Choosing the Right Abrasive

Choosing the right industrial abrasive for manufacturing is no small task. There are dozens of suppliers each with hundreds of products that all compete for your time and attention. So how do you know which abrasive to use?
To make the optimum choice there are three major factors that need to be considered:

1. Price is an obvious factor. Do you need a product with low up front cost, but will deteriorate quickly, or is the application one where investment needs to be made?
2. Performance should be broken down into three sub-categories.
   • Time – How quickly will the product perform?
   • Material removed – How much is done with the abrasive in a set time?
   • Product Wear – How long can the product be used before a change out is needed?
3. Need is where the previous two come together, but is important. How critical is the process? Does it need a high level of reliability, or is it a one off? What is the value of the employees doing the work, or the value of time in the process? The answer to these questions help guide you in understanding what level you’re looking for.

Going through each of these factors can be tough to weigh out, fortunately there are tools online to help guide you.

• Determine what your time is worth in the shop.
• Calculator for Material Removal Rate and the Average Volume per Chip
• Request a Quote for the abrasive disc you need

Below is a selection guide that breaks down what disc type that you need by application courtesy of Norton Abrasives. Use this guide to determine where you should be looking. From there you can work with your local Martin representative to understand your need and find the best solution for your application. Contact us here and give us a call today!