BRM Official Blog

Flex-Hone® tools remove burrs and improve surface finish at the same time. Made in the USA by Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), these flexible cylinder hones are trusted by metalworkers, machinists, and manufacturers alike.

BRM ball hones are used in a wide variety of industries, and can help solve your own surface finishing and deburring challenges. Flexible hones come in wide variety of abrasive types and grits, but tool diameter also drives Flex-Hone® selection and use.

Fluid power systems use a liquid or a gas to transmit power from one location to another. With hydraulics, the fluid is usually an oil. With pneumatics, a gas such as compressed air is used. In both types of systems, the movement of a cylinder plunger produces linear motion.

Unless the bores of hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders have a smooth surface finish, however, performance may suffer. To optimize inner diameter (ID) surface finish, the fluid power industry uses Flex-Hone® tools from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM).     

Part manufacturers use a variety of methods to produce through-holes for fasteners. For example, in the aerospace industry, techniques such as drilling, milling, and reaming are used with metals such as nickel, Inconel, Waspalloy, titanium, and stainless steels. Unless these hole-drilling and edge-breaking processes are performed perfectly, however, machined parts may not meet demanding aerospace specifications.

Manufacturers in the automotive and semiconductor industries also face challenging requirements for surface quality. To produce through-hole surfaces that are chamfered, free of burrs, and have radiused edge transitions, metalworkers need to select and use the best surface finishing and deburring tools. For final parts deburring and finishing, industry leaders trust the Flex-Hone® for Chamfer Blending.

Small cross-drilled holes can present major deburring challenges. Burrs created during cross-drilling can affect dimensional tolerances, cause part misalignments, and limit the overall efficiency of machined components. For manufacturers, machinists, and metalworkers, surface finishing success begins by choosing the right deburring tools for removing cut, torn, folded, and jagged metal.  

Miniature deburring brushes with abrasive-filled nylon filaments have their advantages, but all-stainless steel tools are especially tough and long lasting. Plus, unlike other types of metal brushes, the filaments of all-stainless steel tools won’t corrode and leave after-rust deposits on finished parts. As a full-line supplier of surface finishing solutions, Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) has the tools you need for deburring smaller cross-drilled holes.

NamPower wheel brushes are wheel-shaped brushing tools that remove burrs and improve the outer diameter (OD) surface finish of machined parts. Made by Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), these metalworking tools feature abrasive-nylon impregnated nylon filaments for a safer alternative to wire wheels and a performance advantage over non-woven abrasive brushes. 

With their composite hubs and well-balanced construction, NamPower wheel brushes reduce machine fatigue and filament breakage. These BRM power brushes also put more cutting tips at the point of attack for shorter cycle times and longer tool life. Use NamPower wheel brushes for machine-based and offhand deburring and surface finishing, and for cleaning, polishing, and edge radiusing. 

NamPower disc brushes produce maximum burr removal rates and provide an optimum surface finish at the same time. With their unique combination of ceramic and silicon carbide abrasive, these nylon abrasive brushing tools provide reliable, consistent, and cost-effective results for outer diameter (OD) applications.  

Use NamPower nylon abrasive disc brushes to automate secondary operations such as parts deburring, edge blending, and surface finishing.  These professional-grade tools from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) are also ideal for surface preparation, parts cleaning, resurfacing, and fine blanking. NamPower disc brushes are ideal for use with today’s production equipment, but which brush tool do you need?

For best results, consider the following factors.

Diamond Flex-Hone® tools combine the soft, resilient cutting action of Flex-Hone® technology with premium coated diamond abrasive for harder materials. These Made in the USA metalworking tools mount in most any rotating spindle and are ideal for deburring, edge blending, and surface finishing parts made of carbide, ceramic, hardened tool steels, and aerospace alloys.

Use BRM’s diamond honing tools with inner diameter (ID) applications such as carbide wear rings, ceramic cylinders, and chromed and plated bores. Diamond Flex-Hone® tools are also great for cylinders made of heat-treated steel, high-nickel stainless steel, and MMX aluminum alloys. Additional applications include deburring and surface finishing the small holes in medical devices and aerospace components.

Metalworkers need reliable tools for shaping, cutting, forming, and finishing metal parts and products. Calipers and scribers are great for measuring and marking materials, and tools like pliers, punches, hammers, and hacksaws can be found on many workbenches. Some metalworkers use production machinery and equipment, but electric hand drills and bench vises are common enough, too.

Reamers and other cutting tools are great for enlarging holes in pipes and removing metal from cylinder walls. Rigid hones are used for cylinder resizing and heavy-duty material removal. Honing stones are recommended for initial honing (such as with OEM engine cylinders), but there’s a better way to achieve a final finish. For both new and used cylinders, metalworkers use the BRM Flex-Hone® tool.

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM) will exhibit industry-leading solutions for metal surface finishing, deburring, cleaning, and polishing at IMTS 2016. From September 12 to 17, BRM will showcase Flex-Hone® tools, NamPower technology, and other surface finishing and deburring solutions in Booth #N-7163.

Are you serious about solving surface finishing challenges? Would you like to learn how to improve part quality, reduce costs, and speed operations? Then request a meeting at IMTS with the BRM Technical Team. Learn how the inventor of Flex-Hone® technology can help you.

Here are some more reasons why your IMTS tradeshow plans need to include a visit to BRM in Booth N-7163.

Cummins engines power vehicles and equipment in some of the world’s most demanding applications. Whether on-road or off-road, these powerhouses need to provide strong, reliable performance while meeting certification levels such as Euro 6 and EPA 2013. For engine mechanics, choosing the right tools for maintaining Cummins engines is essential.

Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM), maker of the Flex-Hone® tool, provides high-quality brushing tools for Cummins engines. These automotive and diesel tools remove rust, carbon deposits, and dirt from hard-to-reach places. So whether you’re changing an injector or seating new coppers, BRM has the brush tools you need for Cummings engine maintenance, rebuilds, and overhauls.