As we know, flap discs usually are a good option for grinding, blending, and finishing a product. The flap discs are designed to remove the materials on the surfaces of the products effectively and make the product's surface flat and smooth. By using this flap discs, it helps people to minimize the cost and money to complete the work and increase work productivity. This flap disc needs to cooperate with a machine to use and the machine is called a grinder. A grinder is a machine tool used for grinding something by using flap discs.
Flap discs enclose different types and sizes. Different types and sizes of flap discs have different purposes. Therefore, we need to choose the correct type of flap disc based on the product type. In this article, we will discuss the basic knowledge of flap discs.
Types of Flap Disc
There are two types of flap discs which are Type 29 and Type 27. The difference between this two type flap disc is its shape, Type 29 is a conical shape and Type 27 is a flat shape. Type 29 conical flap discs are suitable to use on contoured surfaces and edge work due to this flap discs have angled flaps. This angled flaps feature provides a greater contact surface to remove material on the flat surfaces of a product. The working angle of this conical flap discs is 15° to 25°. On the other hand, Type 27 flat shape flap discs are suitable to use to smooth and blend finishing. It can also use to finish the complex and ornate surfaces of a product. The working angle of this flat shape flap discs is 0° to 15°.
The picture above shows conical shape flat disc
The picture above shows flat shape flap disc
Flap Disc Abrasive Grain Types
Besides the type of flap discs, the flap disc abrasive grain types also become an important feature when choosing flap discs. There are three common grain types which are aluminum oxide, zirconia, and ceramic. Aluminum oxide grain is appropriate to use for grinding steel such as alloy steel or low-alloy steel. One thing that needs to remember for this type of grain is it is not suitable to use for big products as it is not long-lasting and cannot be used on stainless steel. Zirconia grain is opposite to the aluminum oxide grain because this zirconia grain is best for high alloy and stainless steel. Ceramic grain has the longest life than the other two types of grains and it provides the fastest cut as it has a unique microcrystalline structure that makes it faster to cut. Ceramic grain can be said the best type of grain compared to other grain types although it is quite expensive.
There are some benefits of using flap discs. The first benefit is smoothing finish without gouging as improve the appearance of the products. The second benefit is reducing vibration and fatigue as the flap disc is lightweight. The third benefit is easy to use with a grinder machine. Four benefit is to reduce the time and cost of the operator.
How to choose different types of flap discs with different products' surfaces?
Firstly, select the correct type of flap disc and disc size. It is important to select the type of flap disc and disc size for different sizes of products. The operator needs to understand clearly the purpose of using flap disc as different types of flap discs have different purposes mentioned above. The flap discs size can range from two inches to seven inches. Therefore, the operator can choose the size of flap discs based on the size of the product's surface that needs to smooth.
Secondly, select the abrasive grain. Operators need to choose which types of abrasive grain they want to use. The types of abrasive grain are aluminum oxide, zirconia, and ceramic that mentioned above. The most common type of abrasive grain that operators usually used is zirconia as it provides lower cost to the operators.
Besides, operators also need to use the correct technique when using flap discs. Operators need to find a proper angle and pressure when using a flap disc to grind on the products. This is because putting too much pressure on the flap discs will cause the products' surfaces to become gouging or burning. If the operator grinding at a steep angle, it will cause the operator to work harder and the useful life of the flap disc will also reduce. Therefore, the operators need to find the correct pressure and angle to use the flap disc.
To get your flap disc or grinding wheel supplier, please contact us now at 011-7001 7687!