Norton Abrasive Process Solutions program designed to help solve grinding and finishing challenges

Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Worcester, Mass., has introduced its new Norton Abrasive Process Solutions (APS) program to help customers determine the optimal grinding or finishing system for the application at hand, from simple to complex; off-hand or automated; and for metal fabrication, production grinding, and nearly any abrasives operation.

The program draws upon the knowledge of the Norton team, along with access to 30 different machines and a new APS robotic automation cell, which is at the core of the new program located at the Higgins Grinding Technology Center in Northborough, Mass. The APS team provides abrasive process development, optimization, automation, and in-house testing. APS services encompass the testing and optimization of new abrasives, improving quality and throughput, and trying new and customized processes.

The APS automation cell can deliver abrasive-to-part and part-to-abrasive applications, as well as wet/dry processing. It uses an array of abrasives such as coated, nonwoven, thin wheel, bonded, and superabrasives. Equipped with a turnkey solution, manufacturers then can contact an automation system integrator for implementation.