Abrasives: Metabo M-Calibur Ceramic and HydroResist Wheels
To complement its new, high-performance compact angle grinders, Metabo introduces M-Calibur and HydroResist series high-performance cutting and grinding wheels.
With the M-Calibur ceramic wheels, the user can work 250 percent faster during grinding and cutting than with a standard market wheel – and the wheel has a 250 percent longer service life. When combined with its new angle grinder, Metabo offers the most productive system on the market.
Even with the best angle grinders, users are only productive if the performance of the wheel is acceptable. The people at Metabo have known for a long time just how important high quality angle grinder accessories are for professionals if they satisfy all of the requirements: For nearly 60 years, the engineers in Nürtingen have been developing wheels with the highest performance and safety standards.
As the only power tool manufacturer with decades of grinding wheel expertise, Metabo not only sets standards with its new angle grinder generation, but at the same time has developed new cutting and grinding wheels that ideally complement the system.
The new wheels are perfectly matched to the high performance of angle grinders such as the new, and world's first, 1,700-watt compact angle grinders from Metabo. These perform impressively and are the most compact machines in this class. The new wheels apply power to the material in the truest sense of the word: Metabo states that its M-Calibur ceramic wheel and 1,700-watt angle grinder make are the most productive angle grinder system in the world.
M-Calibur: 250 percent faster, 250 percent more
With its M-Calibur Metabo provides four new, extremely powerful and durable ceramic cutting and grinding wheels in the diameters of 115 and 125 millimeters. The special ceramic abrasive grain technology and a special bond guarantee rapid work progression and productivity in all steel and stainless steel applications.
"Today cutting and grinding wheels are often a compromise between work speed and service life. This means either the user is able to work fast with just one wheel or the wheel lasts a long time," explains Dr. Andrew Siemer, Director of Product Management Metabo. "However, this type of compromise is unsatisfactory for us and is why we've upgraded the new M-Calibur series in both directions."
The result: Users can carry out 250 percent more cuts during the same time frame with an M-Calibur ceramic cutting wheel than with a standard market cutting wheel and up to 250 percent more material per minute can be removed with an M-Calibur ceramic grinding wheel.
At the same time, the cutting and grinding wheels have a 250 percent longer service life than standard wheels of well-known competitors. This not only saves the user time but fewer wheel changes are required as well. In addition, the longer service life results in lower costs for re-placement grinding wheels.
Faster work progress plus lower labor and overall costs make the Nürtinger angle grinder system by far the most productive solution on the market. Decades of experience as well as the latest research on abrasive grain and bond technology have been incorporated into the development of the system.
The rapid work progression is achieved by Metabo through a ceramic abrasive grain, in which fine aluminum oxide crystals are merged during a sintering process. Through the force of the grinding process these microcrystals break off at exactly the right time allowing the abrasive grain to maintain its sharp cutting edge.
The secret behind the long service life is a new and special bond. It holds the abrasive grain as long as possible in the wheel or until the entire grinding performance of each individual grain is used up.
HydroResist: New formula against moisture
In addition to the M-Calibur, Metabo is introducing the Flexiarapid super 14 cutting wheel and two other combination wheels with new a HydroResist formula in the upper performance class: This technology will allow the manufacturer to provide moisture resistant and extremely durable wheels for steel and stainless steel machining. In addition, the special formula increases the service life of the wheels by ten percent.
"Conventional resin bonded wheels absorb moisture from the air over time. This makes the bond between the abrasive grain less stable and the wheel ages," explains Product Manager Siemer.
Service life is reduced and performance becomes worse. The thinner the wheel, the more susceptible it is to moisture. Metabo has developed the special HydroResist formula to minimize this type of performance loss. The bond's new formula surrounds the abrasive grains and increases the life of the wheels even if high levels of humidity are present. The bond between the abrasive grain remains strong thereby preventing the individual grains from braking off prematurely.
With the new HydroResist cutting and combination wheels, Metabo responds to the needs of everyday users and provides them with extremely durable wheels with a slow rate of performance loss. More cutting or more material removal per wheel combined with the reduced loss of performance translates into fewer purchases and lower costs for the user.
Safety and productivity in the system
The new cutting and grinding wheels from Metabo are manufactured in accordance with the highest safety standards and exceed the requirements of all relevant safety norms according to EN 12413 and OSA.
"At a peripheral speed of up to 80 meters per second, the safety of the wheels is our top priority," says Siemer.
Continuous quality control in production is therefore mandatory. The new M-Calibur and HydroResist wheels can withstand high side loads and are extremely safe even if that is exceeded. The tolerances of the Metabo wheels are much lower than specified in the EN standard with respect to imbalance. This increases operating convenience and helps keep hand-arm vibration at a minimum.
Metabo provides the user maximum protection with the new cutting and grinding wheels in combination with the security features of the new angle grinders. The mechanical S-automatic safety clutch decouples the motor directly, if the wheel stops unexpectedly. Recoil is thereby mini-mized and the user can continue working quickly without having to switch the machine off and on again.
The angle grinders can be optionally equipped with an ergonomical integrated paddle switch with dead-man function.
With its 1,250 - 1,700 watt models, Metabo also offers a combination paddle switch and patented mechanical disc brake – making it the fastest braking system on the market: The wheel stops in just two seconds after you turn it off.
Metabo also offers new angle grinders in the 1250 watt plus class with the additional and most effective anti-vibration system on the market – the Metabo VibraTech auxiliary handle and its integrated autobalancer that reduces the hand-arm vibration by up to another 50 percent. Moreover, the extremely low level of vibration not only prolongs the life of the machine but can also double the service life of the grinding wheel – saving the user even more money.
A new multi-position bracket for the auxiliary handle is part of the com-prehensive program of system accessories. The user can turn the handle through 180 degrees and position it vertically for example when cutting. For secure, two-handed work in confined spaces the auxiliary handle can be tilted backwards with the bracket by 45 degrees.
With three new extraction hoods and matching anti-static hoses and suction devices, users can renovate floor cracks, grind concrete surfaces or, in combination with a Metabo guide rail, precision cut vision screeds and large format porcelain stoneware completely dust-free. Metabo provides an additional dust filter which the user can simply place over the air vents in order to better protect the angle grinder during heavy-duty use.
Metabo has wheels from 50 to 400 millimeters in diameter in four per-formance classes and wheel thicknesses from 0.8 to 8 millimeters in the program for the machining of steel, stainless steel, aluminum or stone. Metabo provides industry professionals and craftsmen the perfect solu-tion for every application together with special Inox-abrasive materials, fiber wheels, abrasive flap wheels or wire brushes, comprehensive system accessories and angle grinders in all performance classes.
Metabo GmbH in Nürtingen is a traditional manufacturer of power tools and supplier of accessory equipment for skilled craftsmen. Under its brand name, Metabo offers a full-range of machines and accessories to its core target groups of metal craftsmanship professionals, the metal industry and the construction and renovation trades.
Founded in 1924 in Nürtingen, Metabo is a medium-sized company which manufactures in Shanghai, China in addition to its plant in Nürtingen. 23 distribution companies and more than 100 importers ensure a strong international presence. Metabo has 1,800 employees worldwide. The company generated 348 million EUR of sales revenue in 2013. For more information about Metabo and its products please visit the website at www.metabo.com