What is the difference between a flap wheel and a flap disc?

Flap Disc

Composition: The flap disc, also known as anflap disk, is made by Fiberglass Backing Pad with abrasives cloths. It typically contains 36, 56, 72, or 90 sheets, with grit sizes ranging from 40# to 320#. Materials include brown fused alumina, zirconia alumina, and silicon carbide.

Applications: Flap discs are used with angle grinders and are suitable for shipbuilding, automotive, aerospace, machinery, instrumentation, bridge construction, and furniture industries. They are effective for removing rust, paint, burrs, and polishing welds on both metallic and non-metallic surfaces.

Structure: The sandpaper sheets are fan-shaped and glued to a backing plate at an angle of 10°-30°. This design ensures optimal cutting angles during grinding and polishing, allowing simultaneous wear of both the backing material and the abrasive. This enhances the overall durability and grinding efficiency of the flap disc, extending its service life.

Production: Manufacturing flap discs can be mechanized using machines like the flap disc machine, abrasive cloth slitting machine, flap disc labeling and packaging machine, and flap disc drying oven. Taino Abrasives holds a significant advantage in these technologies.

Characteristics:

• Made with both imported and domestic sandpaper.
• Base materials include mesh fabric, nylon, plastic, and steel paper.
• Sandpaper sheets are evenly distributed in a fan shape for optimal grinding.
• Common grit sizes are 60# and 80#, with diameters ranging from 4'' to 7''.
• Used for grinding and polishing weld seams and deburring edges, interchangeable with cup-shaped grinding wheels.
• Advantages include good elasticity, high efficiency, good heat dissipation, and low noise.

Applicable Materials:

• Suitable for stainless steel, metal, metallurgy, automotive, wood, marble, etc.
• Zirconia alumina (ZA) is particularly suitable for stainless steel.
• Can replace resin cup-shaped grinding wheels.
• Features high elasticity, good tensile and bending strength, self-sharpening properties, high grinding rate, and low noise.
• Ideal for grinding welds and deburring in enclosed spaces.

Flap Wheel

Composition: Flap wheels are made of aluminum oxide abrasive on a cloth backing, produced on assembly lines. The sandpaper is layered and bonded with resin. The clamping plates have grooves to secure the sandpaper sheets, which are fixed with L-shaped locking slots and tightening rings.

Applications: Flap wheels can be used to make various types, shapes, and sizes of grinding wheels. They are versatile and can be used with different grinding fluids, or for dry grinding. They are suitable for forming grinding, such as thread grinding, gear grinding, and template grinding.

Production: Flap wheels are manufactured using machines like the flap wheel cutting machine and flap wheel strapping machine.

Characteristics:

1. Can be made into various grinding wheels with different characteristics.
2. Suitable for use with various grinding fluids and for dry grinding.
3. Can have different pore sizes, such as large pore or loose structure grinding wheels, used for slow feed grinding or rubber products.
4. Standard operating speed is below 35 m/s but can be made for speeds up to 50, 60, 80, and even 120 m/s.

   

Applicable Machines:

• Compatible with various automatic, electric, and manual grinders and polishing machines.
• Hard-wearing, highly elastic working surfaces.
• Sharp cutting edges, high processing efficiency, and no workpiece burn.
• Stable physical and chemical properties, high safety, and ease of continuous operation.
• Saves time compared to manual grinding, making it an ideal product for surface treatment.

  

Summary

Flap discs and flap wheels are both effective grinding and polishing tools but differ in composition, structure, and specific applications. Flap discs are more suited for flat surface grinding and general use, while flap wheels excel in more specialized, high-speed, and form grinding applications. Both are valuable in various industries for their durability, efficiency, and versatility.