Cut-off Wheels are typically made of abrasive grain bonded with an organic bond system which making them somewhat similar to fibre sanding discs, used for cutting, notching and grinding. They are used with both portable and stationary tools on numerous materials including aluminum, plastic, sheet metal, stainless steel and stone cutting discs.These discs are typically found on grinders, grinding machines, and metal cut-off saws.
Selection of a wheel for any cutting job involves several factors, whether it involves high-speed production cut, or a precision, fine-cutting application. Knowing the following information can help with the selection process:
- What material are you going to be cutting?
- The types of cut off wheels
- Tips to keep safe when using cut off wheels
What material are you going to be cutting
It is important to distinguish the type of material to be cutting cause each abrasive material provides the cut off wheel with a certain level of cutting and grinding ability. It is foremost to select the abrasives material of the cutting wheel according to the different cutting objects. Here are normally abrasive materials that can be used on abrasive cutting wheel:
- Aluminum oxide
- Zirconia Alumina
- Ceramic
- Silicon Carbide
If you are going to be cutting welds, steel and Iron, etc. The Aluminum oxide metal cutting grinding wheel must be your best choice with 60 and 46 grit are ideal for sheet metal with minimum burring. If you are going to be cutting stainless steel, a higher grade abrasive called Zirconia maybe your first choice. It is the best cutting disc for stainless steel and high tensile as primary application, the wheels typically come in 1/16 and 1/32 thickness with medium (46 grit ) to fine (60 grit).
The ceramic cut off wheel is designed to cut all forms of stainless steel, high tensile alloys, chrome and Inconel alloys. One of the key components in using a ceramic cut-off wheel is it’s contaminate-free cutting of stainless steel. It’s wheel life is going to be superior to aluminum and zirconia wheels. If your not on a budget and performance is a must a ceramic cutting tools well surely impress. Silicon Carbide is a fast cutting abrasive that is harder than ceramic. It is commonly used on nonferrous metals and in low-pressure applications.
For more information:
- 3 inch metal cutting discs
- 4 metal cutting disc
- stone cutting discs
The Types of Cut Off Wheels
There is a variety of cut-off wheels here is a list of cutting wheel types:
- Type 41
- Type 42
T41 wheel is flat and used primarily for cutting that allows for a maximum depth of cut.
The main disadvantage of using a Type 1 wheel is that they mount closer to the guard making it more difficult for the user to see what they are cutting. T42 is used for cutting but can also be used for grinding and notching as it has a depressed center this design features more of a rigid feel while cutting, enhanced operator visibility of the cut, and the ability to flush cut see image below.
Tips to keep safe when using cut off wheels
The main content here is about how to keep safe when using the cutting wheel for metal in the use of the cutting machine, so that the operator can have a better and comfortable cutting experience. Next I will start with the operation Instruction of wholesale contrete cutting disc on the angle grinder as example :
- Before working, you must wear labor protection equipment and check whether the equipment has a qualified grounding wire.
- It is necessary to check whether the cutting machine is in good condition and whether the cutting wheel is cracked or defective. It is forbidden to use diseased equipment and unqualified cutting wheels. As shown in the picture below, the qualified cutting wheel is correctly installed on the angle grinder.
- When cutting the material, do not use excessive force or sudden impact, and immediately turn off the power when there is an abnormal situation.
- The material to be cut should be clamped with a vise, one person is not allowed to hold the material and one person is not allowed to cut the material, and the person must stand on the side of the grinding wheel when cutting the material.
- When replacing the cutting wheel, wait for the equipment to stop stably, and carefully check the cutting wheel for confirmation then.
- During operation, abrasive tools and other items are not allowed on the rack.
- The cutting machine should be placed on a stable ground, away from flammable items, and the power cord should be connected to a leakage protection device.
- The metal cutting wheel for grinder should be installed as required, and the trial start operation should be stable before starting to work.
- The clamping device should be safe and reliable to prevent accidental loosening of the workpiece.
- When cutting, the operator should cut evenly and avoid the front of the cutting blade to prevent accidents due to improper operation of the cutting blade.
- After the work is completed, the dust on the surface of the cutting machine should be wiped and the workplace should be cleaned, and rainproof measures should be taken for outdoor storage.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right metal cutting wheel for the job often depends on the goals of the operation. If cutting speed is paramount, then some compromises may have to be made on product life – and vice versa. For more information, please contact us. BINIC-steel cutting disc factory and coated abrasives manufacturer.
