Key facts
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abrapress S.r.l. |
| Year of foundation | 1992 |
| Arrangement | Via dei Tre Corsi 11, 21046 Malnate (VA), Italy |
| Number of employees | 31 |
| Specialization | Automatic systems for the production of abrasive discs |
| Rotary presses | TR3 - TR15 (3-15 stations) |
| Press effort | 80 — 600 tons |
| Working pressure | 50 — 250 bars |
| Directions | Bonded abrasives, vitrified/ceramic, grinding heads, packaging |
| Services | Project consulting, individual solutions |
| Contact | abrapress@abrapress.eu, (+39) 0332425105 |
The history of Abrapress: from an engineering idea to an industrial leader
The history of Abrapress is inextricably linked to the development of the abrasive industry in northern Italy and the evolution of production technologies in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The company's journey from a small engineering office to a recognized international equipment supplier reflects a broader trend: the transition of the abrasive industry from manual and semi-automatic production to fully robotic lines.
Key development milestones
The fundamental difference between Abrapress and earlier companies lies in the era of its birth. While Maternini began as a family workshop in post-war Italy and evolved gradually, Abrapress emerged in the era of computerized automation and industrial robotics. This has defined the company's DNA from the beginning: not just presses, but integrated automatic systems.
The founders understood that the abrasive industry was on the verge of a radical transformation. Growing demands for quality, safety and productivity made manual and semi-automatic production less and less competitive. The market needed not individual machines, but comprehensive solutions capable of automating the entire production cycle.
The most important technological breakthrough was the transition to robotic systems. Unloading robots automatically remove the pressed discs from the presses, and pick-and-place robots ensure precise positioning and stacking of products. This transformed Abrapress from a press manufacturer to a creator of fully robotic production lines.
Company mission and philosophy
The technological excellence of Abrapress equipment is inextricably linked to the philosophy that guides every engineering decision. The company formulates its mission with extreme clarity, and this clarity is evident in every project.
High quality, advanced technology, extreme reliability
The three pillars of the Abrapress philosophy are “high quality, high technology and extremely reliable systems”. This is not a marketing slogan, but specific engineering principles that define the development process of each machine.
- High quality - each unit and each part is designed with a margin of strength and accuracy necessary for many years of operation in abrasive production conditions. Abrasive dust, high loads, continuous operation - all this places exceptional demands on the reliability of the equipment
- Advanced technologies— constant implementation of new solutions in the field of automation, robotics and control. Abrapress does not copy existing solutions, but develops its own, based on a deep understanding of abrasive production
- Extreme reliability is a key competitive advantage. Downtime of an automated line costs a factory tens of thousands of euros per day. That is why every Abrapress system is designed and manufactured to ensure maximum availability and minimum maintenance time.
Full service cycle
Abrapress' approach covers "from the first steps of abrasive disc production to the management of the packaged product, ready for box-packing or direct sale." This means that the company is able to design, manufacture, install and maintain a complete production line.
The service cycle begins with project consulting. Abrapress engineers analyze the customer's requirements: product types, production volumes, available space, level of automation, budget. Based on this analysis, an individual solution is developed. The company does not mass produce standard machines - each project is an engineering solution adapted to the specific requirements of the customer.
Product line - from presses to robots
The Abrapress product portfolio covers the entire spectrum of equipment required for modern abrasive disc production. Each product category solves a specific task in the production chain, and together they form a single integrated system.
Presses for cutting and grinding discs
Pressing is a central operation in the production of abrasive discs. It is at this stage that the abrasive mixture is transformed into a disc of a given shape and density. Abrapress offers three types of presses, each of which is optimal for its application conditions.
- Under-ram presses are a classic design in which the hydraulic cylinder is located under the working surface. These presses are characterized by simplicity of design and maintenance. They are suitable for productions with moderate production volumes or for special types of products.
- 2-side presses are an advanced design in which pressing is performed simultaneously from the top and bottom. This provides a more even density distribution across the disc thickness, which is critical for product quality and safety.
- Rotary presses are the flagship technology of Abrapress and the main tool for high-performance automated production. The principle of operation is based on cold pressing of abrasive material with the feeding of components onto a rotating table.
