When Purchasing Grinding Wheels… Check for the Seal

Grinding wheel safety is of critical importance to us as a grinding wheel manufacturer and to you, our customer. A good place to start is with a properly designed and tested grinding wheel. A typical grinding wheel can spin at thousands of RPM’s (revolutions per minute), making it an excellent cutting tool for a wide variety of applications. 

As with any tool there can be a risk of failure if the wheel is abused or has not been properly designed and tested. The Unified Abrasives Manufacturers’ Association (UAMA) Self Certification Seal is one of the best ways to recognize that the product has been designed and tested to ANSI Safety Standards. ANSI B7.1 “Safety Requirements for the Use, Care and Protection of Abrasive Wheels” is the industry standard and the authority of knowledge for grinding wheels in North America. Compliance to this safety standard is critical to end user safety. 

ANSI requires that most grinding wheels be speed tested at specified speeds above the maximum approved operating speed. These ANSI designed standards and testing procedures improve the wheel’s safety and reliability.

featuredimage-checktheseal

While there are grinding wheels that comply with the ANSI Standards and do not have the ANSI Certification Seal, we recommend that you look for the seal when purchasing your grinding wheels. This seal certifies that the grinding wheels you buy have been designed and tested according to American National Standard ANSI B7.1. 

Remember, when buying grinding wheels, check for the seal and always play it safe at the wheel! 

 

For additional information on this topic or if you need any other abrasive safety information, please review ANSI, OSHA and all literature provided by the coated abrasive and machine manufacturer. You may contact the Saint-Gobain Product Safety Department at (508) 795-2317, Fax (508) 795-5120, or contact your Saint-Gobain Abrasives representative with any safety related questions.