Want to find out if you have the top-performing abrasive wheels for your dollar—without leaving your facility? The innovative DEWALT Demo Rig will be driven right to your location, where you can test your current abrasive wheel against other models.
“We take a wheel right off your shelf, and compare its performance side-by-side with a comparable DEWALT wheel,” said Matt Henderson of Stanley Black & Decker. “You can immediately see which wheel performs better with hard data.”
After watching the “live” demo on the rig, visitors receive a detailed report on the lifetime costs of the different types of abrasive wheels, so they can make an informed decision on the best wheel for their business use. The report includes info on initial wheel price, grind ratio, annual usage, wheel wear, and change time—producing a total cost of ownership figure for comparison.
Henderson said that sometimes, the data is surprising. “For example, people often buy the least-expensive grinding wheels,” he said. “With the rig, we’re able to show the value of a higher-end ceramic wheel. The rig test shows the lifetime value of the wheel, and also compares the cost differences of the two wheels.”
After the test, most users prefer going with higher-end ceramic wheels because of the overall cost savings they bring to the customer, Henderson added.
The DEWALT Demo Rig program started in the Texas area 6 years ago, as a way to help customers see how different abrasive products work. It grew so popular that the company now operates 8 demo rigs nationwide, including 2 in the Midwest.
“People love the demo rig because they can make a more informed decision about their abrasive wheels, based on hard data,” Henderson said. “It’s great watching managers save so much time and money in their operations.”
Wondering whether your grinding wheels perform the way they should? Ever thought about trying out a higher-performance wheel?
Henderson recommends the DEWALT Demo Rig to companies who:
- Would like to evaluate cost savings on their current abrasives
- Are looking to improve their current way of grinding
- Have safety issues with abrasives coming apart
- Want to see a how a higher-performing wheel works (and compare with hard data)
“If you can spend less money on your wheels, and the wheels last longer, then that equals greater cost savings, plus less downtime doing replacements and maintenance,” he added.
