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finishing. These applications can be very labor-intensive and may represent a disproportionate share of the total job cost for metal fabricators. As the demands for improved finishes increase—and companies like Ford announce that the F-150 truck is moving to aluminum as the primary material—fabricators need abra- sives solutions that streamline their operations. Non-woven abrasives can provide an excellent solution. What Is Non-Woven? In its simplest form, non-woven it is an abrasive product where the base is an open nylon filament web to which abrasive grain is bonded. The advantages of non-woven abrasives are many. It is resilient, comfortable, waterproof, non-loading and non- rusting. This allows for the following advantages when used on portable grinding, sanding and finishing operations: • A controlled cut with minimal stock removal • A predictably consistent, uniform finish • Ease of use and reduced operator training • Increased safety over other grinding methods • Ability to be used on irregular surfaces. Next-Generation Non-wovens have been around for more than 50 years and have been used primarily for cleaning and finishing. Recent advancements in all of the product components have not only improved the core applications but also extended the perfor- mance into other metal fabrication applications. Non-woven backing: An expansion in the porosity of the fibers from very open to very tight has provided products that work across more applications and materials. Non-wovens now offer strong performance in light metal removal, deburring, blending and finishing, and they excel on material where loading is an issue. Bond chemistry: Previously, when the resin overheated, it would often smear the work surface. New bond chemistry has virtually eliminated this. Grain technology: Once the domain of fine grit, low-cost aluminum oxide and silicon carbide abrasives, the new resins Non-Woven Abrasive Grit Range Grades Grit r an Ge i nitials Micro Fine 1000-1200 MF, MFine Ultra Fine 600 UF, UFine Very Fine * 240-360 VF, VFn, VFine Fine * 180-220 F, Fn, Fin Medium * 100-150 M, Med Coarse 50-80 C, Crs extra Coarse 36-40 XC, eXCrs, XCrs *Highest volumes and nylon mesh now allow for integration of both coarser grits and premium abrasives. Extra-coarse (36-40) and coarse (50-80) are now used for stripping and light metal removal. High-performance grains such as ceramic alumina with its ultra-sharp, micro crystal structure, and agglomerated grains that allow coarse grits to be built out of finer parti- cles, are revolutionizing the cut rate and life of all non- woven products. Primary Advantages The next generation of non-woven provides benefits of faster cut rate, longer life and decreased rework due to smearing. Also, these products are extremely versatile. In PRODUCTS FINISHING — pfonline.com 21 NoN-WoveN AbrAsives Coarse Fine Grit 24 30 36 40 50 60 80 100 120 150-180 220-320+ Coated abrasives stock removal Blending and Finishing deburring surface Prep and Cleaning Finishing Grading extra Coarse Coarse Medium/ Fine Very Fine+ non-Woven abrasives l ight stock removal, Blending and deburring deburring, Blending, surface Preparation and Cleaning Finishing Structure of a Non-Woven Abrasive • Open mesh construction • Waterproof and washable, non-loading • r esilient and c onformable • non-metallic and non-rusting Coated non-Woven Fiber Grain resin 0614_PF_NortonFEATURE.indd 21 5/16/2014 1:36:42 PM