In metalworking, sometimes it’s the smallest tools that can have the biggest impact.

Case in point: Norton’s 2- and 3-inch mini flap discs, launched in September 2025, which expand the company’s Vortex Rapid Prep non-woven flap discs beyond the original 4.5-inch size that was introduced in 2023.

“This wasn’t a push product, it was a pull,” explains Michael Radaelli, senior product manager of non-woven abrasives at Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives. “The customer was knocking us over the head saying, ‘We need this,’ and nobody in the market made it.”

Adds Radaelli: “An aerospace customer was telling me, ‘I love your 4.5-inch disc, but when operators are working on certain parts, they can’t be holding a large, heavy grinder, and the 4.5-inch flap disc is too big for small spaces. We can’t use a coated abrasive because it will damage the part. We need a non-woven product that is smaller.’”

Long-Lasting Value: The Proof Is in the Testing

With that information, Radaelli went back to the factory and asked the product development team to make a few 2- and 3-inch flap discs by hand for testing purposes.

“Before we went down the road of buying new machinery in order to make these smaller sizes, we needed to first compare our key competitor’s flat disc against our top tier flat disc, and then try this new flap disc,” Radaelli says.

The results were even better than anticipated, he says. “Both our flat disc and our competitor’s flat disc lasted about 10 minutes, but the flap disc was still running strong after 75 minutes, so that justified buying the equipment.”

The product engineer reported back that he eventually stopped testing at 210 minutes. “I asked him, ‘So was 210 minutes the life of the product?’ and he said, ‘No, I just got tired of testing and figured that was enough information,’” Radaelli says.

“At about 25 to 30 percent added cost, you’re getting four to seven times the life,” he adds. “That’s phenomenal savings for any shop.”

In addition to aerospace, Radaelli says that other potential markets for the mini flap discs include appliances, automotive, marine and rail.

Patented Grain Technology Offers Best of Both Worlds

Like the original 4.5-inch size, the 2- and 3-inch flap discs are made with Norton’s patented agglomerated aluminum oxide grain Vortex technology, which enables the tool to have the cutting power of a coarse grit while also producing a finer finish in one abrasive disc.

The key difference between Vortex grain and conventional abrasive grain lies in how each grain is constructed and how it breaks down during use, Radaelli says. A conventional grain is a single abrasive particle—one cutting point. Once that point fractures and breaks down, its cutting ability diminishes.

Vortex grain, by contrast, uses an agglomerate technology. The abrasive grain is crushed into smaller particles and then vitrified and bonded together to form a single spherical cluster of many tiny abrasives.

“The advantage to that is you get many cutting points, which means you can remove more material at a much faster rate,” Radaelli says. “In addition to that, because you just crushed those particles, you made them smaller so you’re getting a better finish. That’s why we call it the best of both worlds—it cuts like a coarse, but it finishes like a fine.”

Beyond the grain, the disc’s special three-dimensional, non-woven abrasive layers help ensure uniform finishing with consistently low surface finish average rough (Ra). In addition, Norton’s Clean Bond® resin technology prevents the smearing and loading that can often occur when tools are running at high speeds.

Field-Tested Results: From Eight Discs to Just One

Radaelli says the response from customers using the mini Vortex Rapid Prep flap discs has been extremely positive. For example, an aerospace manufacturer that is using the product to deburr aluminum fuselage components has been able to dramatically streamline its process.

“Traditionally, the operator had to make two full passes around the frame. First with a coarse grit to knock down the burr left from milling, then with a medium grit to add a slight radius and refine the finish,” Radaelli says. “Coated abrasives were too aggressive for the job, so they relied on non-woven products.”

Using one medium-grit flap disc, the operator was able to remove the burr and put in the radius in a single step. Previously, the process required four coarse discs and four medium discs, he says.

“You just enhanced your product life, but you also enabled the operator to skip steps, which is a huge advantage,” Radaelli says.

Multi-Grit Kits Ideal for Vending Operations

Like the 4.5-inch Vortex Rapid Prep flap discs, the 2- and 3-inch discs are available in coarse, medium, fine, and very fine grits and are sold in boxes of 10. But in addition, Norton has introduced kits with four 2- or 3-inch discs (one of each grit), specifically for distributors like MSC Industrial Supply Co. that have vendor-managed inventory systems.

“We added these kits because our salespeople told me that vendibles are getting big in a lot of shops, and they’ve been very popular,” Radaelli says. “We did a drop test of the kits and in one week, we broke our quarterly sales goal.”

Better Ergonomics and Operator Comfort

The benefit of the smaller-sized flap discs isn’t limited to longer tool life. The smaller size of the disc makes it a lot easier to handle and more comfortable over the course of the day.

“Right now, a lot of shops use the 4.5-inch flap disc, and that’s definitely better for your wrist than holding a 7-inch disc all day long, but if they don’t need a 4.5 inch, they can now move to just a 3 inch or 2 inch, which is much lighter and easier to use,” Radaelli says.

Read More: What Are Non-Woven Abrasives?