For Immediate Release
With Art (digital file)
Editorial
Contact:
Saint-Gobain
Contact:
Paul Krupa
Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc.
(518) 266-2391
paul.a.krupa@saint-gobain.com
Jonathan Gosberg
ABI
(646) 448-4582
jgosberg@abipr.com
Norton Abrasives Solutions Help Aerospace Market Soar to New Heights
High-performance blending and deburring solutions boost throughput and lower costs
WORCESTER, MA (April 23, 2013) – Despite ongoing worldwide economic challenges, the aerospace
industry is projected to grow at 2.8 percent in 2013.1 To help manage increased demand, Norton, a
brand of Saint-Gobain Abrasives, offers a comprehensive portfolio of industry-leading solutions to help
aerospace manufacturers and their suppliers streamline assembly operations. Used for blending and
deburring airframes and investment cast parts, Norton abrasives solutions provide superior
performance for production and maintenance operations in the aerospace industry.
“The aerospace industry is under tremendous pressure to increase overall operational efficiency to
keep costs under control,” according to Paul Krupa, Product Manager, Norton Abrasives. “The Norton
portfolio of abrasives solutions provides aerospace operations with the high-performance precision
technology they need for any metal finishing applications.”
Using proprietary resins, application-specific backings and patented grains, these Norton technologies
improve productivity, allowing for faster throughput and reduced labor requirements to enable abrasive
projects to be completed more quickly. Norton Rapid Prep non-woven products combine proprietary
smear-free resin and high-performance aluminum oxide abrasive for consistent, smear-free finishes,
while Norton Vortex Rapid Prep products combine the same smear-free properties plus a patented
Vortex abrasive for up to four times the performance of conventional surface conditioning products.
Norton Rapid Prep and Vortex Rapid Prep surface conditioning products excel at removing surface
1
Source: Jim Wolf, "U.S. aerospace industry sees 10th straight growth year," Chicago Tribune, Dec 5, 2012.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-aerospace-usbre8b41km-20121205,0,769209.story
2
defects, oxides and corrosion from steel, aluminum, fiberglass and composite surfaces or when used
for deburring and blending.
Norton Vortex Rapid Blend and Blaze Rapid Blend products offer a combination of synthetic mesh and
patented abrasives (different abrasive grains) for removing imperfections on metal surfaces, working up
to eight times better than conventional discs for more challenging operations.
For the precision cast parts commonly found in aerospace construction, Norton Rapid Finish products
are engineered with superior abrasive grains and resins for maximum cutting and long-lasting
performance. Vortex Rapid Finish, the most aggressive finishing product on the market, cuts twice as
fast and lasts up to five times longer than conventional convolute wheels. The Norton Aluminum Oxide
Rapid Finish and Silicon Carbide Rapid Finish are specifically designed for the materials commonly
found in aerospace applications.
About Norton
Founded in 1885, Norton Company manufactured the first precision-made and mass-produced grinding
wheel, and was one of first producers of commercial coated abrasives. Today, Norton-brand products
are used widely across a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, aerospace,
electronics, and general automotive, among others. The company’s proprietary resins and non-woven
materials offer improved productivity and faster throughput, reducing labor requirements, and helping
customers complete projects more quickly. In 1990, Norton was acquired by Saint-Gobain, the world
leader in the manufacture of engineered materials, headquartered in France. To learn more about
Saint-Gobain Abrasives’ Norton brand capabilities and offerings, please visit:
http://www.NortonBeartex.com
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