateral pressure that is appiled during use. It also increase the life of wheel remarkably.
How Abrasives work?
The function of abrasives is to remove material. The wheel is made up of two components, the abrasives and the bond. The abrasives acts like the cutter and the bond is the glue holding the abrasives grains together. Since the abrasive is harder than the material being ground, each grain acts like a cutting tool.
