Product

Tested, Tried & True

15 Nov 2024

Originally published in FF Journal. Reproduced with permission.

Advanced Grain Technology that Underwent Numerous Trials Provides a Smear-Free Finish in Fewer Steps

After testing and qualifying at end use customers such as oil and gas, automotive and MRO, Norton | Saint-Gobain claims that its non-woven abrasives with Vortex grain technology, when applied to Rapid Blend products, is delivering three to five times longer life when compared with similar products.

The Vortex non-woven products were introduced in 2015. With U.S. operations based in Worcester, Massachusetts, the manufacturer’s sales team provides in-field consultation to customers. It was customer insights gleaned by the sales team “that prompted Norton to develop the Vortex grain,” according to Michael Radaelli, senior product manager for Norton | Saint-Gobain, which designs and manufactures abrasives.

Patented Technology

Customers continually look for ways to reduce throughput while maintaining or enhancing quality. Depending on the application, removing the weld and finishing the surface could be a three- to five-step process. “Stainless steel and aluminum are particularly sensitive to scratching when a coarser grit is used in weld removal, so most customers enlist a series of abrasives to achieve the desired finish in key applications such as surgical equipment and orthopedic implants,” says Radaelli.

The Norton sales team, along with Norton product management, worked with colleagues at the Saint-Gobain Higgins Grinding Technology Center in Northborough, Massachusetts, to solve the problem.

“We have abrasives experts at the center where the culture is to help our customers by applying out-of-the-box thinking in developing new technologies,” says Radaelli.

The Vortex grain technology is the result of more than three years of laboratory development and one year of field testing. The result: a patented, engineered agglomerate grain technology containing nylon material that is adhered to a low-stretch, poly backing to create a three-dimensional surface.

Because the Vortex Rapid Blend material is three-dimensional, it is extremely pliable and longer lasting than traditional mono-layered coated abrasives. The uniform dispersion of abrasive throughout the web coating provides a continuous supply of new grain when the old grain and fibers wear away during use. This design provides for longer material life, the test results proved.

The Vortex Rapid Blend technology uses a gravity or electrostatic binding process for the coating. This process allows us to hold tight tolerances in terms of both thickness and weight to achieve consistent runs,” says Radaelli.

Tight Tolerances, Few Steps

Norton’s Vortex technology enables faster cut rates and smoother finishes with three to five times longer life than competitive technologies. “There is nothing like it in the marketplace,” claims Radaelli, drawing upon several key customer experiences. In the medical equipment industry, many Norton customers rely upon robotics for machining. So adhering to tight tolerances in hardness, thickness and diameter makes the Vortex products ideal for automated production lines, where the life cycle of a disc must be consistent. This allows customers to calculate the time for replacements and program their equipment accordingly, with minimal downtime.

Other market segments that demand tight tolerances include automotive, aerospace, marine, oil and gas and general metal fabrication. The Vortex Rapid Blend new coarse grit product was initially designed for the oil and gas segment, where maintaining exact tolerances on threaded pipe ends is critical. “The final radius and finish must be achieved without any impact to the threads,” Radaelli explains.

The increased use of aluminum in some segments is also calling for more advanced finishing solutions. “Our customers are working with more aluminum because of its relative lower weight and high strength,” notes Radaelli, particularly in electric vehicles. Automakers looking to lower vehicle emissions continue to specify lightweight materials, such as axles cast in aluminum. The parting lines of these castings are being removed with Norton’s Vortex Rapid Blend technology. The same product is used to remove laser braze from automotive hood assemblies.

A marine industry customer has used Vortex products to reduce their finishing steps by a third. “Before painting the hull of an aluminum boat, our customer previously required three finishing steps. Now the center weld of the hull is blended and finished with just two Vortex products,” states Radaelli.

Operator using a Norton Vortex Rapid Blend unified disc

Fewer steps are especially beneficial for an application such as railroad station, for which stainless steel welds must be blended through a two-step process in an effort to achieve a 16 Ra value. Replacing a damaged rail along a railway line requires welding the new rail into place then grinding down the weld to a smooth finish. “With Vortex Rapid Blend products, railway operators are able to achieve the smooth finish in just one step,” he says.

No Smearing, Easier Handling

The Vortex technology was tested on carbon steel, aluminum and stainless. “Aluminum tends to generate heat faster than the other materials, which makes it more prone to smearing,”says Radaelli. The proprietary Norton Clean Bond resin system in Vortex has a higher tolerance to temperatures and resists smearing. “In the materials we have tested Vortex on, we have not experienced any smearing.”

The 3D design of Norton’s Rapid Blend discs brings all the benefits of the Vortex technology to bear as well as better control around a contour or a radius and improved ergonomics for the operator.

“A non-woven material has a natural bounce similar to a spring action. Combine that with the Vortex grain technology for a result that feels smoother to the operator. This smoothness cuts down on the resistance an operator might experience, particularly when off-hand bench deburring, blending and polishing,” notes Radaelli.

Vortex is available in a range of shapes (rolls, belts, wheels and discs) as well as abrasive grits, from micro-fine to extra-coarse. “We stock about 70 percent of the most common sizes. We also make to order special sizes,” says Radaelli.

He encourages fabricators and other users to leverage the knowledge of Norton’s sales force. “They can advise users on the best combination of Vortex materials to achieve the desired finish while improving throughput and in some cases reducing material and cost as well.”

The new Vortex Rapid Blend product line, including additional non-woven products, were showcased at the November Fabtech show and will soon be available to all customers globally.