This guide contains all the information you need to know about nylon brushes.
You will learn more about topics such as:
A nylon brush features filaments made from nylon polymer, which are known for their exceptional toughness, strength, flexibility, and excellent elasticity. Nylon filaments, widely used in brush manufacturing, are durable, abrasion-resistant, and the most common fiber for this purpose. The remarkable strength and longevity of nylon-bristled brushes stem from their capacity to endure extreme heat. (up to 350°F) and their resistance to chemicals.
"Nylon" is a broad term used for synthetic polymers known as polyamide nylons. Since its introduction by DuPont in 1938, nylon has become a versatile synthetic fiber with a wide range of applications.
A nylon brush typically consists of nylon filaments and a handle. During manufacturing, these two components are assembled and secured to create a functional tool. The variations among different nylon brushes arise from the types of handles used and the specific shaping and formation of the nylon filaments.
The production of nylon brushes involves various methods, techniques, and processes, each tailored to create a specific type of brush. While most brushes feature bristles attached to a handle, industrial brushes employ different methods to connect and secure the filaments.
When designing a nylon brush, the initial step is to select the type of filaments, as this will dictate the brush's design and application. Common nylon filaments include nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610, nylon 612, nylon 11, and nylon 12. Each filament offers varying levels of abrasive capacity and grit, such as silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and aluminum silicate. The choice of brush filling is crucial to the design, as it defines the brush’s intended use.
The type of handle used on a brush affects its application and functionality. Some brushes feature metal cups for attachment to electronic equipment, while others come with simple wooden handles. Industrial brushes typically have metal handles to withstand heavy use, while nylon brushes used for cleaning and cosmetics may have handles made from plastic, metal, wire, or wood. The range of handle types is as diverse as the brushes themselves.
The manufacturing of nylon brushes involves various methods depending on factors such as brush size, filament spacing, handle material, and the connection between the handle and nylon filaments. There are several techniques for attaching the filaments to the handles, with the primary goal being to ensure a secure attachment that prevents filaments from detaching during use.
Three common methods for attaching filaments to the handle are twist-in wire, staple set, and strip brushes.
Staple set block brushes are crafted using a block with holes drilled in a pattern tailored to the application’s requirements. Nylon filaments are inserted into these holes and secured using one of several methods: the U-shaped staple method, resin or epoxy, or the bar anchor method.
The diameter of the holes ranges from 0.078 inch to 0.437 inch, with the depth of each hole corresponding to its diameter. For flat-style brushes, common hole patterns include straight or staggered arrangements.
In the U-shaped staple method, the filaments are inserted into pre-drilled holes in a U shape and secured by stapling at the bottom of the curve. The staples penetrate through the bottom of the hole to hold the filaments in place
In the bar anchor method, a flat metal piece is used to puncture the sides of the pre-drilled holes, securing the filaments in place.
The epoxy or resin set method does not involve metal components to secure the filaments. Instead, the bristles are embedded into the block using epoxy or resin. To achieve a tighter and more secure placement, some manufacturers staple the bristles in place before applying the epoxy or resin.
Twist-in wire brushes are constructed using two or four wires. Filaments are placed between these wires, which are secured at one end while a twisting device is applied at the other end. As the wires twist, the filaments spiral around them. These brushes are often called stem brushes because they feature a stem that can be either hand-held or looped at the end.
Twisted in wire brushes have three configurations with different options for ends and tips.
Filaments are twisted between two stem wires with a single wire on each side.
Filaments are twisted between four stem wires with two stem wires on each side.
Filaments are twisted between four stem wires, arranged with two layers of fill. The layers are oriented perpendicularly to each other, with one stem wire in each quadrant.
Handles for twist-in wire brushes can be loops, plastic-molded, or wooden. If the brush lacks a handle and only features bare wire, the two or four twisted wires are referred to as the shank, drive, or bare twisted wire.
The tips for twisted in wire brushes can take several forms including twisted, vinyl capped, blunt, and turned or tied tuft.
Strip brushes are constructed by placing nylon filaments over a flat metal piece, with a wire running down the center of the long filaments. This central wire holds the filaments in place while the flat metal strip is bent into a U shape. As the metal is bent, it tightly compresses around the bottom of the filaments, which are shaped into a U. The bending process secures the filaments vertically in the U shape, forming the strip brush.
