What Do You Know About These Questions Regarding Abrasive Filament Itself？

Abrasive filament, as an important abrasive material in industrial production, has a wide range of applications in many fields. Its presence can be seen from the processing of precision electronic components to the polishing of large mechanical parts. However, many people may only know the name of this special material but have little knowledge of its specific conditions. What is the secret of its composition? What are the significant differences between different types? What role does it play in various industries? Below, we will answer these questions one by one focusing on the abrasive filament itself.

What kind of special material is abrasive filament composed of, and what are its core characteristics?

Abrasive filament is a filamentous material formed by uniformly embedding abrasive particles into a polymer matrix, and its composition is like a combination of "skeleton and armor". The polymer matrix, in addition to the common nylon and polypropylene, also includes polyethylene and so on. These polymers undergo special modification treatments during production, such as adding tougheners to improve flexibility and antioxidants to delay aging. They form a filamentous skeleton through processes like melting and extrusion, providing basic structural support for the abrasive filament. At the same time, relying on their own chemical stability, they can resist the erosion of oil, coolant and other substances that may be encountered during the grinding process.

Abrasive particles are like "armor" inlaid on the skeleton, with a variety of types and respective characteristics. The following is a comparison of the characteristics of common abrasive particles:

These abrasive particles are combined with the matrix through chemical bonding or mechanical wrapping to ensure that they do not fall off easily during grinding.

The core characteristics of abrasive filament are also very prominent. Good flexibility enables it to fit complex workpiece surfaces such as curved surfaces, grooves and small gaps like "flexible fingers". For example, when grinding the gear grooves in the automobile gearbox, it can go deep into the gaps to complete the grinding. Excellent wear resistance is reflected in the fact that after long-term grinding, the abrasive particles can still maintain their cutting ability. For example, when used for continuous grinding of bearing outer rings, it can work continuously for dozens of hours with stable performance. The uniform grinding effect benefits from the special dispersion process of abrasive particles in the matrix, ensuring that the deviation of particle distribution density on each filament does not exceed 5%, thus ensuring that the flatness error of the workpiece surface is controlled at the micrometer level. A certain degree of elasticity is like a "buffer pad". When grinding fragile materials such as glass, it can reduce the impact force and the risk of fragmentation. For example, in the edge grinding of mobile phone screen glass, it effectively controls the breakage rate below 0.1%.

What are the differences in material and structure between different types of abrasive filaments, and what kind of performance differences do these differences bring?

The differences in material and structure between different types of abrasive filaments, like the equipment configuration of different arms of the military, directly determine their "combat range" and "combat effectiveness".

In terms of materials, the choice of matrix material affects the basic performance of the abrasive filament. Nylon 6 and nylon 66 are commonly used nylon materials. Nylon 6 has better flexibility and can maintain good elasticity in a low-temperature environment of -20℃, making it suitable for precision grinding under low-temperature working conditions; Nylon 66 has higher strength and a temperature resistance of up to 120℃, which is suitable for high-temperature grinding of parts in the engine compartment. Among polypropylene materials, homopolypropylene has higher hardness but is slightly brittle. Copolypropylene improves brittleness by adding ethylene monomers, maintains hardness while improving impact resistance, and is more suitable for grinding scenarios that need to frequently contact the edges and corners of workpieces.

The difference in abrasive particle material determines the "level" of grinding ability. Among alumina abrasive filaments, white corundum abrasive filaments are suitable for grinding relatively soft metals such as stainless steel and aluminum alloy, and can obtain a surface finish below Ra0.8; Brown corundum abrasive filaments are used for rough grinding of materials such as carbon steel and cast iron, and the efficiency of removing allowances is about 30% higher than that of white corundum. Among silicon carbide abrasive filaments, green silicon carbide abrasive filaments have twice the grinding efficiency of alumina when grinding cemented carbide; Black silicon carbide abrasive filaments can quickly remove surface defects when grinding ceramic insulators. Among diamond abrasive filaments, coarse particles with a particle size of 80 mesh are suitable for rough grinding of cemented carbide molds, while fine particles with a particle size of 1200 mesh are used for polishing gemstones, which can achieve a mirror effect.

