Cylindrical Brushes

Cylinder brushes have been the answer to an endless number of production requirements for many years. The proven track record is due to the unlimited versatility available to make the right brush for a specific application. The lists of variables that influence performance include variations in revolutions per minute, stiffness of fill material, density of fill material, fill pattern of the brush, brush style and brush size. Considering all these variables along with a vast choice of fill materials one might become overwhelmed. This is where Braun's experience of over 124 years will guide you through the maze to the best solution.

The purpose of this page is to familiarize you with the six different manufacturing styles of cylinder brushes. Each style has specific strengths and weaknesses that make it better suited for a specific application than any other. Braun uses any of the six methods described here and has even devised some new methods when what had been done before was not good enough. It will be our pleasure to help you design a cylinder brush to solve your production needs.

Wire Wound
This method of construction requires a helical or spiral groove to be machined, molded or cast in the cylinder core. The frequency and size of the grooves determine the density of the brush. Users of this style prefer it for several reasons. The brush is sturdy, it can be made in a wide variety of fill materials, it can be made with a short lead time and it can be refilled quite a few times. Wire wound brushes are made smaller than a pencil and as large as those used in street sweepers.

Staple Set
Often thought of as the traditional method of cylinder brush manufacturing. The core material for this method must be wood or plastic. Holes are drilled into the core then fill material is stapled in using metal staples. The tuft hole pattern may vary from a full brush to a sparse brush, a left hand or right hand spiral, a herringbone pattern or any other pattern you need may be achieved based on the application. A large variety of fill materials are possible. A staple set cylinder brush may be refilled once or twice for a significant saving over a new brush.

Epoxy Set
Any core material and any fill material may be permanently attached providing the core is large enough to accept tuft holes. Any tuft pattern may be specified to achieve various mechanical results on the surface to be brushed. The primary advantage is the extreme strand and tuft retention of this brush. There is no bristle fall out. Each hole is completely filled with filament and epoxy. This leaves no room for foreign matter to gather and contaminate. This brush is highly recommended for food processing applications

Formed Metal Channel Strip
This brush is made by forming a flat metal strip of either galvanized or stainless steel into a ``U" shaped channel. Across the channel is laid filament material that is held in place by a retaining wire. The channel is then rolled closed holding the filament into an upright position. The final product is then wrapped around a shaft or core to form a cylindrical brush. A brush made with metal fibers can withstand high temperatures. This brush is not recommended for food contact.

Twisted in Wire
This type of brush is generally associated with tube or pipe brushes, however in certain applications it can serve as an excellent cylindrical brush. Two or more wires are twisted together with the fill material held in between them. In applications where a small diameter brush is needed a twisted in wire brush may provide the solution. The advantage is the wire becomes the cylinder core and a small diameter brush can be made. However, it is not practical to make long twisted in wire brushes or to turn them at high speeds (unless the brush will be supported) due to the flexibility of the wire.

Strand Set
This method of construction combines all the best features of epoxy setting with one exceptional advantage. There are no tufts. Each strand of filament is fused individually into the epoxy core. This allows adequate space between bristles to keep food or other particles from lodging. This is the absolute ultimate in sanitary brushes. The brush can be made continuously round or sectioned as shown.

Braun Brush Company, 43 Albertson Avenue, Albertson, NY 11507. Tel: 516-741-6000; Fax: 516-741-6299.