Industrial wire and abrasive brushes are widely used for cleaning, deburring, and surface preparation in facility maintenance and MRO operations. These tools ensure that surfaces are free from rust, corrosion, scale, and contaminants before applying coatings or assembling components.
MRO/Facilities Maintenance
YOUR FINISHING PROCESS JUST GOT EASIER. DISCOVER HOW OUR TOOLS HELP THE MRO/FACILITIES MAINTENANCE INDUSTRIES
Overview
Keeping equipment up and running is at the heart of the Facilities and Maintenance / MRO world. Whether it’s a factory floor, a hospital, or a power plant, the job is the same: make sure machinery works when it’s needed and keep downtime to a minimum. This industry touches just about every sector—manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, energy, and beyond—and it's only getting bigger as equipment gets more advanced and infrastructure continues to age.
To stay ahead of wear and tear, maintenance teams lean on reliable tools like wire brushes, abrasive brushes, and FLEX-HONE® tools. These are everyday essentials for removing rust, cleaning out buildup, smoothing sharp edges, and prepping surfaces for coatings or repairs. They’re especially useful in hard-to-reach areas where precision matters. By working these tools into routine maintenance, teams can extend the life of critical equipment, prevent small issues from turning into costly problems, and keep operations running without unexpected interruptions
can be used virtually any rotating spindle
Applications and Benefits of Industrial Wire and Abrasive Brushes
Common Applications
- Surface Preparation:
- Removing rust, paint, and corrosion from metal surfaces before welding or painting.
- Cleaning machine parts, pipes, and tanks in power plants, refineries, and factories.
- Deburring:
- Smoothing sharp edges on machined parts to ensure safety and functionality.
- Removing burrs from gears, valves, and threaded components.
- Weld Cleaning:
- Post-weld finishing to remove slag, spatter, and oxidation.
- Preparing surfaces for secondary treatments like plating or painting.
- Conveyor & Equipment Maintenance:
- Removing built-up residue on rollers, chains, and conveyor belts to maintain efficiency.
- Concrete and Floor Cleaning:
- Scrubbing and roughing surfaces for better adhesion in industrial flooring applications.
Wire & Abrasive Brush Benefits
We could go on and on about tool benefits. Here are just a few highlights:
Durability
Long-lasting brushes made from high-quality materials like stainless steel, carbon steel, and nylon.
Versatility
Available in different shapes (cup, wheel, end, and hand brushes) for varied applications.
Abrasive Nylon Options
Nylon brushes impregnated with abrasive grit offer non-sparking, non-corrosive alternatives for delicate surfaces.
Compatibility
Designed for use with handheld tools, bench grinders, or automated systems for easy integration into workflows.
Efficiency
Reduces manual labor by quickly cleaning or preparing surfaces.
Cost Savings
Extends equipment life by maintaining optimal working conditions.
FLEX-HONE® Tools in MRO & Facility Maintenance
The FLEX-HONE® is a specialized surface finishing tool used for cross-hole deburring, edge blending, and cylinder surface finishing in facility maintenance and MRO applications. Unlike traditional honing methods, the FLEX-HONE® is self-centering, requires no special setup, and can be used in handheld or automated applications.
Common Applications
- Cylinder & Bore Finishing:
- Refinishing hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders, pumps, and actuators.
- Restoring worn-out or corroded bores in valves and compressors.
- Cross-Hole Deburring:
- Removing burrs inside intersecting holes in manifolds and castings.
- Ensuring smooth fluid or air flow in piping systems.
- Engine & Equipment Maintenance:
- Smoothing engine cylinder walls to improve lubrication and efficiency.
- Refinishing valve guides, brake cylinders, and transmission components.
- Medical & Food Industry Maintenance:
- Cleaning and polishing stainless steel tubing in food processing and pharmaceutical facilities.
- Firearm & Defense Maintenance:
- Honing barrels and chambers for smooth performance and accuracy.