In terms of structure, the difference in diameter is like "tools of different thicknesses". Fine abrasive filaments with a diameter of less than 0.5mm, like "fine brushes", are suitable for fine polishing of pins of electronic components and can go deep into gaps of 0.3mm; Coarse abrasive filaments with a diameter of more than 2mm, like "powerful chisels", are used for grinding the risers of castings and can remove several grams of material per minute. The distribution density of abrasive particles is also particular. High-density (80-100 particles per square millimeter) abrasive filaments, such as brush rollers used for derusting steel plates, have a grinding efficiency 50% higher than that of low-density ones, but they are easy to cause rough surfaces when grinding plastic parts; Low-density (30-50 particles per square millimeter) abrasive filaments are like "soft sandpaper", which can obtain a silky surface texture in the fine polishing of furniture wood.

These differences bring significant performance differences. Abrasive filaments with nylon 6 as the matrix and white corundum as the abrasive particles (particle size 400 mesh) can achieve a mirror effect of Ra0.4 on the inner wall of stainless steel thermos cups without scratches; Abrasive filaments with copolymerized polypropylene as the matrix and black silicon carbide as the abrasive particles (particle size 60 mesh) can handle 10 meters of cast iron pipes per hour when derusting the outer wall, reaching the rust removal grade Sa2.5; Abrasive filaments with nylon 66 as the matrix and synthetic diamond as the abrasive particles (particle size 200 mesh) can accurately control the edge radius within 0.01mm when grinding the edge of cemented carbide tools, ensuring the cutting accuracy of the tools.

What irreplaceable roles can abrasive filaments play in industries such as automobile, electronics and furniture?

The role of abrasive filaments in various industries is like that of an "all-rounder", playing a unique and irreplaceable value in different scenarios.

In the automotive industry, abrasive filaments are the "unsung heroes" that ensure the precision and performance of components. In the processing of engine valves, the fit clearance between the valve stem and the valve seat needs to be controlled within 0.02-0.05mm. A micro brush made of nylon-based alumina abrasive filaments with a diameter of 0.1mm can perform precision grinding on the fit surface to ensure that the clearance meets the standards and avoid engine air leakage. After the spline processing of the automobile drive shaft, burrs are easy to occur at the root of the spline teeth. If these burrs are not removed, it will lead to assembly difficulties or even transmission failure. The abrasive filament brush roller can accurately remove the burrs along the spline tooth trajectory without damaging the tooth surface accuracy. In the processing of new energy vehicle battery cases, the edges and openings of aluminum alloy cases need to be smooth and burr-free to prevent piercing the battery diaphragm. The flexible grinding head made of abrasive filaments can fit the complex shape of the case and reduce the edge roughness from Ra3.2 to Ra0.8, meeting the safety requirements.

The electronics industry's pursuit of extreme precision makes the role of abrasive filaments more prominent. In the processing of the lens holder of the smartphone camera module, the flatness of the fitting surface between the lens holder and the lens is required to be within 1μm. Using diamond abrasive filaments for ultra-precision grinding can meet this strict standard and ensure the optical performance of the lens. In the processing of 5G base station radomes, the surface of glass fiber composite materials needs to remove the release agent and form a certain roughness (Ra1.6) to enhance the adhesion with the coating. Silicon carbide abrasive filaments can uniformly treat the surface without damaging the base material, increasing the coating adhesion by 40%. In the processing of lead frames for semiconductor packaging, the pin spacing on the frame is only 0.3mm. The narrow brush belt made of abrasive filaments can shuttle between the pins to remove burrs after stamping, ensuring that there is no short circuit between the pins.

