Category & Attribute of Abrasive Grains in iAbrasive.com

Abrasive grains function as media in the process of grinding, lapping and buffing, and they are manufactured into certain grits to cut the extra materials of certain products. In iAbrasive.com (www.iabrasive.com), there are 18 main categories totally, and four of them are related to abrasive grits: Abrasive Grains, Superhard Materials, Sand Blasters & Media, Mass Finishing & Media,  Buffing & Polishing.

By referring to the websites of home and abroad, related products manuals and the customer online searching hobbies, iAbrasive.com holds the view that the abrasives that are used to manufacture common abrasive tools such as vitrified wheels, resin-bonded abrasives, sanding sheets and sanding belts should be included in the category ofAbrasive Grains; the abrasives that are used to manufacture super abrasive tools and diamond tools such as diamond wheels, cBN wheels, diamond blades etc. should be included in the category of Superhard Materials ; loose abrasives that are used for sand blasting and shot penning should be included in the category of Sand Blasters & Media; abrasive chips that are used for blasting and buffing in large functioning area should be included in the category of Mass Finishing & Media, as for the doubt that whether abrasive chips should belong to abrasive tools or abrasive grains, we do not make further discussion here, iAbrasive.com just currently put them in this category; polishing compound and powder should be put in the same category with where cloth and sisal wheels stay–Buffing & Polishing, in the view of iAbrasive.com. This article is mainly about the category and attribute of abrasive grains.

As shown in Figure 1, Abrasive Grains are sub-classified into 7 secondary categories in iAbrasive.com. In fact, aluminium oxide and silicon carbon are in the largest amount for supplying and demanding in this category, so Aluminum Oxide is sub-classified into 7 further levels; Silicon Carbide is sub-classified into 2 further levels. In every final level, there are related attributes and values. For example, although Aluminum Oxide is included in the category of Abrasive Grains, it’s not the final level; while Brown Fused Alumina is the final classification, so it has related attributes and values; Zirconia Alumina is the secondary as well as final classification of Abrasive Grains. The main attributes ofAbrasive Grains are as following.

Form: Block, Grain, Powder
Particle Shape: Angular, Rounded, Sharp, Cubic, Irregular, Other.
Grading System: ANSI, FEPA, JIS, ISO, GB/T, SAE, Other
Available Size: Customized
Features: Low Heat-treated, High heat-treated, Surface Treated, Ultra-Fine
Application: Bonded Abrasives, Coated Abrasives, Blasting, Polishing/lapping, Refractory, Wire Sawing, etc.
Zirconia Content: Approx.40%, Approx.25%, Approx.10%, Other
Materials: Corundum, Emery,Flint, Garnet, etc.

Remark:
Form: iAbrasive users can select by the size of abrasive grits. It can also be interpreted as the raw material block, coarse powder, or micro powder.
Particle Shape: Different processing methods vary the particle shapes. As for the bulk density, the densest in Rounded shape, then comes second in Angular, and the least inSharp; Cubic is unique for monocrystalline alumina; shape that is unable to define can be selected by Irregular; trying not to select Other as possible as you can.
Grading System: As it is well known, there are different grading systems in different countries. ANSI: American National Standards Institute; FEPA: The Florida Emergency Preparedness Association; JIS: Japanese Industrial Standards; ISO: International Standardization Organization; SAE: Society of Automotive Engineers.
Available Size: Based on above selected grading system, it is filled in and customized by users themselves. For example, if you choose FEPA and your products are used for bonded abrasives, then you can type F12-F1200. Here, the exact value is completely customized by the individual enterprise according to their real situations. If you can not offer micro powder but F4-F220, then just type F4-F220.
Features: It is unique for Brown Fused Alumina. If you post product under any other categories, this value will not appear.
Applications: It is multi-choice; however, iAbrasive.com thinks that the best choice(s) is the one(s) that can make the best expression for your products. More choices or more irrelative choices do not equal to more visibility. Or sometimes even leave a dishonesty expression to buyers.
Zirconia Content: This is unique for Zirconia Alumina and is customized.
Materials: This is unique for Corundum; if posting garnet, just simply select Garnet here.