Rotary press line
| Model | Number of stations | Pressing force | Working pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| TR3 | 3 stations | 80 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR4 | 4 stations | 100 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR5 | 5 stations | 160 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR8 | 8 stations | 250 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR10 | 10 stations | 350 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR12 | 12 stations | 450 tons | 50–250 bars |
| TR15 | 15 stations | 600 tons | 50–250 bars |
Abrapress rotary presses provide for manual or automatic loading. Automatic leveling of the material is carried out using shuttle boxes or levelers. The molds can be single-cavity or multi-cavity, which allows pressing several small-diameter discs in one cycle. Unloading of finished discs is carried out manually or automatically - with stacking of discs on plates for subsequent furnace cycles.
Summary table of press types
| Press type | Configurations | Effort | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under-ram | Standard | Upon request | Universal pressing |
| Two-sided (2-side) | Standard | Upon request | Double-sided pressing |
| Rotary | TR3–TR15 | 80–600 T | High-performance automatic production |
Equipment for ceramic and diamond/CBN discs
The production of vitrified bonded discs and diamond/CBN discs requires specialized equipment that is different from the lines for the production of bakelite cutting and grinding discs.
- 4-column rotary table presses - specially designed for ceramic discs
- Hot plates— for diamond and CBN abrasives, provide the necessary temperature regime for pressing
- Lathes: RMV (vertical grinding), RME (external grinding), RMO (horizontal grinding)
- Bushing machine - ensures precise installation of landing elements
Equipment for grinding heads (mounted points)
Mounted points are small-format abrasive tools on a shank that are used to process hard-to-reach areas. Their production has its own specifics, related to small dimensions and the need for high precision.
Abrapress offers 4-column presses adapted for small molds and an RME lathe for external grinding of finished heads for this segment. These machines provide the precision and repeatability required for consistent quality of small-format tools.
Preparation of abrasive materials
The quality of an abrasive disc is determined long before pressing - at the stage of preparing the abrasive mixture. Abrapress produces a complete set of equipment for this critical stage:
- Mixers of various capacities - uniform mixing of abrasive grain, binder, fillers and other components
- Conveyor belts - transport material between equipment units, protected from abrasive wear
- Vibrating screen - separation of material into fractions for stability of the granulometric composition of the mixture
- Crushers - processing of abrasive grain and obtaining the necessary fractions
- Mobile weighing systems - precise dosing of each component of the mixture
- Abrasive dosing systems - automated material feeding into presses
- Molds are a critical element that determines the geometry of the finished product.
Automation and robotics
It is in the field of automation and robotics that Abrapress demonstrates its main differentiator. The company offers full robotic integration of the production line - something that turns a set of separate machines into a single system.
- Magnetic lifts - moving ferromagnetic components (steel reinforcing mesh and flanges)
- Lifting manipulators - moving heavy workpieces and finished products without physical strain on operators
- Firing stem lifters - automation of loading of discs into firing furnaces
- Roller conveyors - horizontal movement of products between work areas
- Overturning devices - turning over discs when required by technology
- Unloading robots— full automation of removing pressed discs from presses
- Pick-and-place robots— automatic positioning, stacking and packaging of products
Packaging and post-production
The final stage of the production cycle is packaging and preparation of products for shipment. Abrapress pays no less attention to it than to pressing:
- Discs packaging system— automatic formation of stacks of disks of a given quantity and wrapping with packaging material
- Disc handling and packaging machine - sorting and grouping products by type and size
- Hole cleaning machine— removal of burrs and material residues from the disc mounting hole
- Discs destacking system— separation of stacks of fired discs for further individual processing or packaging
- Case former— automatic assembly of boxes from die-cut cardboard (width 125–280 mm, depth 125–550 mm, height 50–250 mm)
Full production cycle
| Stage | Abrapress equipment | Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dosage | Weighing systems, dispensers | Precise delivery of mixture components |
| 2. Preparing the mixture | Mixers, vibrating screens, crushers | Mixing and preparing the abrasive mass |
| 3. Pressing | Rotary / subframe / double-sided presses | Forming abrasive discs |
| 4. Moving | Conveyors, manipulators, robots | Automatic transportation between stages |
| 5. Quality control | Burst test, 4/6 test, grinding/cutting test | Safety and performance check |
| 6. Packaging | Packaging machines, case formers | Preparation for shipment |
Test equipment - safety at every stage
Abrasive discs operate at high rotational speeds. The destruction of the disc during operation poses a mortal danger to the operator. That is why safety testing is an integral part of the production process, and the EN 12413 standard sets strict testing requirements. Abrapress manufactures a full range of testing equipment that is integrated directly into production lines.
Speed & Burst Test
Burst testing is a destructive test in which an abrasive disc is spun up to a speed significantly above its working speed until it breaks. Abrapress burst testing machines perform destructive tests according to customer specifications and safety standards.
