BRM Official Blog

Parts manufacturers use Flex-Hone® tools to remove burrs and improve cylinder surface finish at the same time.

Made in the USA by Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), Flex-Hone® tools improve part quality, reduce costs, and increase speed and efficiency.

As the following success stories show, Flex-Hone® tools help solve metal finishing challenges with pumps, compressors, and valves. BRM’s flexible cylinder hones are also used in the chamfer blending of aerospace parts, and in lawn equipment manufacturing.

Cross-hole deburring is an essential finishing operation for precision metal parts. In engine and transmission components, cross-drilled holes serve as conduits for fluids, lubricants, and greases. If burrs block these passageways, problems can result. Metal burrs in cross-drilled holes can also affect dimensional tolerances and lead to part misalignments.

Manual cross-hole deburring can be time-consuming. Manufacturers and machinists can outsource deburring operations instead, but this adds time and costs to precision metal parts. That’s why in-house, automated cross-hole deburring is an attractive, cost-effective alternative. With BRM Flex-Hone® tools, you can use your own CNC machinery or other production equipment to get great results.

Wheel brushes can remove burrs and improve surface finish, but cutting tool manufacturers need the best tools to get the best results – especially with machined parts made of harder materials.   

NamPower wheel brushes with diamond abrasive filaments are the right choice to meet this challenge. They control the edge radius and polish the flue reliefs on cutting tools made of CBN, ceramic, cermet, high-speed steel, and tool steels. NamPower diamond wheels can remove hard coatings like nitride, too.

Today, cutting tool manufacturers are using NamPower diamond wheels to surface finish and deburr parts such as carbide inserts, drill bits, end mills, taps, reamers, gear hobs, and shapes. What do these part manufacturers know about NamPower than can help you save time and money?

Miniature deburring brushes help keep small-diameter holes from becoming big-time finishing problems. These miniature metalworking tools remove small burrs that can cause part misalignments. They also perform internal cleaning and produce the proper edge radius on machined holes with small diameters.

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), maker of the Flex-Hone® tool, supplies different types of miniature deburring brushes. These tools can be driven by hand or used under power, but there are some basic operating instructions that you need to follow. Here are some tips for selecting and using these tools.

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), maker of Flex-Hone® tools and NamPower technology, will exhibit at WESTEC, the West Coast’s premiere manufacturing tradeshow.

From September 12 to 14, BRM will showcase surface finishing and deburring tools in Booth #2408 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

When you visit BRM at WESTEC, you’ll see videos of our products in action. You'll also have a chance to talk to our technical team. If you bring us your part drawings, we’ll recommend the right BRM tools for your application.

There are plenty of reasons to visit BRM at WESTEC, but here are four you won’t want to miss.

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), maker of Flex-Hone® tools and a full line of industrial brushes, will exhibit at EMO Hannover 2017, the world’s premiere tradeshow for metalworking.

From September 18 to 23, BRM will showcase technologies for surface finishing and deburring in Booth #A47, Hall 011 at the Hannover Exhibition Grounds in Hannover, Germany.

Mike Miller (Vice President of Global Sales), Heather Jones (Executive Vice President), and Jonathan Borden (Director of Sales) will meet with EMO attendees and explain how BRM helps solve metal finishing challenges.

Visitors to the BRM booth are invited to schedule an appointment, receive a complimentary day pass, and learn about Flex-Hone® tools, NamPower brushes, and BRM’s other metal finishing products. 

When the engine in an old sports utility vehicle (SUV) started knocking, the owner answered with an engine teardown. The source of the knock, some worn-out bearings between the connecting rods and the crankshaft, could be fixed. The project needed new parts, the right tools, and some automotive know-how.

The SUV’s owner, a former auto mechanic, bought a remanufactured crankshaft from a local auto parts store. The crankshaft came with journal bearings, but required removing the cylinder heads and pistons. So the owner of the 1999 GMC Jimmy bought some new piston rings and engine gaskets, too.

To hone the engine’s cylinders, the mechanic used the BRM Flex-Hone® tool.

Engine rebuilds are easier when you have the right tools for the job. Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), a full-line supplier of flexible engine hones and automotive brushes, has the tools and accessories that mechanics need for surface preparation, surface finishing, cleaning, deburring, and cylinder deglazing.  

For nearly 60 years, BRM has supplied engine mechanics with high-quality products that are dependable, affordable, and easy-to-use. Let’s take a look at some of the automotive tools and accessories you’ll find in BRM’s product catalog, and that you can order on-line any time.

NamPower disc brushes are nylon abrasive brushing tools for parts deburring, edge radiusing, and surface finishing. Manufacturers, machinists, and metalworkers use dot-style tools for lighter-duty applications, and turbine-style tools for medium-to-heavy deburring.

Both styles come standard with a unique combination of ceramic and silicon carbide abrasive for maximum burr removal rates and an optimum surface finish at the same time. By special order, NamPower disc brushes are available with blue ceramic or white ceramic alone, or in combination with silicon carbide abrasive.

Tool styles and abrasive types are important, of course, but NamPower users who want more aggressive brushing action need discs with shorter trim lengths, larger brush diameters, coarser grit sizes, and denser bristles. Faster disc speeds and increased cutting depths support increased brushing aggression, too. The NamPower Resource Guide provides complete information about tool selection and use, but here's what you need to know about more aggressive brushing with NamPower discs.

Made in the USA Flex-Hone® tools from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) are helping manufacturers across the United States to compete and win in the global marketplace.

For surface finishing and deburring the walls of cylinders, Flex-Hone® tools are more than just the industry standard. BRM’s flexible, resilient honing tools help companies to reduce costs, improve productivity, and increase quality and consistency.   

Let’s take a closer look at how two U.S. manufacturers have used Flex-Hone® technology to meet business challenges and get real-world results. You can also find additional case studies on the Applications Guide section of our website.