Angle grinder
An angle grinder (also referred to as cut-off saw, power cutter, portable grinder, Flex) is a hand-held machine powered by electric or pneumatic power that operates with a fast-spinning round grinding disc. The grinding disc is powered by an angular gearbox, which gives the angle grinder its name. The device was introduced in 1954 by Ackermann + Schmitt / FLEX-Elektrowerkzeuge GmbH based in Steinheim on the Murr. [Wikipedia]. The development of the angle grinder was a joint effort of Ackermann + Schmitt and the abrasives manufacturer Klingspor, who engineered the first resinoid cutting-off wheel for these high-speed machines.
Today, angle grinders are used in almost every commercial and industrial enterprise and in nearly every hobbyist's workshop. The tool is available in a large variety of models and suitable for a wide range of different applications. Common disc diameters are 100, 115, 125, 150, 180 and 230 mm; the surface speed of the cutting-off wheel can reach up to 80 m/s (which translates to 13,300 RPM for a disc with a diameter of Ø115 mm). As resinoid and diamond cutting-off wheels usually reach their maximum capacity at full speed, it is advisable to use these tools in combination with powerful angle grinders (1,200 watts or more). Other tools are only approved for slower speeds for reasons of safety (e.g. resinoid cup grinding wheels: 50 m/s) or achieve better grinding results at reduced speeds (e.g. non-woven mop discs). For these tools the use of speed-controlled angle grinders is beneficial and, in the case of cup grinding wheels, even indispensable.
The aspect of occupational health and safety is of utmost importance during work with angle grinders not only due to the enormous surface speeds reached by the cutting-off wheels and the resulting tremendous centrifugal forces but also because of the flying sparks, vibrations, noise and dust they produce. The standards in place today require every manufacturer to include information as to the necessary safety precautions and usage restrictions associated with their tools, and the user should observe and implement this information for their own safety.
Klingspor offers an expansive range of tools for use with angle grinders that fall into the following product categories:
- Resinoid cutting-off wheels and grinding discs
- Resinoid cup grinding wheels
- Abrasive mop discs (with cloth flaps, with non-woven flaps and with a cloth/felt combination)
- Cleaning wheels for use with a backing plate
- Angle grinder mop wheels
- Fibre discs and backing pads
- Self-adhesive discs and backing pads
- Non-woven discs and backing pads
- Diamond cutting blades
- Diamond sanding pads
- Diamond drilling core bits
- Quick-change discs and appropriate adapters