Buckets full of discarded abrasives were collected there. Cutting discs that looked as if they were only half used, splattered support pads for fibre discs, burned discs, discs tucked away in a corner. Until a team leader stands up and makes a case for more careful use of the abrasives.

A number of factors play a role in this:

• Use the right products for the application
• Is the abrasive used correctly (speed, angle to the material, pressure applied, etc.)?
• The abrasive is changed in time. Not too early, but not too late either.

These matters are all discussed in detail in a training course at our training centre, the METAC.

Sending 450 sharpeners to training is not the most efficient way, although we are convinced that this investment would also be quickly recouped. The customer decided to send all foremen to training, 28 people in total. We adapted the training in such a way that it was fully customized to our customer. On their work but also to provide the foremen with the tools to properly instruct their team on the new working methods and why this was chosen.

When we started collecting the grinding wheels together on the shop floor, we were able to draw a number of conclusions:

• Spattered support pads indicate misuse, for example by grinding in the corners. It is better to use a lamella disc for this application.
• The seemingly semi-manufactured cut-off wheels, turn out not to work anymore. The 1mm cut-off wheel is too thin to grind 4mm thick material. A 1mm cut-off wheel contains relatively few grains and easily breaks out of their bond. As a result, the abrasive performance decreases rapidly, especially in thicker materials. Because a thin disc also cuts too little material, the material will clench around the disc, causing the disc to dig in and jam. Our advice to use a 1.6 mm thick cut-off wheel on thicker material (from 4 mm) will save you a lot of tool life, but most of all it will work much faster. Although the cut-off wheel has already been bought and used, it is now even better used.
• Half-used discs were also found on the work floor. Upon enquiry, it appears that users also have to change their discs while changing jobs, from a fibre disc to a cut-off disc, for example. The first disc was thrown away to start the work with a new one the next time. Somewhere logical but also unfortunate. We advise each grinder to give two grinding wheels. You don't have to change as much and it benefits the life of the disc. Changing the machine regularly also extends the life of the machine.
• The burned disc that was encountered had been abused by applying too much pressure.
• The 4.2 mm 3M combi-disc turns out to be perfect for internal corner welding and V-seam welding. A disc that saves time by working much faster!

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