FAQ: Z-WEB Surface Conditioning
What is Z-WEB, and how is it beneficial?
Z-WEB is ARC’s proprietary non-woven formulation that provides outstanding performance, extended life, and a fine finish while enhancing your profitability. ARC is one of only two surface conditioning manufacturers in the United States.
What are non-woven abrasives and how do they work?
Non-woven abrasives are built from fibers, needled through an open, 3D web structure, embedded with grains. The 3D construction creates springs so as the material glides over a contoured surface, the springs compress and expand, allowing the grains to reach the entire surface and a less aggressive cut. Non-wovens consist, surface conditioning, finishing and cleaning, and unitized.
What is the difference between surface conditioning, cleaning and finishing, and unitized?
Surface conditioning non-wovens feature scrim that increases strength and durability for high speed applications. This allows the material to reshape the work surface without damaging the surface’s base material. Scrim also adds flexibility and stretch, allowing the material to curve without cracking.
Cleaning and finishing non-wovens are produced using less grains and fibers, making it not as aggressive as surface conditioning. These products are used in more gentle and hand operations.
Unitized material is constructed by compressing layers of non-woven abrasive sheets, bonding them together then curing them to form a dense structure. Unitized abrasives are contained within a matrix allowing the dense structure to withstand tighter tolerances and more controlled cutting.
What are the best Z-WEB products to use for a linear finish?
While our quick-loks and hook & loop discs can do the trick, we recommend to use Z-WEB belts for the application for the straight linear finish.
What Z-WEB product would you recommend to get a desired brushed finish?
Before finishing a product, we recommend to use a coated abrasive like a resin fiber disc to get any stock material. The next step would be to use our Z-WEB quick-loks for a superior finish.
When would you need to use surface conditioning products over coated?
Z-WEB Surface Conditioning products help polish and finish the work piece after using coated abrasives to shape and remove any stock.