FLEX-HONE® Tool Benefits
We could go on and on about tool benefits. Here are just a few highlights:
Improves Surface Finish
Achieves a plateaued microfinish that enhances lubrication retention and reduces wear.
Deburr Cross Drilled Holes
The tool can finish and deburr cross drilled holes simultaneously in a single setup.
Wide Range of Grits & Sizes
Available in different abrasive materials like silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and diamond for various metals and applications.
Self-Centering
The tool is manufactured slightly oversized making the tools self-aligning and self-compensating.
Enhances Equipment Longevity
Reduces friction, prevents premature wear, and improves efficiency.
Easy-to-Use
The tool can be used in manual or automated processes without complex setups.
Featured products
Brush Research BCKDBR12, 10-Piece Deburring FLEX-HONE® Kit, 120 Grit, Silicon Carbide
Abrasive Type: 120 Grit Silicon Carbide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
Brush Research BCKDBR120AO, 10-Piece Deburring FLEX-HONE® Kit, 120 Grit, Aluminum Oxide
Abrasive Type: 120 Grit Aluminum Oxide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
Brush Research BCKFIN24, 10-Piece Finishing FLEX-HONE® Kit, 240 Grit, Silicon Carbide
Abrasive Type: 240 Grit Silicon Carbide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
Brush Research BCKFIN240AO, 10-Piece Finishing FLEX-HONE® Kit, 240 Grit, Aluminum Oxide
Abrasive Type: 240 Grit Aluminum Oxide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
Brush Research BCKFIN600, 10-Piece Finishing FLEX-HONE® Kit, 600 Grit, Silicon Carbide
Abrasive Type: 600 Grit Silicon Carbide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
Brush Research BCKFIN600AO, 10-Piece Finishing FLEX-HONE® Kit, 600 Grit, Aluminum Oxide
Abrasive Type: 600 Grit Aluminum Oxide
Kit Includes: 10 Hones
BRM CY114120SC Abrasive Nylon Copper Center Wheel, 1.25" Dia., 120SC, .375" Arbor Hole, .250" Trim
Brush Diameter(in) 1.25
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Copper Center Wheel
Arbor Hole(in): 0.375
Trim Length(in): 250
BRM BMC12AY500SC 1.25" Mandrel Mounted Wheel, 500 Grit Silicon Carbide, .250" Shank Dia., .125" Trim
Brush Diameter(in) 1.25
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Mandrel Mounted
Trim Length(in): 0.125
BRM BNS4AY180SC Abrasive End Brush, 0.500" brush diameter, 2.50" OAL, 180 Grit, Silicon Carbide (SC)
Brush Diameter(in) 0.5
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Solid End
Trim Length(in): 0.875
Overall Length(in): 2.5
BRM BNS4AY500AO Abrasive End Brush, 0.500" brush diameter, 2.50" OAL, 500 Grit, Aluminum Oxide (AO)
Brush Diameter(in) 0.5
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Solid End
Trim Length(in): 0.875
Overall Length(in): 2.5
BRM BNH16AY120SC 1.750" Small Dia. Cup Brush, 120 Grit Silicon Carbide, .250" Shank Dia., .500" Trim
Brush Diameter(in) 1.75
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Small Diameter Cup
Trim Length(in): 0.5
BRM BNH26AY600AO 2.750" Small Dia. Cup Brush, 600 Grit Aluminum Oxide, .250" Shank Dia., .750" Trim
Brush Diameter(in) 2.75
Fill Material: Abrasive Nylon
Type: Small Diameter Cup
Trim Length(in): 0.75
BRM 312S14C 3-1/2" Dia. Copper Center Wheel, .014 SS, 1/2" Arbor Hole, 1.312" Trim, .625" Face Width
Brush Diameter(in) 3.5
Fill Material: 302 Stainless Steel
Type: Copper Center Wheel
Arbor Hole(in): 0.5
Trim Length(in): 1.312
BRM BNS606 Solid End Brush, .750" Dia., .006CS, .875" Trim Length, .250" Shank Diameter
Brush Diameter(in) 0.75
Fill Material: Hi-Temp Carbon Steel
Type: Solid End
Trim Length(in): 0.875
Overall Length(in): 2.5
BRM BNH2612 Small Diameter Cup Brush, 2.750" Dia., .012CS, .875" Trim Length, .250" Shank Diameter
Brush Diameter(in) 2.75
Fill Material: Hi-Temp Carbon Steel
Type: Small Diameter Cup
Trim Length(in): 0.875
Overall Length(in): 2.62
BRM BNF1008 Circular End Brush, 1" Dia., .008CS, .500" Trim Length, .250" Shank Diameter
Brush Diameter(in) 1
Fill Material: Hi-Temp Carbon Steel
Type: Circular End
Trim Length(in): 0.5
Overall Length(in): 2.18
case studies
Learn how BRM tools are being used to improve processes, cut costs and save time!