In the furniture industry, abrasive filaments are "beauticians" that improve the texture and beauty of wood. In the production of solid wood flooring, the pores and textures on the wood surface need to be polished so that the subsequent painting can cover evenly. The abrasive filament brush can adjust the grinding force according to the wood hardness (such as the different hardness of oak and pine), and control the surface roughness within Ra1.2 while retaining the natural texture. In the antiquing process of American-style antique furniture, it is necessary to form natural wear marks on the wood surface. Using abrasive filaments of different particle sizes (coarse particle size for edge wear, fine particle size for surface antique texture) can simulate decades of use marks, and the effect is more uniform and natural than manual polishing. In the edge banding treatment of panel furniture, the joint between the PVC edge banding and the board is prone to glue overflow and burrs. Abrasive filaments can gently remove the overflowing glue and polish the edge banding, making the joint transition smoothly and improving the quality of the furniture.

When selecting abrasive filaments, besides price, what parameters of the product itself must be considered?

When selecting abrasive filaments, the parameters of the product itself are like an "instruction manual", determining whether it can be competent for specific grinding tasks. In addition to price, the following parameters are essential.

The particle size of abrasive particles is the "key indicator" that determines the grinding effect. Particle size is usually expressed in mesh. Below 80 mesh is coarse particle size, 120-400 mesh is medium particle size, and above 600 mesh is fine particle size. When grinding cast iron parts that need to remove 2mm of machining allowance, choosing 40-mesh coarse-grained abrasive filaments is twice as efficient as 80-mesh ones; For mirror polishing of aluminum alloy, 1000-mesh fine particle size is required to achieve Ra0.02 finish. It is worth noting that the corresponding particle sizes of different standards are slightly different. When purchasing, it is necessary to confirm whether it is the international standard (such as ISO) or the domestic standard to avoid the impact of particle size deviation on the effect.

The diameter of the abrasive filament is closely related to the contact area and pressure distribution of the workpiece. Abrasive filaments with a diameter of 0.3-0.8mm are suitable for grinding small precision parts, such as pins of electronic connectors; Those with a diameter of 1-3mm are used for medium-sized workpieces, such as grinding automobile wheels; Coarse filaments with a diameter of more than 5mm are only used for rough grinding of large castings. At the same time, the uniformity of diameter is also important. The diameter deviation of high-quality abrasive filaments should be controlled within ±0.05mm, otherwise, it will lead to uneven pressure during grinding and uneven workpiece surface.

The bonding strength between the matrix and abrasive particles is a "hidden factor" affecting the service life. It can be judged by a simple test: take an abrasive filament and bend it repeatedly with fingers 10 times. If the abrasive particle loss rate exceeds 5%, the bonding strength is insufficient. Under continuous grinding conditions, the service life of abrasive filaments with low bonding strength may only be 1/3 of that of high-quality products. For example, in continuous derusting of steel plates, the brush roller with high bonding strength can be used for 500 hours, while that with low strength can only be used for 150 hours.

The length and density of abrasive filaments need to match the type of grinding tool. The length of abrasive filaments used for disc brushes is usually 20-50mm, and the density depends on the disc diameter. For a disc brush with a diameter of 300mm, the number of filaments per square centimeter is about 30-50; The length of abrasive filaments used for strip brushes can reach more than 100mm, and the density needs to ensure that there is no obvious gap between the filaments to avoid grinding leakage points. In addition, the resilience of the abrasive filament cannot be ignored. If the filament is bent to 1/2 of its original length and can return to its original shape within 3 seconds after being released, it has good resilience and is suitable for scenarios that need to contact the workpiece frequently.

What key details should be paid attention to when using abrasive filaments to maintain their good performance and avoid loss?

