Weiler Abrasives Group promoted Jason Conner to vice president of sales for the U.S. and Canada, where he will be responsible for overseeing all sales activities, including independent distribution, national accounts, field sales and manufacturers’ rep groups. He will also serve as a point of contact to strengthen relationships with end users, distribution partners and industry associations. Conner joined Weiler in 2012 as a national accounts manager and was promoted to director of national accounts in 2015.

Rex-Cut Abrasives is celebrating its 90th anniversary. The company’s specialty abrasive material was invented in 1928 and over the following nine decades, the company engineered, refined and customized cottonfiber abrasive products for metalworking industries across the globe. Products for innovative applications include jet engine turbine blade profiling, automotive braze blending and 3-D printing finish work.

Walter Surface Technologies Inc. introduced Ironman and Ironman PS heavy-duty grinders. The tools feature an ergonomic rat-tail design, 1,750 watts of power, a 6-in. wheel capacity, an instant release function and the Walter Stabilizer, which reduces vibration. The Ironman PS has added safety features such as a “deadman” switch and mechanical brake that stop grinding wheels from turning within 2 sec. of relieving the trigger and stop cutting wheels within 1.5 sec., thus minimizing workplace risks and offering users greater safety.

Polifan-Strong flap discs from Pferd Inc. offer maximum metal removal and long tool life. The discs are for use in numerous areas such as steel construction, shipbuilding, automotive, tank construction, fabrication and pipeline work. The coated flaps are produced with a high-performance zirconia alumina abrasive, available in 36 grit for coarse grinding of steel and weld seams and in 50 grit for work on edges. The discs are available in 4 ½ in., 5 in. and 7 in. diameters with plain 7/8 in. bore or 5/8–11 threads.

Milwaukee Tool offers the M18 Fuel 7”/9” 18-V large angle cordless grinder. The tool generates the power of a 15-amp corded large angle grinder, is up to 2 lbs. lighter than other corded units and features a 9-in. grinding capacity. Milwaukee created a new Powerstate brushless motor for the grinder, delivering the speed and capacity to grind and cut through tough applications without bogging down. The newly designed Redlink Plus Intelligence package ensures maximum performance of the tool under load and prevents against overload and overheat.

Osborn expanded its TufBrush stringer bead product line to five additional products. The stringer bead brushes are used for weld cleanup applications, surface preparation, deburring, pipe joining and other applications. The stringer bead wire brush line is available in a range of sizes from 4 in. to 6 in. in carbon or stainless steel material. The product line features TufWire, which offers a specially designed wire that offers increased rigidity and aggressiveness and a new knot design that allows for more wire on the work surface.

In May, the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) launched “Listen Today to Hear Tomorrow,” a hearing loss prevention campaign to raise awareness, educate workers and employers and combat the 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise each year. Employers and workers have access to links to noise-level apps and can request free earplugs online at HearingAtWork.org. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), workers exposed to workplace noises higher than 85 dBA averaged over 8 hours should wear hearing protection; a typical belt sander is 93 dBA.

For machining units used with strong arm robots in deburring, grinding or brushing operations, Suhner Industrial Products Corp. introduced a spindle program specifically made to use with robots. In particular, the BEX 15 WW – ER 25 model includes a specially designed clamping system that transmits up to 12 Nm of torque. This clamping system is for tools with a cylindrical shaft and best applied in grinding and wire brush operations. In the photo, the BEX 15 WW is tooled with abrasive flap wheels to clean a welding seam.

Metabo Corp. offers its 8.0 amp hour (Ah) battery pack and 4.0 Ah slim battery pack with lithium high-density (LiHD) battery technology. The 8.0 Ah battery is suited for cordless tools with higher power requirements, such as small angle grinders, saws, large rotary hammers and a 9-in. large angle grinder. The 4.0 Ah compact battery pack is approximately 2 ¼ lbs. less than a double-row, full-size 4.0 Ah Li-ion battery pack.

Chicago Pneumatic offers CP3550 series angle grinders for various applications in metalworking, fabrication, foundries, shipbuilding, and oil and gas. Equipped with a 1.5-hp motor, the grinders are easy to handle. They are available for use with 4-in., 4.5-in. and 5-in. abrasive grinding and cutting wheels as well as sanding pads. The grinders are for use with carbide burrs or mounted points. The series is for contouring, deburring, cutting, finishing and weld cleaning of various materials.

Norton Saint-Gobain Abrasives released Quantum 3 combination wheels for a range of applications including general fabrication, oil rig, railway and pipeline manufacturing. The wheels feature a proprietary grain along with a tough bond system containing a unique combination of fillers and bonding agents. The grain tends to be more rounded than precision-shaped ceramic grain for a robust cutting action with less vibration. The free-cutting control can boost the amperage on its own without additional pressure needed on the tool.

Weiler Abrasives Group launched a national fundraising campaign, “Leading a Warrior’s Charge,” in partnership with Workshops for Warriors (WFW), a nonprofit school for veterans, wounded warriors and transitioning service members to train for advanced manufacturing careers. Weiler donated $25,000 to kick off the year-long campaign that will support machining and welding training programs at the school and contribute to long-term growth of the organization. Weiler has provided WFW with in-kind support since 2014, supplying abrasive products and safety products to meet the needs of every incoming class.