FLEX-HONE®- Improving Piston Ring Performance
Piston rings play a critical role to overall engine performance. Learn how the FLEX-HONE® consistently provides the optimal surface to ensure peak performance and ring seating.
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-Deburring Holes for Complex Parts
Learn how deburr cross-drilled holes and other hard-to-reach part features benefit from the FLEX-HONE®.
download pdfPlanar Honing: Producing a Fine Finish On Flat Surfaces
Learn how the FLEX-HONE® for Rotors was used to improve machine tool sliding guideways as an alternative to traditional grinding.
download pdfApplication sales sheets
Abrasive brushes are constructed with nylon filament "impregnated" with raw grain abrasive. Each grain has unique finishing properties. BRM offers a variety of abrasive and grit selections to customize the finish for any application.
Abrasive brushes are constructed with nylon filament "impregnated" with raw grain abrasive. Each grain has unique finishing properties. BRM offers a variety of abrasive and grit selections to customize the finish for any application.
FLEX-HONE®-CROSSHOLE DEBURRING
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-CROSSHOLE DEBURRING
Learn how the FLEX-HONE deburred 48 cross holes in 12 seconds!
download pdf
FLEX-HONE®-POLISHING HARDENED STEEL
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-POLISHING HARDENED STEEL
Learn how the FLEX-HONE took a set of carbide rings from a 40Ra to 4 in less than 20 seconds!
download pdf
FLEX-HONE®-COATING REMOVAL
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-COATING REMOVAL
Learn how the FLEX-HONE removed paint and coating from a cylinder with minimal dimensional change!
download pdf
FLEX-HONE®-RUST AND CORROSION REMOVAL
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-RUST AND CORROSION REMOVAL
Learn how the FLEX-HONE quickly and easily removed corrosion and rust with minimal dimensional change!
download pdf
FLEX-HONE®-THREAD DEBURRING
download pdfFLEX-HONE®-THREAD DEBURRING
Learn how the FLEX-HONE deburrs coarse threads in 6 seconds!
download pdf
NAMPOWER END BRUSH - ALUMINUM
download pdfNAMPOWER END BRUSH - ALUMINUM
Learn how the NAMPOWER Ceramic End Brushes automate finishing and deburring by finishing parts in 10 seconds!
download pdf
NAMPOWER END BRUSH - INCONEL
download pdfNAMPOWER END BRUSH - INCONEL
Learn how the NAMPOWER Ceramic End Brushes automate finishing and deburring by finishing tough Inconel alloy parts in 20 seconds!
download pdf
ABRASIVE NYLON WHEELS-ALUMINUM EXTRUSION DEBURRING
download pdf
NAMPOWER-CERAMIC THREAD DEBURRING
download pdfNAMPOWER-CERAMIC THREAD DEBURRING
Learn how these ceramic abrasive filament brushes maximize value per part by deburrs threads in 5 seconds!
download pdfHow Can We Help
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