The use of abrasive filaments is like a "fine art of operation". The control of details directly affects their performance and service life.The setting of grinding speed should be combined with the type of abrasive filament and the material of the workpiece. For nylon-based abrasive filaments, the grinding linear speed is generally controlled at 10-20m/s. Exceeding 25m/s will cause the matrix to overheat and soften. For example, when grinding plastic parts, excessive speed will make the abrasive filaments stick to plastic debris; Polypropylene-based abrasive filaments can withstand speeds of 20-30m/s, but when grinding hard and brittle materials such as glass, the speed needs to be reduced to below 15m/s to prevent edge chipping. At the same time, the stability of the speed is also important. A frequency conversion motor is used to control the speed, and the fluctuation range should be less than ±5% to avoid uneven stress and fracture of the abrasive filament due to sudden speed changes.

The adjustment of grinding pressure should follow the principle of "gradual progress". When using it for the first time, set the pressure to 60% of the recommended value, and gradually increase it to the standard value (usually 0.1-0.5MPa) after 5 minutes of operation. The pressure needs to be adjusted when grinding workpieces of different thicknesses. For example, when grinding 1mm thick thin steel plates, the pressure should not exceed 0.2MPa to prevent workpiece deformation; When grinding thick castings above 10mm, the pressure can be increased to 0.4MPa to improve efficiency. The uniformity of pressure can be monitored by installing pressure sensors to ensure that the pressure deviation of each part of the workpiece does not exceed 0.05MPa.

The cleanliness of the grinding environment needs to be "controlled from the source". The working area should be equipped with a dust suction device, and the suction power should be adjusted according to the amount of grinding dust. For example, when grinding cast iron, the dust suction volume per hour should not be less than 50m³ to prevent dust from adhering to the abrasive filaments. Regularly purge the abrasive filaments with compressed air (pressure 0.3MPa) to remove the attached debris on the surface, with a frequency of once per hour. For fine-grained abrasive filaments, purge at an angle of 45° to avoid direct impact leading to particle loss. In addition, the use of grinding fluid is also particular. Water-based grinding fluid is suitable for cooling, while oil-based grinding fluid helps lubrication and chip removal. It should be selected according to the material of the abrasive filament. Nylon-based abrasive filaments are prohibited from using strongly alkaline grinding fluid to prevent matrix corrosion.

The details of storage and maintenance determine the "initial state" of the abrasive filament. The storage environment should be controlled at a temperature of 10-30℃ and a relative humidity of 50%-70%, and should not be stored with organic solvents (such as alcohol and acetone) to prevent matrix swelling. Abrasive filaments should be hung or placed flat. When hanging, fix both ends of the filament bundle with a soft rope to avoid single-point stress; When placing flat, pad it under to keep it flat, with a thickness not exceeding 10cm to prevent deformation due to long-term pressure. For abrasive filaments that are not used temporarily, a small amount of talcum powder can be applied to prevent adhesion, and they can be wiped clean with a soft cloth before use.

"Intermittent maintenance" during use can effectively extend the service life. Check the wear of the abrasive filaments every 2 hours of work. If it is found that the local filament length is shortened by more than 10%, adjust the grinding position to avoid excessive local wear. When obvious "bald spots" (areas without abrasive particles) appear on the surface of the abrasive filaments, they should be replaced in time to avoid affecting the grinding quality. In addition, avoid idling of the abrasive filaments. One minute of idling causes wear equivalent to 5 minutes of normal work, so the power source should be cut off in time when stopping.

Compared with abrasive materials such as sandpaper and grinding wheels, what are the unique features of abrasive filaments in terms of application scenarios and effects?

The difference between abrasive filaments and sandpaper, grinding wheels, etc., is like that between "flexible fingers" and "hard tools". They each show their capabilities in different scenarios, and the uniqueness of abrasive filaments is particularly prominent.

