General information
Traditional abrasives.
Sanding materials on flexible backing – sandpaper and sanding cloths
Structure of the materials
Traditional abrasives, namely
sandpaper
and
sanding cloths, have a layered structure. By carefully combining different layers, you can obtain highly specific technical properties and define the final quality of the end product. A conventional abrasive has
four or five layers:
- The bottom layer is the
backing. The choice of backing has the greatest influence on the flexibility and strength of the abrasive.
- A layer of
adhesive
is then applied to the backing.
- Next,
abrasive grain
is spread over the adhesive layer. An ingenious technique is used to make sure that the grains are always oriented in the adhesive layer with their sharpest edge pointing upwards. The choice of grain
material
determines the applications that the abrasive is best suited for.
- Another layer of
adhesive
is then added on top of the grain, anchoring it firmly on the backing.
- Finally, a grinding aid may be added as a top layer. This top coating helps to prevent build-up of abrasive dust and also counteracts excessive heat production with a cooling effect.