July/August 2018 - Quality and price are two top concerns cited by companies when they are choosing an abrasive solution. However, they often overlook how these two elements work together to generate value. And the definition of value differs from customer to customer. Some apply more value to the quality and durability of their abrasives and are willing to pay more, while others think price is highly important and are willing to compromise quality and endurance to obtain a less expensive abrasive product.
Michael Fulcher, sales manager for Continental Abrasives, Santa Ana, California, says the primary complaints he hears from customers is that their abrasives “don’t last long enough and they cost too much.” He notes that it’s crucial to use top-quality materials when manufacturing abrasives because “inferior quality raw materials break down too soon and slow customers’ production.”
Continental Abrasives has worked to address these concerns with its Ulticut line—a “line of cutoff and grinding wheels that will last longer and cost less than most other premium lines of abrasives on the market,” Fulcher says.
Ulticut wheels feature a blend of thermosetting resin bond technology and a new proprietary aluminum oxide grain, which the company has trademarked as Shieldtech. The Shieldtech armor increases the strength and hardness of the grains, providing a cooler cut and a longer life compared with its closest competitor in the marketplace.
During the manufacturing process, the abrasive grains and resins are mixed to a specific formula, and materials are carefully premeasured to exact proportions of mix by weight. Next, the wheels are precision molded and pressed before being slow cured in ovens at electronically monitored and controlled temperatures. Finally, each batch of wheels is inspected for thickness, flatness and size. They are also speed tested for strength and balance.
“Essentially, with Continental Abrasives Ulticut Shieldtech grain, you get the benefits of a premium zirconium or ceramic grain at an aluminum oxide grain price point,” Fulcher notes. “It cuts smoother, cuts cooler and lasts longer.”
The Ulticut wheels can be used for ferrous and nonferrous metals, including stainless steel, and are contaminant free. The line is available in cutoff wheels from 3 in. to 7 in. in both T1 and T27 as well as grinding wheels from 41/2 in. to 7 in. “We also have the Ulticut formula available in 14 in. chop saw/stationary saw wheels,” Fulcher notes.
Continental Abrasives has conducted extensive in-house testing, comparing the Ulticut line to other brands of cutoff and grinding wheels. Fulcher says Continental takes the results of these tests to customers to illustrate how they can increase production while lowering costs.
In addition to evaluating the test results, customers should answer a few key questions to help clearly define the value their current and future cutting wheels provide: “First off, does the product do what it’s supposed to do? Second, how long does it take to cut or grind your part to get the desired result? And, lastly, are you paying too much for that result?”
Continental Abrasives
Santa Ana, California
855/817-8390