In terms of "adaptability" to application scenarios, abrasive filaments show unparalleled advantages. Sandpaper and grinding wheels are limited by their rigid structures. When grinding workpieces with deep holes (aperture less than 5mm, depth more than 50mm), they cannot go deep into the holes for uniform grinding. However, the slender grinding heads made of abrasive filaments can easily penetrate into the holes and achieve all-round grinding of the hole walls through rotation. For example, in the deep hole processing of hydraulic valve blocks, the abrasive filament grinding heads can reduce the hole wall roughness from Ra6.3 to Ra1.6. For workpieces with complex patterns, such as the relief patterns on antique bronze ware, sandpaper can only grind flat surfaces, and grinding wheels may damage the patterns. Abrasive filaments can fit the concave-convex contours of the patterns and remove the surface oxide layer while retaining the details of the patterns. In the batch grinding of curved workpieces, such as the arc surface of automobile lampshades, the abrasive filament brush rollers can adaptively adjust to the shape of the curved surface and complete the full curved surface grinding in one pass, while sandpaper needs to change angles many times, with an efficiency only 1/3 of that of abrasive filaments.

The "refinement" of grinding effect is another major highlight of abrasive filaments. When sandpaper grinds soft materials (such as rubber and plastic), it is easy to cause the material surface to melt and adhere due to frictional heat, forming a "pasted surface"; The elastic contact of abrasive filaments can reduce heat accumulation. When grinding rubber sealing rings, the surface roughness can be controlled at Ra0.4 without adhesion. The "rigid impact" during grinding with grinding wheels will cause stress concentration on the workpiece surface. For elastic materials such as spring steel, it may lead to a 30% reduction in fatigue life; The flexible grinding of abrasive filaments can reduce surface stress, and tests have shown that the fatigue life of spring steel treated with abrasive filaments is 20% higher than that treated with grinding wheels.

In terms of "long-term stability", abrasive filaments are also better. The abrasive particles of sandpaper are attached to the paper base. After 10 minutes of grinding, obvious clogging and falling off will occur, requiring frequent replacement; The abrasive particles of abrasive filaments are embedded in the matrix, and new particles will be gradually exposed during the grinding process, with a service life 5-10 times that of sandpaper. For example, in the continuous grinding of furniture wood, a roll of sandpaper can process about 5 square meters, while the same amount of abrasive filaments can process 30-50 square meters. The grinding wheel will have uneven wear after long-term use, resulting in a decrease in the flatness of the workpiece surface by more than 0.1mm, while the abrasive filaments can maintain uniform wear due to their flexibility, and the flatness deviation after long-term use is less than 0.03mm.

What Additional Details Lie Behind the Manufacturing Process of Abrasive Filaments?

Beyond the basic composition of polymer matrices and abrasive particles, the manufacturing process of abrasive filaments involves a cascade of precision-engineered steps, each contributing to the final product’s performance. These steps are fine-tuned to address challenges like particle distribution, matrix integrity, and consistency—factors that separate industrial-grade filaments from inferior alternatives.

1. Polymer Matrix Preparation: From Resin to Molten Precision

The polymer matrix begins as high-purity resin pellets, which undergo rigorous pre-processing to remove moisture and contaminants. For hygroscopic polymers like nylon 66, vacuum drying at 80-100℃ for 4-6 hours reduces moisture content below 0.02%—critical because even 0.1% moisture can cause bubble formation during extrusion, weakening filament structure.

Extrusion itself is a high-precision dance of temperature and pressure. Single-screw extruders (for simpler polymers like polypropylene) or twin-screw extruders (for complex blends) melt the resin at temperatures calibrated to within ±1℃. Nylon 6, for example, melts at 220-230℃, while polyethylene requires 180-200℃. The molten polymer is then forced through a spinneret—a die with micro-drilled holes (0.05-5mm diameter) polished to a mirror finish (Ra < 0.02μm) to prevent surface defects.

