Aluminium can be a difficult material to work with when a brushed or polished finish is required.
Aluminium grinding is best achieved by using a non woven nylon abrasive such as the Suhner . Coarse (80-100g) can remove reasonable welds and ‘soaks up’ the fine aluminium dust. This material can be supplied in a belt form as well as a disc form and the choice will depend on surface finish of the Aluminium required.
A brushed, grained Aluminium finish is best achieved by removing welds and marks with a coarse (36 to 40 grit) Zirconia disc and then using a belt (on a drum) or wheel form of the nylon surface conditioning material. Coarse, medium and fine will produce ever finer finishes.
Mill Finish Aluminium will require an aggressive abrasive such as a 36 grit sanding disc or a special grinding disc such as Suhner Magic Flexible discs. These abrasives are available from 50mm diameter up to 180mm dependant on type. Once the mill scale is removed, the process above can be undertaken.
Mirror finishing/polishing of aluminium is a simple process of using Stitched Cotton mops and decreasing grain pastes. Suhner Australia stock a range of mops and pastes to meet all Aluminium Mirror finishing applications.
One of the most common applications is for large Truck and UTE bull bars. Large diameter mops may be required and to use these High Torque machines are required. Suhner Rotomax 1.5 delivers 1.5Kw at the head but the tool only weighs Half a Kilo. To achieve this Rotomax supplies the power throw the Suhner Flexible Shaft drive system.
Rotomax is quiet, powerful and very safe. It can deliver a speed range from500 Rpm to 15,000 Rpm in 100 Rpm steps, infinite control and constant torque. For hand held machines, the Suhner USK 3R Barrel Grinder/Polisher is an efficient model. It features variable speed from 1500 to 3000 Rpm and high torque from the 1530 Watt motor, but still only weighs 3 Kg.