Abrasives come in a range of formats, from basic sheets and pads through to brush, band and even liquids. Machine-based abrasives such as disks, wheels, and belts are available for both small and large scale applications and aid in high-quality finished products. Though all may come in their various forms, their function is almost always the same, to remove surface layers from a piece of material. This can be aggressive, removing large amounts of material in the initial forming of a project piece right down to finer material removal for final finishing and polishing.
Examples of abrasives:
- Sandpaper
- Machine sander pads, belts bands
- Flap disks
- Grinding disks wheels
- Cup brushes
Other abrasives and finishing products?
Similar to regular abrasives, sharpening stones and blocks work to remove layers of material typically from tools such as chisels, drill bits and knives. Different finish grades, similar to abrasive grits, provide a guide to the amount of material to be removed and how fine a finish will remain. Higher grade stones and blocks will provide a finer finish providing a sharper tool.
Liquids and compounds are a fluid or block form abrasives that provide fine and professional surface finish to any piece. Featuring micro grains of mineral, liquids and compounds can be applied with pads, cloths and machines for high-quality finishing.
Finishing tools are used in manufacturing to clean up cut edges ready for sanding. Deburring tools are used to remove excess material left from cutting to prepare material for sanding and finishing.
What are engineering materials?
Used in manufacturing, research and development as well as hobby making and DIY, engineering materials are raw form materials in a range of shapes and sizes. Available in metals, rubber, ceramic, carbon fibre and plastics, these raw form materials can be used to create almost anything.
Available in a range of shapes and profiles, tubes, rods and angles are available in different sizes and profiles, these variables can be length, diameter and thickness as well and inside and outside diameters when using tubular materials.
Profile Examples
- Flat round bar
- L angle
- Square, hex round tube
Sheet materials are available as standard or perforated in a range of sizes. These can utilise different perforation shapes such as circles, hexagons, triangles and more as well as different sizing and spacing.
