In metal construction and especially in shipbuilding, much of the day-to-day work here is taken up with grinding processes. Specialised, industry-specific solutions are required here that offer high stock removal and long lifetimes to keep set-up times as short as possible. And if the tools used can also reduce the physical effort that operators need to apply in their work – so much the better.
But rust forms on sharp edges, which is where protective coatings are first abraded. For this simple reason, over 8,000 working hours or more are expended on grinding work for a single vessel. This means that process-optimised grinding tools can potentially offer some truly substantial savings. At RHODIUS, we see ourselves as your partners.
Our goal is to offer the best – the most cost-effective – grinding tools for your shipyard. The first step here is a detailed needs assessment and an extensive series of trials. Following this, we calculate the most cost-effective product for you or start development on a new, made-to-measure solution.
Finishing and cleaning welding seams
The grinding tools required here are also used at shipyards for some of the steps that are needed to prepare welded parts.
Removing rust or old paint
Cup brushes are a good choice for removing old paint or varnish. A light pass over the surface is all that is needed.
Dressing removed transportation lugs
This can only be done by hand with an angle grinder. For this work, a cup wheel will produce the cleanest, most level surface.
The RHODIUS JUMBO LONGLIFE and RHODIUS JUMBO SPEED are highly specialised products that have been developed in the flap disc segment for use in shipbuilding. Their extended flaps provide a boost to their cost-effectiveness for professional use. Precise measurements have been performed in endurance testing: the JUMBO LONGLIFE was only used up in full after 56 minutes of continuous operation and 2036 g of stock removal. That is 500 g or 30% more stock removal than for a comparable tool.
With its extremely long lifetime, the flap disc is therefore the ideal tool for performing many grinding tasks around the shipyard. If a flap disc with ceramic grain is selected, this extremely aggressive grain ensures even higher stock removal. In addition, a grinding tool with ceramic grain also offers another, decisive advantage: only moderate contact pressure needs to be used when working with these discs around the shipyard. More pressure just creates more heat, after all, but not a faster cut.