In manufacturing, cleaning, and product finishing, various brushes are designed to attach directly to power tools or cleaning equipment. These brushes come in different configurations, including cylinders of various sizes, large flat ovals, wheel shapes, centerless cylinders, and cup brushes with or without shanks, among others.
Nylon filaments used in industrial, commercial, and home brushes are versatile for a range of scrubbing, cleaning, deburring, and finishing tasks, whether in wet or dry environments. These filaments offer abrasion resistance, low water absorption, excellent bend recovery, and resistance to various cleaners, while also being capable of handling weak acids.
There are various types of nylon available for manufacturing nylon brushes, ranging from soft and flexible to rigid and stiff like metal. This broad selection of nylon filaments provides brush manufacturers with numerous options to suit any application or condition.
The properties of nylon brushes are determined by their bristle grade, length, and diameter. Nylon grades start with nylon 6 and include 66, 610, 612, 11, 12, and others. The numerical designation reflects the number of carbon atoms in the monomer used to produce the nylon filaments.
The distinctive properties of nylon are attributed to its carbon atom ratio. Each type of nylon offers specific characteristics tailored to different conditions, with variations in grit, abrasion resistance, toughness, and water absorption.
Nylon 6 possesses the key qualities of nylon, including hardness, stiffness, toughness, as well as dampening and insulation properties. Its machinability and ease of shaping make it a popular choice for brush manufacturing. For home use brushes, nylon 6 also retains a shiny appearance and finish.
Nylon 66 has a higher melting temperature than nylon 6 up to 356°F. It has low creep, excellent recovery, and exceptional resistance to abrasion. The two characteristics of resistance to heat and abrasion have made it an excellent choice for brushes for industrial applications.
Nylon 66 is primarily used in dry industrial applications where chemicals are not a factor. It tends to lose some of its stiffness when exposed to water.
Among the different nylon filaments, nylon 610 has the lowest moisture absorption and is both tougher and stronger. It maintains its toughness and resistance to cleaners, solvents, and diluted mineral acids even at low temperatures. Its quality is intermediate, falling between that of nylon 66 and nylon 612.
Nylon 612 is a high-performance filament known for its excellent resistance to water absorption, petroleum products, and other chemicals. Its mechanical properties allow it to be molded and adapted for a wide range of applications. Nylon 612 is FDA-approved for use in food processing and medical product manufacturing.
Nylon 11, derived from vegetable oil primarily from the castor plant, is a rare bio-based plastic. Compared to other nylons, it offers several advantages, including low water absorption, UV resistance, high strength, and heat resistance, while remaining unaffected by environmental factors. It also boasts exceptional impact strength, especially at sub-freezing temperatures, and maintains excellent dimensional stability.
Nylon 12 shares many characteristics with nylon 11 but is derived from petroleum. It has a low impact rating but excels in resistance to abrasion and UV rays. Like nylon 11, nylon 12 has the lowest water absorption of all nylon filaments. Its primary advantages for brush filaments are its resistance to chemicals like greases, fuels, solvents, and salt solutions. Additionally, its noise and vibration damping properties make it ideal for noise suppression applications.
Nylon's adaptability, shapeability, and configurability have established it as the leading material in brush manufacturing. Its wide range of varieties enables the production of nylon brushes suitable for both gentle applications and heavy-duty abrasive tasks.
The properties of nylon brushes allow them to endure the harshest conditions while maintaining resilience. This durability is a key reason why manufacturers depend on nylon filaments to produce high-quality, long-lasting brushes.
Nylon is well-suited for floor scrubbers because of its resistance to abrasion and excellent bend recovery. These properties provide a long service life and make it effective for cleaning tough surfaces like concrete floors and parking lots.
Abrasive Cylinder brushes offer aggressive cleaning combined with flexibility and conformability. The grit of nylon cylinder brushes ranges from very coarse, at 46 grit, to very fine, at 600 grit. Their shafts can be solid or tubular, allowing for easy reloading or refilling of the filaments.
Common uses for wheel brushes are deburring, edge blending, and final surface finishing. Nylon wheel brushes are safe, non-reactive, and are an excellent alternative to traditional wheel brushes. They are available in a wide assortment of diameters with centers made of copper or steel with or without shanks.
Cup brushes function similarly to wheel brushes but are smaller, available in diameters of one, two, or three inches. Depending on the density and rigidity of the nylon filaments, they can be used for light deposit removal or as a high-speed angle grinder.
