How To Choose the Right Type of Industrial Brush

How To Choose the Right Type of Industrial Brush

Custom-made brushes with various shapes, materials, and sizes are used for different applications in almost every industry, including manufacturing, maintenance, construction, and food preparation. Specifically, brushes are most commonly used in welding, painting and coat application, thread cleaning, surface finishing, and more.

Deburring and polishing are accomplished with disk brushes, cylinder brushes or wheel brushes.. For internal cleaning and deburring, twisted-in-wire brushes are frequently employed. Meanwhile, metal back strip brushes are used for interior and exterior surface cleaning, and ferrule end brushes are for deburring and finishing. In a nutshell, industrial brushes have varying applications, and the type you choose should depend on your specific requirements.

Things To Consider When Selecting Industrial Brushes for Your Manufacturing Needs

Choosing the best brush filament can initially seem overwhelming, with many available alternatives. To help you choose the right brush, we’ve put together a list of factors to consider when selecting industrial brushes for your manufacturing projects.

Wire Filament Type and Configuration

One of the qualities that set wire brushes apart is the wire type, which varies from soft brass, bronze, aluminum and advances to high tensile strength carbon steel and stainless steel. The filament type you select should be based on the abrasive force your application requires and other vital factors, such as corrosion resistance and electric conductivity.

When it comes to wire type, the choice of filament depends on the specific application. For instance, soft brass wire is used for applications requiring a delicate touch, such as cleaning smooth surfaces, polishing jewelry, or removing light rust. On the other hand, bronze wire is a better option for removing paint and heavy rust. Finally, aluminum wire is ideal for cleaning metals like aluminum or brass.

High-tensile strength carbon steel wire is the go-to choice for heavy-duty tasks. Meanwhile, stainless steel wire is best for applications requiring resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, such as cleaning surfaces in food processing equipment.

Choosing whether the wire should be straight, twisted, knotted, or crimped is also important. For instance, twisted and knotted wires create a powerful impact and a wide surface area and are often used for cleaning up after welding and removing severe corrosion.

Surface Size

The required filament size of an industrial brush depends on the surface size that must be cleaned, prepared, or finished. For example, handheld brushes work well for minor tasks and surfaces, but are too labor-intensive for larger ones. Similarly, although toothbrush-sized wire brushes can be utilized for minute functions that don’t require motorized brushes, wheel, and end wire brushes are useful for getting into small, constrained spaces.

Rotary and cup brushes are ideal when working on large, flat surfaces. This is especially true if the area that has to be prepared is covered in rust, corrosion, slag, or other heavy materials. Since bronze or aluminum may need to be lighter to properly remove the fragments and dirt, choosing the filament type is also essential.

Wire Filament Diameter

Wire filament diameters range from 0.003 to 0.032 inches. A larger filament holder is needed to hold bigger diameter filaments.

Filament Length

The filament length significantly impacts how abrasive a wire brush will be. Longer, more flexible filaments are suitable when an application needs a gentler, less forceful brushing. For example, they are often used when cleaning delicate or intricate surfaces — such as jewelry or electronic components — to avoid damage or scratches. They are also ideal when deburring or finishing surfaces.

Conversely, shorter and more compact filaments tend to be more aggressive and stiff. This makes them suitable for applications requiring more forceful brushing. Typically, they are preferred when removing heavy rust, paint, or scale from metal surfaces. They are also better suited to remove the weld slag and prepare the surface for the next step.

Choose Quality Industrial Brushes From Cocker-Weber Brush Company

At Cocker-Weber Brush Company, we customize each brush utilizing industrial-grade and long-lasting filaments to meet your project’s needs! Not only do we create custom brushes, we can repair your industrial brushes and extend their lifetime according to your requirements. Whether we are building a new brush or repairing/refurbishing your old industrial brush, the overall brush size, trim length, monofilament type, and fill density are all customizable to meet your specific needs

Fill out the form on our website, or contact us today to discuss your industrial brush needs!

Expanded Capabilities at Cocker-Weber Brush Company

Cocker-Weber Brush Company specializes in the manufacturing of high-quality custom brushes for industrial purposes. True to our reputation for excellence and precision, we have recently expanded our capabilities by acquiring a customized Zahoransky Z-Lion machine. This machine is specifically designed for creating industrial brushes and has allowed us to automate our five-axis systems.

What Is the Zahoransky Z-Lion Machine?

The Zahoransky Z-Lion machine is a state-of-the-art piece of equipment that creates brushes with five axes of motion. This technology is particularly useful for projects that require the filament to reach beyond the brush cylinder/wheel or flat portion.

The machine is also equipped with two carriages, one for flat brushes and the other for cylinder/wheel brushes. Here are the two manufacturing processes that the two carriages can optimize:

Drilling

Drilling creates holes in wooden or plastic handles that will later be used to attach the bristles of the brush. This process is crucial in producing industrial brushes, as it allows for properly securing the strands to the handle. Moreover, it can be done manually or with automated equipment, depending on the volume of production and the precision required.

Tufting

Tufting inserts bristles or filaments into pre-drilled holes on an industrial brush base, such as a wooden or plastic handle. It is usually done with automated equipment — like the Zahoransky Z-Lion machine — allowing for creating brushes with five axes of motion. In addition, the process determines the density and arrangement of the bristles, affecting the final product’s functionality and quality.

Benefits of Utilizing the Zahoransky Z-Lion Machine

The recent acquisition of a customized machine has expanded our capabilities in manufacturing brushes. We can now deliver your custom brushes with angled tufts faster than before. This cutting-edge equipment offers several benefits for the production of industrial brushes, including the following:

Automated Five-Axis Brushes

The Z-Lion machine allows for the creation of brushes with five axes of motion, which results in precise and efficient tufting. This feature also enables the production of brushes with flared ends. Additionally, it makes it particularly useful for industrial brushes that will be used for cleaning, oiling, and other applications.

Versatility in Filament Types

The machine handles all filament types, including wire, plastic, natural fiber, and hair. The filaments can also range from a very fine 0.003” up to 0.060”. This allows us to provide our customers with various brush options for their applications.

Time-Saving Capability

One of the most advantageous features of the machine is its capability to run large orders quickly.  When the necessary materials are available, turnaround times are typically only 2 weeks.  Moreover, this feature is particularly useful for customers requiring bulk industrial brushes and on a tight deadline.

Flexibility in Job Orders

The machine gives us more flexibility in the jobs we take on. This allows us to offer faster delivery times while manufacturing brushes with flared ends more efficiently. This flexibility also enables us to work on projects that require the filament to reach beyond the brush cylinder/wheel or flat portion. This includes pharmacy conveyor line brushes, lithographic printing press brushes, chain oiling brushes, hair brushes and any other brushes using angled tufts.

Contact Cocker-Weber Brush Company for High-Quality Industrial Brushes

The Zahoransky Z-Lion machine is a valuable addition to our production capabilities and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality industrial brushes! You can choose from our extensive industrial products, including cylinder and wheel brushes, cup and end brushes, and flat and handle brushes.

Feel free to send us your requirements, and we will build a custom brush for you! Contact us today or request a quote to start a project with us.