Industrial Brushing Tools are used for a wide variety of functions which might be classified as:

1

Cutting

Each wire acts as a small cutting tool. The degree of cutting depends on wire stiffness and hardness.

2

Surface Modifying

Brushes used to smooth or blend surfaces or, alternately, depending on relative hardness, to roughen the surface.

3

Cleaning

Breaking foreign materials loose from the base material and moving them away.

4

Miscellaneous

Conducting heat or electricity, carrying loads, transporting or throwing materials.

Typical Applications

The following table is a guide only to the general types of United brushes that are used in various typical applications. This guide should be used in conjunction with the following table of modifying factors for each particular application. United consultants are always available to help you pinpoint your needs more closely.

Function Type Application United Brushes Typical Fill Material
Cutting Deburring expanded metal Wide face .014 steel
Deburring expanded metal Knot wheel .014 temp. steel
Heavy Deburring threads Narrow face
Wire wheel		 .011 temp. steel
Edge blending Wide face .014 high carbon steel
Masonry cutting Knot wheel .035 steel
Medium Deburring ductile material Section Dry tampico, treated tampico plus compound
Surface blending Wide face .008 high carbon steel
Flash removal Wheel
Section		 .006 steel tampico
Light Log debarking Knot wheel .023 steel
Varnish removal Wide face .008 high carbon steel
Wire stripping Wide face
Section		 .008 high carbon steel & .011 temp. steel
Surface Modifying Buffing Section
Wide face		 Tampico plus compound .006 steel
Finishing (satin) Wheel .008 wire
Finishing to 20 micro inch Wheel .005 steel
Finishing to 4-5 micro inch Sections (lg. dia.) Dry tampico, treated tampico plus compound
Jewelry polishing Wheel .005 steel & brass
tampico & horsehair
Buffing paper Section
Wheel		 Dry tampico
.005 - .014 steel
Buffing rubber tires and valves Wide face .011 temp. steel
Roughening Defibering wood pulp Knot wheel .014 steel
Dulling plastic Section Treated tampico
Texturing metals Wheel (Depending on metal softness)
Cleaning Cleaning Conveyor Wide face
Cylinder		 .006 - .014 depending on severity of adhesion
Cleaning masonry & forms Wide face .014 temp. steel
Cleaning welds Cup brush .030
Heavy Descaling (general) Knot wheel
Narrow		 .023 steel
.014 temp. steel
Descaling hot bar & rod Wide face .023 steel
.014 temp steel
Removing weld spatter Knot wheel
Cup brush		 .030 steel
Cleaning light scale Narrow .008, .011 temp. steel
Cleaning mold cavities End brush (solid) .014
Cleaning tubes (Heavy duty) section
Wide face wheel		 .008 high carbon steel
Medium Preparing for laminating Cylinder brush Polypropylene or .008 stainless steel
Removing carbon deposits End brush (solid) .023 steel
Removing rust Wheel .008 & .011 temp. steel
Scrubbing strip steel Cylinder brush Polypropylene or .008 stainless steel
Cleaning cans Cylinder brush & wheel Nylon .006 stainless steel
Cleaning food Cylinder Nylon or polyproylene
Light Cleaning glasses & bottles Twisted wire & goblet Nylon polypropylene
Cleaning jewelry Wheel Horsehair & nylon
Cleaning printed circuits Section
Wheel		 .004 or .006 steel
Preparing epoxy Section
Wheel		 Treated tampico
.006 temp. steel
Removing dust & lint Section Dry tampico and polypropylene
Miscellaneous Distributing fertilizer Wheel Nylon
Electrical contact End brush Copper & steel
Heat transfer Wheel .003 steel
Spreading cloth Section
Wheel		 Nylon & Propylene
Throwing granular material Narrow
Cylinder		 .014 steel
Transporting sheet stock Cylinder .011

There are always modifying factors that affect even the initial selection of brushes. The size of the drive equipment available will limit brush diameter width and arbor holes. The shape of the work piece will often dictate the shape of the brush. If after initial evaluation the desired results are not obtained, the Troubleshooting page will indicate, generally the steps to be taken.

Troubleshooting