Norton’s BlueFIre F826 discs with a blend of zirconia alumina and ceramic aluminum oxide reduce grinding heat better than standard aluminum oxide discs and are intended for fast, aggressive cutting on materials like stainless steel, nickel alloys, titanium alloys, and cast iron. Coated abrasives have individual abrasive grains spaced at a predetermined distance from one another. This is a closed-coat disc. A closed coat covers 100 percent of the surface with abrasive grains, for more stiffness and better surface finish than an equivalent open coat, where abrasive grit covers 50 to 70 percent of the surface. The fiber backing is more durable, stiffer, harder, and thicker than other backings, for a more aggressive action that is often intended for heavy material removal applications. This disc is suitable for use with a die grinder or orbital sander. Use with molded-rubber back up pads on a grinder. Use a hard pad for aggressive cutting, a medium pad for general-purpose applications, or a soft pad for contours and fine finishing work. Or, with a random orbital sander, use a foam back up pad to match the application. Foam pads can come in different combinations of shape and density for finer or more aggressive work. For example, use a low profile for uniform contact with the work surface or a tapered edge for small contours or inside corners, soft density for 320 grit and finer sanding, and medium density for grits coarser than 320. Zirconia alumina and ceramic aluminum oxide combine to produce fast, aggressive cutting. BlueFire discs are suitable for working stainless steel, superalloys, steel, cast iron, and in high-pressure applications. Ceramic aluminum oxide is tougher than aluminum oxide, and is self-sharpening. It is formed in a process where alumina gel is dried and then crushed. These engineered crystals fracture and refracture at fine levels, to form a smooth, self-sharpening abrasive material. Ceramic aluminum oxide is most commonly used for medium-to-high material removal on metals. Zirconia alumina is a self-sharpening abrasive that allows for a faster cut rate and longer life than aluminum oxide, due to its ability to fracture and refracture, creating new cutting edges. Zirconia alumina is often used for high stock removal on wood and metals. Abrasives are used for a variety of applications from shaping a part to fine finishing, depending on the grit size. Low grit numbers like 40 are coarse and are used for removing excess material and shaping a part. High grit numbers like 400 are fine and help to create a smooth surface finish. Norton Abrasives manufactures a wide variety of sanding, grinding, and polishing abrasives, and has been located in the United States since 1885. In 1990, Saint-Gobain purchased Norton, keeping its manufacturing facilities and offices in the same location. Norton/Saint-Gobain has been recognized as a Global 100 Sustainable Company, as well as earning ISO 9000 and 14001 certification for quality and environmental management standards.