Non-woven abrasives are broken down into two sub categories, surface conditioning and satin materials.  Both are comprised of several differing components which drive each product’s performance.

Non-Woven’s at a Glance

For surface conditioning material the scrim, a woven substrate, supports a nylon fibrous mesh.  The nylon fibers are the cushioning foundations which carries the grain media providing the cutting action.  The grain composition is bonded to the filaments with a complex, flexible, resin chemistry dependant on the nylon filaments being used for the specific product being made.  The open construction of the non-woven material enables the aggressive cutting while inherently maintaining a cooler performing product.  (Figure 1N) 

Satin sometimes know as fleece materials are constructed the same way but are lacking the sturdy scrim backing.  This makes the material more pliable and ideal for polishing and hand held applications.  Considerations when picking either variety of non-woven materials should be the amount of material being removed and the desired finish required balanced with minimal cycle time.

   
Fig. 1N

Surface Conditioning Material

When thinking of a non-woven product, surface conditioning materials are considered the workhorse of this classification.  Made with either aluminum oxide or silicon carbide abrasive grain the applications covered by surface conditioning materials range from moderate and heavy grinding to polishing applications.  (For more information on the grain specifics, please look under coated abrasives in our technical section.)

The benefits of using surface conditioning materials are as follows:

• Consistent finishes throughout the life of the product.
• Material runs cooler than coated materials reducing discoloration and premature grain failure.
• The number of process stages are reduced as these products eliminate the typical “step-down” needed with coated product.
• Surface conditioning material lends itself well to wet or dry applications.
• The spring-like cutting action is more conformable to the work piece and ideal for offhand operations requiring finesse.  (See fig. 2A)

Non-Woven Abrasive	Coated Abrasive

(Fig. 2N)

Satin Finishing  Material

Satin finishing materials are more commonly used when trying to achieve a desired finish.  Anywhere from a matte finish to a high luster can be accommodated with satin products.  This material is also made with either aluminum oxide or silicon carbide.  (For more information on the grain specifics, please look under coated abrasives in our technical section.)

The benefits of using sating materials are as follows:

• Conformability to the work piece.
• It is resistant to loading.
• Good for grain matching stainless steel.
• Can be used wet or dry without the worry of rusting like steel wools can.
• The spring-like cutting action is more conformable to the work piece and ideal for offhand operations requiring finesse.  (See fig. 2N above)