Precise cleaning tools
for industrial distributors of Welding Equipment
Finding the correct tool
MMA, TIG/MIG/MAG or Plasma welding leave different types of contamination or debris in the weld seam. Slag, splatters, silicates or thermal bluing need to be removed. If the welded component is subsequently coated, defects or corosion may occur on areas where contamination or non-metallic debris is embedded in the surface of the seam.
For each welding method and weld position (cap, fill or root) Osborn and Dronco offer the appropriate cleaning tool. Stock-removing and non-stock removing tools are available.
Input your parameters and a recommendation for the right tool for your application is shown.
You would like to have our tool-overview permanently at hand? We are pleased to send you our overview as practical A2-size poster.
Slag, Spatters, Silicates or Thermal Bluing
Depending on te welding method, contamination or other non-metallic debris can become embedded in the surface of the weld seam. Non-metallic debris may not adhere to the weld seam as well as other materials. If the welded component is subsequently coated, defects or corrosion may occur at this point. Especially when manufacturing high-precision parts, like in the automotive or pipeline industry this is not only a quality issue but can also become a safety issue.
Slag
Spatters
Silicates
Thermal Bluing
Brushes
Non-stock-removing tools
Machining is often necessary to remove debris from a welded surface. It is accepted that during this process non-contaminated and debris-free parts of the weld seam will also be removed. This is sometimes more than 30% of the material. Unlike grinding discs, technical brushes are non-stock removing tools. They can remove contamination and debris, leaving the rest of the welded surface intact. Technical brushes for weld cleaning offer many advantages:
- Brushes are non-stock removing tools. They clean contamination and debris, leaving the original surface of the welded material intact.
- Brushes produce more than 95% fewer sparks than grinding discs.
- When compared to grinding tools, brushes are on average 6-8 dB (A) less noisy. An +/- 3 dB (A) increase (or decrease) means that the intensity of a sound is doubled (or halved).
- Brushes generate less heat during usage and therefore do not alter the molecular surface of the welded material.
- Brushes have a longer service-life than grinding tools.
Brushes (left) produce more than 95% fewer sparks than grinding discs (right).
Wire brushes are 6-8 dB(A) less noisy than grinding tools.
According to studies the noise level in the metalworking industry is one of the highest compared to other industries.
EU guidelines foresee a noise level of 85 dB(A) per day.
Coarse cleaning fleece
Non-stock-removing tools
Coarse cleaning fleece behaves like technical brushes and removes deposits – without chipping. They are particularly recommendable for surface processing.
Coarse cleaning fleece is not suitable for edge grinding or deburring!
- Coarse cleaning fleece consists of a reinforced nylon impregnated with a synthetic resin and fleece.
- Coarse cleaning fleece loosens dirt and deposits on surfaces, removes thermal bluing and fine weld splatters.
Grinding discs and flap-discs
Stock-removing tools
Grinding discs are material-removing tools and mostly used to remove a lot of material in a short time, thus resulting in a coarse grinding pattern.
When working with a grinding disc, heat is generated which may lead to thermal bluing on the workpiece.
- Grinding discs achieve a high material removal rate in a short time. However, users must take into consideration that inclusion-free and not contaminated parts of the welding seam may also be ground off.
- Grinding discs do have a longer lifetime than flap discs.
Flap discs are material-removing tools as well. Compared to grinding discs, their removal rate is lower. Thanks to their overlapping lamellas, they create a finer, uniform finish and are more pleasant to use.
Flap discs can be used more versatile:
- Flap discs are used during the preparation of welding seams for descaling, deburring, chamfering or preparing the V-seam of the workpiece.
- After the welding process, flap discs are the perfect choice for the smoothing or surface grinding of the welding seams. Contaminations of the surface, like spatters or slag, can be removed easily and fast as well.
Polishing flap discs
Stock-removing tools
Polishing flap discs (coarse and medium) are made of a non-woven fleece in an overlapping flap structure and provide outstanding results during preparation, post-processing or reworking welding seams and removing welding spatters. Polishing flap discs remove oxide films and thermal discoloration caused by the welding of pipes, tanks and other devices.
Post-processing of a welding seam using a polishing flap disc
Osborn Quality Guarantee
More than 120 years of know-how and manufacturing expertise – this is what makes Osborn special. We manufacture according to EU-standards DIN EN 1083-1 and DIN EN 1083-2. Our operations and product quality are monitored and certified by DIN EN ISO 9001:2015. In addition to this we also fulfill the requirements of the American National Safety Insitute (ANSI). For more than 700 products of our standard assortment we have been awarded a certification by TÜV-Süd (German association dedicated to safety, reliability and quality testing and auditing in industry segments).
Providing solutions
Osborn has two R&D centers located in Germany and USA. At both sites the lab facilitates a state-of –the-art industrial robot cell, specifically developed for us that carries out a wide variety of product performance and quality tests. We can also simulate applications for our customers and by this help to optimize their manufacturing process. Do you also have a manufacturing process in surface cleaning/treatment, which you want to optimize? Together we will find the right solution.