As with all brushes, there are several varieties of twisted in wire brushes that vary according to the application. Single stem tube brushes have a wire shank or bare twisted wire of 6 to 16 inches that may serve as a handle. Double stem tube brushes can be used with power tools for aggressive brushing. Single stem burr removal nylon brushes are shorter with filaments of around an inch.
Nylon strip brushes feature a straightforward design, consisting of nylon filaments compressed or glued into a metal channel. They offer a long service life, abrasion resistance, low water absorption, excellent bend recovery, and resistance to cleaning solvents and weak acids. Typically made from nylon 612, strip brushes use steel, stainless steel, or aluminum alloy channels. They are commonly employed for conveyor cleaning, coating application, static prevention, or sweeping away loose debris.
There are numerous types of nylon hand brushes, including scratch, channel, welder, toothbrush-style, platers, acid swabs, chip, parts cleaners, scrub, whisk, grill, street, broom, and flat wire brushes, among others. Although hand brushes have been used for thousands of years, modern manufacturers have enhanced these traditional tools with advanced technologies to provide brushes suited for every condition, application, or environment. Notably, brush producers can also custom-design brushes for unique and specialized applications.
The image below is a small sampling of the many types of industrial hand brushes available to fit several applications.
Nylon brushes are used in a wide range of applications, from cleaning teeth to removing rust, paint, grime, and contaminants. Their versatility stems from the various grades, grit types, configurations, and mechanical properties available.
Designers choose nylon for brush engineering because it maintains its strength under constant use. Nylon can be shaped, molded, and configured into various styles while retaining its original properties and characteristics.
An abrasive nylon brush features abrasive grains, making it suitable for deburring and finishing tasks. Types of abrasive nylon brushes include end brushes, disc brushes, and wheel brushes. These brushes use nylon 612 filaments, known for their high abrasion capacity, chemical resistance, flexibility for use on uneven surfaces, and long-lasting durability.
Nylon brushes for washing are used to scrub, dust, and remove deposits from vehicles, materials, equipment, and machinery. They are available in various styles, ranging from hand-held brushes to those that can be attached to large cleaning devices. The choice of filament type depends on the application: pliable filaments are suited for delicate materials, while more aggressive filaments are designed for heavy-duty tasks.
Cleaning nylon brushes are familiar tools used in homes, offices, factories, and retail environments to manage messes and keep surfaces clean. These brushes include common types such as brooms, push brooms, block brushes, and wire brushes. No matter the cleaning task, there is a nylon brush specifically designed to address the need.
Application brushes come in a wide range of designs, from fine artist brushes with just a few filaments to heavy-duty nylon brushes with metal tube handles for applying acids and coatings. They are used to apply coatings and fluids to surfaces as part of various projects and are designed to reach small, difficult areas. Recently, applicator brushes have become widely used in the electronics industry for working with delicate and fragile components.
Polishing nylon brushes are less abrasive and designed to apply liquids to surfaces to enhance their appearance and provide a finished quality. The choice of filaments varies based on the surface being polished, with more aggressive designs used for stainless steel and metals. Nylon polishing brushes are versatile, suitable for tasks ranging from working on large objects like cars to more detailed work such as polishing silverware and jewelry.
The conductive properties of nylon brushes make them ideal for removing static-holding dust or powder. By eliminating static charges, these brushes allow for the use of conventional mechanical cleaning methods on components. Filament lengths on static nylon brushes range from a few inches to up to 50 inches. Depending on the application, they can be either permanently attached or handheld. Static nylon brushes address the challenging issues associated with handling powders and the hazards of dusty environments.
Pipe cleaning nylon brushes are designed for cleaning both the inner and outer surfaces of pipes, tubes, and cylinders. Constructed from highly durable and rugged nylon filaments, these brushes excel at reaching difficult areas like pipe elbows, tees, and valves. The rigidity and durability of the nylon filaments make them well-suited for cleaning the rough, uneven surfaces of pipes.
The design of Conveyor cleaning brushes must match the material of the conveyor, which can be urethane, rubber, or wire mesh. A common type is the cylinder brush, designed to scrub and dust the conveyor belt. Nylon filaments are preferred for these brushes due to their low water absorption and excellent bend recovery, which are essential for conveyors in continuous operation.
Nylon 612 filaments are used for conveyors in food processing plants, while nylon 66 is suited for standard conveyor applications. Nylon 66 has a higher moisture absorption rate, which limits its use in food processing and medical instrument manufacturing.