The disc is clamped with a force specified by the manufacturer, which simulates the actual conditions of installation on the machine tool. The electric spindle spins the disc with very high speed control accuracy. This allows the fracture rate to be accurately determined and compared with regulatory requirements.
Multi-Test stations (4-test and 6-test)
Multifunctional testing stations are combined units that perform several tests sequentially in one cycle. Abrapress produces stations with 4 and 6 tests, which significantly reduce quality control time.
For ceramic and vitrified discs, a typical sequence includes a speed test (non-destructive test) and a burst test (destructive test on control samples). Automatic cycles are customized to the customer's specific requirements.
Cutting & Grinding Test
In addition to safety tests, Abrapress offers equipment to evaluate the performance of products. The grinding test performs continuous grinding cycles using serial grinding machines. The cutting test evaluates the cutting ability of cutting discs.
Mass, balance and flatness control
Mass control ensures consistency between discs in a batch. Balance measurement is critical for discs operating at high speeds - imbalance causes vibration and accelerates wear on the machine spindle. Flatness control checks the geometric accuracy of the disc. All three parameters are automatically monitored in the production flow.
Hardness Test
The hardness test controls the hardness (grade) of ceramic and vitrified discs. Hardness determines how tightly the bond holds the abrasive grains. A disc that is too hard will “salt” — the grains are not renewed, and grinding becomes ineffective. A disc that is too soft will wear out excessively quickly.
Engineering consulting and customized solutions
Abrapress is not just an equipment manufacturer. The company positions itself as a designer of production systems, capable of creating the optimal solution for any set of requirements.
The process begins with engineering consulting. Abrapress specialists analyze the full range of customer needs:
- Types and sizes of discs produced
- Abrasive materials and binders used
- Target production volumes (from small batches to mass production)
- Available production space and workshop layout
- Desired level of automation (from semi-automatic to fully robotic)
- Budget constraints and implementation timelines
Based on this analysis, a production line concept is developed. Engineers determine the optimal equipment configuration, sequence of technological operations, and routes for moving materials and products. Each solution is individual — there are no cataloged “ready-made lines.”
Abrapress' ability to integrate its equipment with other manufacturers' machines already in the plant is particularly valuable. Not all enterprises are built "from scratch" - many modernize existing production. Abrapress designs new areas so that they fit seamlessly into the existing infrastructure.
Malnate - two giants of abrasive engineering
Malnate, a town of around 17,000 inhabitants, is home to the headquarters of two of the world's leading manufacturers of equipment for the abrasive industry: Maternini (founded in 1947) and Abrapress (founded in 1992). Separated by 45 years of history but united by geography, these companies form a unique industrial cluster.
Malnate's abrasive heritage goes back even further. Mole Ermoli was producing grinding stones in the region long before Maternini was founded. Thus, the tradition of creating abrasive tools and equipment for their production in the area goes back many decades.
Malnate is located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region, historically one of the strongest industrial areas in Italy and Europe. The town is located about 50 kilometers north of Milan, near the Swiss border, in the foothills of the Alps. Lombardy is traditionally famous for its mechanical engineering, and the concentration of abrasive expertise in Malnate is a logical consequence of this industrial culture.
It is this concentration of industry expertise – availability of raw materials, engineering staff, component suppliers, research centers – that makes Malnate a unique location for abrasive engineering. Italian equipment manufacturers such as Abrapress and Maternini represent the gold standard in the global abrasive industry.
NovoAbrasive and Abrapress equipment
Among the companies that have relied on Italian equipment is the NovoAbrasive plant. NovoAbrasive's production lines are equipped with Abrapress equipment, which ensures the automated production of cutting and grinding discs. The monthly production volume is over a million discs - a result achieved thanks to the combination of European raw materials and reliable Abrapress automatic systems.
Latest news (2024–2026)
- Robotic integration— new generations of unloading and pick-and-place robots provide higher speed and accuracy of work
- Test equipment - portfolio expansion, multi-test stations become increasingly functional
- International customer base - abrasives manufacturers on all continents choose Italian equipment to modernize existing and build new plants
- New press configurations - development of rotary presses for specialized applications, including the production of superabrasive discs
- Industry 4.0— connecting machines to manufacturing execution systems (MES), collecting and analyzing production data, remote diagnostics
- Exhibition activity - regular participation in international exhibitions of the abrasive industry, demonstration of new developments