Characteristics And Types Of Polishing Wheels

What is polishing?

An operation called polishing involves cutting or rubbing a workpiece with abrasive particles or other materials. The main goals are to increase gloss and smooth out the surface. It still falls under the category of mechanical processing's abrasive grain processing because abrasive grains are used.

The two types of abrasive grain processing are "fixed abrasive grain processing" and "free abrasive grain processing."

Abrasive grains are processed using fixed materials that typically have greater cutting and removing forces.

Processing of free abrasive grains: The abrasive grains are positioned between the workpiece and the carrier, and the carrier is used to grind the workpiece's relative motion, typically with better surface roughness.

There are tools available for polishing operations for these two categories of processing methods.

Use of Polishing Wheels Correctly

For applications involving workpiece polishing, the polishing wheel is a crucial polishing component. The polishing effect can be maximized by using it in combination with polishing wax. However, the selection of polishing materials and ineffective polishing techniques frequently result in polishing issues during the polishing process. The safety measures and proper application of the polishing wheel are described below.

The polishing wheel's steering issue comes first, and it is then turned for operation by the operator. Use polishing wax against the polishing wheel's edge during the process to ensure that the wax sticks to the wheel. Then, place the workpiece lightly on the wheel surface, making sure that it is below the polishing wheel's central axis' horizontal plane and that any stress placed on it is directed inward. The workpiece is thrown out of the hand by the anti-polishing wheel, but choosing the right polishing materials is also crucial because different workpieces require different polishing materials.

The correct way to use the polishing wheel is to lightly touch the wheel surface with the workpiece before removing it. This aids in the removal of sharp corners from the workpiece surface and the prevention of spots caused by the excessive use of polishing wax and other polishing materials. If the polishing wax is applied excessively due to operational errors, it can be removed with tools such as iron brushes and repainted if necessary. At the same time, it should be noted that when the polishing wheel is running, do not force the wax onto the surface of the wheel so that the rotation speed of the polishing wheel is not affected and thus the polishing effect is not affected.

Sandpaper, abrasive belt, polishing belt, non-woven wheel, rubber wheels, PVA wheels, abrasive cloth wheels, and resin wheels are common tools for polishing fixed abrasive grain processing.

Processing of free abrasive grain:

Abrasive fluid, diamond paste, polishing wax, and elastic sandblasting particles are all examples of abrasive grains.

Vehicle components include a cloth wheel, a hemp wheel, a wool wheel, a metal plate, and a polishing pad.

Non-woven wheels, rubber wheels, PVA wheels, abrasive wheels, and resin wheels are examples of abrasive particles.

There are no abrasive grains in cloth wheels, hemp wheels, or wool wheels.

Polishing Wheels of Various Types

Polishing wheels that do not contain abrasive particles will take on different shapes depending on the shapes and material characteristics to be polished, as well as different weaving methods and combinations. However, based solely on appearance, the polishing wheels containing abrasive particles are difficult to distinguish. It should be distinguished based on the bonding agent, structure, abrasive grain, and method of composition. If it is slightly different, the effects of grinding and polishing may be completely different.

The Polishing Wheel's Properties

The polishing wheel's outer circumference is in contact with the workpiece, it rotates at a high speed, and it has high processing speed characteristics.

Furthermore, depending on the size of the elasticity, it is advantageous to process a variety of irregular-shaped workpieces. It usually has a self-sharpening effect that consumes and automatically generates new abrasive particles. As a result, when compared to polishing materials such as abrasive belts and sandpaper, the frequency of consumable replacement can be reduced. Simultaneously, waste generation and disposal costs can be reduced.

It is worth noting that, due to the characteristics listed above, the polishing wheel is ideal for use in automatic grinding and polishing operations. If you previously used consumables such as abrasive belts, you may want to consider switching to polishing wheels when converting to automation.