Die design varies by application: filaments for electronic polishing use spinnerets with 500+ micro-holes (0.1mm diameter) to produce fine, uniform strands, while those for heavy-duty steel grinding use 50-100 holes (3-5mm diameter) for thicker filaments. Post-extrusion, the filaments pass through a water bath (20-30℃) to cool and solidify, with cooling rate adjusted to control polymer crystallinity—faster cooling for nylon 6 creates smaller crystals, enhancing flexibility, while slower cooling for polypropylene promotes larger crystals, boosting rigidity.

2. Abrasive Particle Treatment: Enhancing Bonding and Performance

Abrasive particles undergo multi-step conditioning to ensure they integrate seamlessly with the polymer matrix. For oxide-based abrasives (alumina, silicon carbide), this starts with calcination—heating to 800-1200℃ to remove impurities like clays and water, which could weaken bonding. This process also hardens the particles: calcined brown corundum, for instance, has a Mohs hardness of 9.0, versus 8.5 for unprocessed material.

For superhard abrasives like synthetic diamond, surface metallization is standard. Using electroless nickel plating, a 5-10μm nickel layer is deposited on diamond particles, creating a "bridge" between the inorganic particle and organic polymer. This coating increases interfacial adhesion by 40-60%: pull-off tests show coated diamonds require 20-25N of force to detach from nylon matrices, compared to 12-15N for uncoated diamonds.

Particle sizing is another critical step. Abrasives are sieved through ultrasonic classifiers to achieve tight size distributions—e.g., 120-grit particles must fall within 106-125μm, with no more than 5% outside this range. This uniformity prevents "oversized" particles from causing scratches or "undersized" ones from reducing grinding efficiency.

3. Dispersion: Ensuring Uniform Particle Distribution

Even the best-treated particles are useless if they clump in the matrix. To avoid this, manufacturers use twin-screw extruders with dynamic mixing zones—sections where rotating elements shear and redistribute the polymer-abrasive mixture. The screws operate at 300-600 rpm, with mixing intensity adjusted for particle size: 80-grit abrasives need higher shear (600 rpm) to break up agglomerates, while 1200-grit particles require gentler mixing (300 rpm) to avoid fracturing.

To verify uniformity, samples are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which measures particle spacing. For precision applications like semiconductor polishing, the coefficient of variation (CV) in particle distribution must be <3%—meaning 97% of particles are evenly spaced, preventing "hot spots" that cause uneven wear. In contrast, filaments with a CV >5% show 2-3x faster wear in high-stress areas, making them unsuitable for fine grinding.

4. Post-Processing: Tuning Mechanical Properties

After extrusion, filaments undergo drawing—a process where they’re stretched 100-300% of their original length at elevated temperatures (60-120℃). This aligns polymer chains along the filament axis, increasing tensile strength by 30-50%: drawn nylon 6 filaments, for example, achieve a tensile strength of 60-70 MPa, versus 40-45 MPa for undrawn ones.

For filaments used in high-temperature environments (e.g., engine part grinding), annealing follows drawing. Heating to 100-150℃ for 2-4 hours relieves internal stresses, reducing thermal expansion by 20-30%. This ensures dimensional stability: annealed polypropylene filaments, for instance, expand by only 0.5% at 80℃, compared to 1.2% for unannealed versions.

5. Quality Control: Rigorous Testing at Every Stage

No manufacturing process is complete without stringent quality checks. Key tests include:

• Diameter uniformity: Laser micrometers measure diameter every 1mm along 10-meter filaments, rejecting any with deviations >±0.005mm (critical for electronic applications).
• Abrasive retention: Filaments are flexed 1000 times at 90°; those losing >2% of particles fail.
• Tensile strength: Instron machines pull filaments until breakage, ensuring minimum strength (50 MPa for nylon, 40 MPa for polypropylene).

These tests, combined with statistical process control (SPC) that monitors extrusion temperature, screw speed, and particle loading in real time, ensure that each batch of abrasive filaments meets exacting standards—whether destined for polishing smartphone screens or deburring turbine blades.