Wood distressing is a technique used to age and weather wood surfaces, adding depth and texture. Nylon brushes with a grit of 46 are versatile for removing soft grain to create a rustic appearance. Various filament types are employed to achieve specific patterns and textures. For sanding, different nylon grits and filament ratings are available to replicate the surface finish typically produced by sandpaper.
Cribbing is a behavior in horses where they bite and pull on stall doors, fences, or other solid objects. This action can be harmful to the horse's health. Various methods are used to prevent cribbing, including the use of cribbing brushes.
Nylon brushes are a part of industrial processes that include aerospace, agriculture, automotive, firearms, food processing, medical supplies and instruments, and glass processing, among others. Regardless of the operation or application, a nylon brush is used to clean, finish, coat, or remove static and contaminants.
The uses of brushes in industry have moved far beyond their initial use as a means of cleaning the floor. Manufacturers are constantly finding new, unique, and innovative ways to use brushes to assist in the completion of manufacturing processes.
In the construction of aircraft, abrasive nylon brushes are used for deburring aluminum engine heads, flatting surfaces on engine parts, and smoothing hydraulic components.
Brushes in the agriculture industry are used to improve yield and seeding efficiency. Nylon brushes are used to move seed and soil gently and uniformly. Rotary brushes help in harvesting, cleaning, and defoliating. Staple set brushes work to gently move seed and handle crops. Strip brushes seal tractor cabs, doors, windows, and controls.
The main purpose for nylon brushes in the firearm industry is for keeping the firearms clean, safe, and reliable. Nylon brushes are used for light cleaning or scrubbing for the removal of hard set materials, metal flakes, loose metals, and debris for optimal performance, safety, and effectiveness.
In glass processing, nylon brushes are used to round sharp edges, remove glass fragments, and condition glass surfaces. The conditioning process is designed to remove loose glass fragments that can contaminate glass coatings and optical properties.
The use of nylon brushes for the production of military equipment is very similar to the processes used for aerospace, which include deburring and smoothing edges, the flatting and smoothing of surfaces on engines and heavy duty equipment, and smoothing of hydraulic cylinders. For further safety, brushes are used to seal consoles, windows, and doors on gun turrets and mobile defense equipment.
Nylon strip brushes are widely used for weather stripping due to their ability to endure harsh conditions and their long life. For applications where there are extreme temperature changes, nylon filaments have proven to be more durable and resilient than other stripping materials. Since nylon comes in a variety of filament types, it can be easily adapted to fit any set of weather conditions.
Nylon anti-static brushes are a necessity in the electronics industry for protection against electrostatic charge sensitive products. Roller nylon brushes are used for cleaning, polishing, and deburring circuit boards and electronic components. Anti-static brushes are referred to as electrostatic discharge or ESD brushes and serve as static eliminators.
There are a variety of uses for nylon brushes in the printing industry, beginning with the cleaning of printing plates to remove any excess or residual material on the plate that could significantly affect a print run. During a print run, the equipment produces substantial static electricity that can spark. In this instance, nylon brushes are used to reduce particulate contamination and static charges. Roller brushes are also used to move, secure, or straighten print materials and supplies.
A bottle brush is a brush with flexible and pliable bristles connected to a long stem or handle made of plastic, wood, or wire. The bristles of a bottle brush can run about halfway up the handle and form a shape similar to a tube or be clustered at...
A brush is a tool with bristles made of hair, wire, metal, synthetic fibers, or various natural materials that are attached to a handle made of wood, plastic, wire, or metal. Some varieties of brushes are adapted to be connected to power tools for heavy duty work such as...
Cylinder brushes are also known as "coil brushes," "rotary brushes," or "spiral brushes." Cylinder brushes are formed by rolling a metal strip around a cylindrical rod (or mandrel) until it reaches a designated interior brush diameter...
Wheel brushes are circular brushes that are often used for deburring items during the beginning stages of surface finishing and during the final stages of polishing. Wheel brushes brush in a straight line and...
A wire brush is an abrasive tool that has stiff bristles made from a variety of rigid materials designed to clean and prepare metal surfaces. The filaments of wire brushes are small diameter pieces of inflexible material that are closely spaced together as a means for cleaning surfaces...
A common representation of a brush is a handle with some form of bristles and is the one that most people have in mind when thinking of a brush. Writing a description of brushes is more challenging since there is such a wide variety of types, styles, uses, and designs...