Specification Marking System for Bonded Abrasives
ANSI is the American National Standards Institute marking system. It has been developed to make it easy to identify materials and material specifications in abrasive products like grinding and cut-off wheels.
The naming system incorporates 4 different specifications in a simple shorthand so it takes up little space, and is fast and easy to read. They are always in order from left to right indicating: Primary Grain Type, Grit Size, Hardness Level and Bonding Material.
Following is an example of how to read an ANSI marking and a table with the most common specifications for easy reference to aid in understanding any ANSI marking.
ANSI marking example: A-24-QBF
Read it as: [GRAIN (A)]-[GRIT (24)]-[HARDNESS (Q)][BOND (BF)]
This product's grain is Aluminum Oxide; grit is coarse at 24; has a hardness rating of hard, at a Q level, and is bonded together with resin and is also reinforced.
Where the dashes go is arbitrary; the system is arranged so that each section follows the same order with or without the dashes.
| ANSI MARKING SYSTEM: | |||
| GRAIN | GRIT | HARDNESS | BOND |
| A - Aluminum Oxide | Coarse | Soft | B - Resinoid |
| AT - Ceramic Aluminum Oxide | 14 | D | BF - Resinoid Reinforced |
| C - Silicon Carbide | 16 | E | E - Shellac |
| GC - Green Silicon Carbide | 20 | F | O - Oxychloride |
| Z or ZA - Zirconia Aluminum Oxide | 24 | G | R - Rubber |
| H | RF - Rubber Reinforced | ||
| Medium | Medium | S - Silicate | |
| 30 | I | V - Vitrified | |
| 36 | J | ||
| 46 | K | ||
| 54 | L | ||
| 60 | M | ||
| 70 | N | ||
| O | |||
| Fine | Hard | ||
| 80 | P | ||
| 90 | Q | ||
| 100 | R | ||
| 120 | S | ||
| 150 | T | ||
| 180 | U | ||
| 220 | V | ||
| W | |||
| X | |||
| Y | |||
| Z |