In essence, the manufacturing process of abrasive filaments is a fusion of material science and precision engineering, where even micrometer-scale adjustments can mean the difference between a product that performs reliably for thousands of cycles and one that fails prematurely.

How do abrasive filaments perform in emerging industries beyond automotive, electronics, and furniture?

In the field of aerospace manufacturing, the role of abrasive filaments goes far beyond the precision finishing of turbine blades. Aerospace fuel storage tanks are typically made of aluminum alloys or composite materials, and their inner walls need to achieve an extremely high level of smoothness to reduce fuel flow resistance, while avoiding micro-scratches that could become stress concentration points. In such cases, polyamide-based abrasive filaments embedded with ultra-fine silicon carbide particles (with a grit size of up to 2000 mesh) can, through a precisely controlled rotational grinding process, control the inner wall surface roughness to below Ra0.01μm. This precision is unattainable with traditional grinding wheels. Moreover, these abrasive filaments have good flexibility, which allows them to adapt to the complex curved structures of the storage tanks. During the grinding process, they do not cause damage to the thin-walled structure of the tanks, greatly improving the safety and service life of the fuel storage tanks.

In the processing of satellite antenna reflectors, abrasive filaments also show unique advantages. Reflectors are mostly made of magnesium alloys or carbon fiber composite materials, requiring extremely high surface flatness and 光洁度 to ensure signal reflection efficiency. Using glass fiber-reinforced abrasive filaments combined with ceramic abrasive particles, under low-speed grinding (with the speed controlled at 3-5m/s), it can not only remove tiny surface defects but also not damage the overall structure of the material, increasing the signal reflectivity of the reflector by more than 15%.

In the production of medical devices, in addition to surgical instruments, abrasive filaments also play an important role in the processing of dental equipment. Dental implants are usually made of titanium alloys, and their surfaces need to form a specific rough structure to promote osseointegration. Abrasive filaments with a titanium wire base and embedded diamond abrasive particles (with a grit size of 100-200 mesh), through a specific grinding trajectory, can form uniform micron-scale grooves and protrusions on the implant surface, with the roughness controlled between Ra1.5-2.5μm. This surface structure can increase the osseointegration speed by 20%-30%.

In the processing of prosthetic joints, abrasive filaments are also indispensable. The moving parts of prosthetic joints require extremely high wear resistance and smoothness to reduce friction and wear, and improve comfort and service life. Using polytetrafluoroethylene-based abrasive filaments embedded with cubic boron nitride abrasives (with a grit size of 800-1000 mesh), under the control of precision numerical control equipment for grinding, the surface roughness of the moving parts of the joints can reach below Ra0.05μm, and the wear resistance is improved by more than 40% compared with traditional processing techniques.

In the renewable energy field, in addition to the manufacturing of wind turbines, abrasive filaments have new applications in the production of solar panels. The edges of silicon wafers in solar panels need to be finely ground to remove burrs and damaged layers generated during the cutting process, thereby improving the conversion efficiency of the cells. Using polyester fiber-based abrasive filaments embedded with cerium oxide abrasive particles (with a grit size of 1500-2000 mesh) to gently grind the edges of silicon wafers at a low speed (1-2m/s) can effectively remove the damaged layers while avoiding silicon wafer breakage, increasing the conversion efficiency of solar cells by 2%-3%.

Abrasive filaments also perform well in the processing of turbine blades for hydropower equipment. Hydraulic turbine blades are mostly made of stainless steel and operate in water for a long time, requiring the surface to have good corrosion resistance and smoothness to reduce water flow resistance. Using nylon 610-based abrasive filaments embedded with boron carbide abrasive particles (with a grit size of 300-500 mesh) for automated grinding through robotic arms can form a uniform smooth layer on the blade surface, with the roughness controlled between Ra0.8-1.6μm. This reduces water flow resistance by 10%-15% and significantly improves corrosion resistance.