Machines for the plastics and composites industry include wide belt sanders with typical abrasive sanding belts, brush sanders with flexible sanding brushes and belt / brush machines in a variety of sizes, configurations and abrading media.

Typical applications for an Apex machine for the plastics / composites industry include general removal of light of loose flashing, calibrating of material, finish sanding, denibbing of loose composite fibers and distressing / texturing of a variety of plastics.

We off a wide variety of abrasive belts, flexible sandpaper sanding strips, composite sanding heads, wire and abrasive nylon brush heads available per application.

Deflashing

Deflashing is the physical removal of light / loose plastic or composite materials after a mold operation or composite lay-up. Clean up molded parts through a flat-line sanding system with automated conveyor. 

Calibrating

The process of removing material or stock to get to a desired thickness. Wide belt sander configurations for stock removal, calibrating and quickly bringing parts to get a desired thickness. Wide belt sander configurations for stock removal, calibrating and quickly bringing parts to size with tight tolerances. Multiple heads in the sander allow for faster stock removal and complete control of calibrating process. 

Finish Sanding

We supply machines with contact drums or combination heads for fine finish sanding and polishing. Machines are made with up to 4 sanding / finishing heads sand with progressively higher grits to prepare parts for the finishing or as a finished product. 

Brushing / Denibbing

De-nibbing or removing loose composite fibers prior to painting or finishing results in a better, smoother finish and higher product quality. Flexible sanding strips gently remove the sharp edges of flat and 3D parts to prepare parts for finishing. Wide Variety of styles of flexible sanding strips or abrasive nylon denibbing brush heads available. 

Distressing

Automated feed through machines quickly distress or texture a variety of plastics or manmade material to achieve a rustic distressed look. Machines available in narrow lineal feed through machinery or wide flat-line systems.