Welding has several industrial applications, making it one of the most sought-after professions in the United States today. It is used in crucial industries like aerospace and automotive, as well as in creating everyday household products.

Welders rely on a wide range of crucial materials, including abrasives, to create high-quality and cost-effective products across these sectors.

Let’s examine the role of abrasives in the welding process and how to choose one suitable for your project.

The Role of Abrasives in Welding

An abrasive is a material that prepares metal for welding. It’s used to remove debris from the surface of a metal to ensure a high-quality weld. Alternatively, abrasives can be used to repair bad welds or improve the appearance of a finished weld.

Abrasives can be made from several materials and differ in shape, composition, and grain size. Because each type is designed to suit a specific purpose or metal, the process of choosing the right abrasive can sometimes be complicated. 

Silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and ceramic are among the most common abrasives used in various metalworking tasks.

How to Choose the Right Welding Abrasive 

Using the wrong abrasive can have an adverse impact on the cost, output, and quality of a welding project. Here are some considerations you could take.

Assess Priorities 

Abrasives come in many grades, which, apart from serving various purposes, differ in price. When selecting the right abrasive, some manufacturers advise workshops to assess different abrasives by considering three criteria: Time, material removed, and product wear. Testing abrasives on these metrics makes it easier to strike a balance between maximizing productivity and keeping costs in check.

Consider Compatibility

Each material reacts differently to abrasives. Considering metals have unique properties — related to hardness levels or thermal conductivity, for instance — picking the right abrasive for the project is crucial to prevent damage.

A general rule of thumb is to pick an abrasive that is harder than the material you are welding. Steel, for example, will require a much harder abrasive than aluminum, which is softer and more heat-sensitive. At the same time, an abrasive that is too strong is also problematic, as you may end up removing too much material or warping the metal.

Consider Grit Size 

Depending on the process in question, grit also plays a part.

Grit is essentially understood as the size of the abrasive particles. The higher the grit size, the finer the particle, and vice-versa.

Once you’ve selected the right abrasive for the job, considering the grit size can be crucial to determining the efficiency of a weld. A grit that is too coarse can scratch the metal during the preparation phase, while a fine grit can slow down the process.

Improve Your Welds With nexAir

Each business and each welding process has different priorities. Finding the most suitable abrasive requires a certain level of expertise.

This is where nexAir comes in. As one of the leading suppliers of welding equipment and supplies across the Southeast, we have over 80 years of experience in helping our customers make the most of their welding processes.

Not only can we supply some of the highest-quality abrasives to help you Forge Forward, but we offer our KnowHow to help pick one that keeps costs low and productivity high.