Abrasive Brushes Fill Material

The filament is the working action of the brush and deserves plenty of attention in designing your industrial brush tool. Filament characteristics vary for each type of material and selection and are determined by the purpose the brush serves during use in the application.

Abrasive filaments combine an abrasive grit dispersed uniformly and impregnated through the nylon thread base in a special formulation to deliver durability, chemical resistance, strength and stiffness, even when wet. Filaments are available in a broad combination of grit sizes (2000 grit to 46 grit), loading (20% to 40%) and diameters (.012” to .060”).

This unique type of filament provides sharp cutting edges of grit, which can be held firmly against any surface, no matter how irregular its shape. As the brush moves against the surface, the flexible filaments bend at various angles to fit the surface contours, allowing the cutting edges of the grit to have continuous contact. Abrasive filaments are as aggressive on the sides as the tips.

We offer four abrasive nylon filament types including our exclusive CeramiX™ filament:

• CeramiX™ is a tough, hard and self-sharpening abrasive grain with a durable crystalline structure that increases the life of the product. The abrasive grain mineral is a proprietary product of 3M™. The mineral grain in CeramiX™ wears away in smaller chunks leaving more mineral available to continuously work on the metal surface. CeramiX™ cuts three-to-five times faster on ferrous metal surfaces compared to traditional abrasive nylons, and performs well under high stress and heat. Available in 220, 180, 120 and 80 grit sizes.
• Silicon Carbide is harder, sharper and more aggressive than aluminum oxide and is preferred for finishing ferrous metals. Silicon carbide is generally available in 500 to 46 grit and diameter ranges from .018” to .060”.
• Silicate is a fine grade abrasive filament for fine finishing and cleaning. It is available in .008” diameter and 2000 grit for micro-finishes used most commonly in miniature twisted-in-wire brushes.
• Aluminum Oxide is more impact resistant compared to silicon carbide and is less likely to fracture and is preferred for finishing soft metals or other materials where a smooth finish is required. Aluminum oxide is generally available from 600 to 80 grit and diameter ranges from .012” to .040”.