Surface conditioning discs improve aerospace manufacturer’s finishing efficiency by nearly 50%

Image provided by Arc Abrasives Inc.

Situation

An aerospace manufacturer was having a problem with the performance of the nonwoven, quick-change discs it used to finish small aluminum parts needed to complete various jobs. During the finishing process, the discs would start to overheat and cause loading issues, reducing the efficiency and causing workers to have to use more discs just to finish one part. The frequent changeovers slowed the job down.

The company tried to resolve the problem in several ways, but none was effective enough, so it went in search of a way to improve productivity and performance for its operators.

Resolution

Arc Abrasives teamed up with the aerospace fabricating company to test the effectiveness of a 3-in. MED grade Z-Web Quick-Lok surface conditioning disc on the small aluminum parts.

The disc performed more efficiently than the manufacturer’s current surface conditioning discs, completing each component much more quickly and lasting longer, which reduced the amount of time spent on disc changeover. Overall, the Z-Web discs did the work of two of the company’s previous discs.

Since implementation of the discs, the lower grinding temperatures have minimized loading to help operators complete tasks in a timely manner. The increased cut rate and longer life helped reduce operator fatigue, which in turn increased production to improve the bottom line. The reduced number of equipment changes saved two hours of labor a day. All told, the disc change created a 48% improvement in efficiency and production for an annual savings of $9,000.

Arc Abrasives Inc.