Concrete grinder tooling comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and bond types. Whether you’re using cup wheels on a hand grinder or segmented tooling on a planetary or counter-rotational grinder, it’s important to understand how tooling segments impact performance during concrete surface preparation.
From aggressive coating removal to refined polishing, the shape of your diamond tooling segments directly affects your results. Let’s break down three common segment shapes and what they’re best used for.
The Flying V Segment
A newer addition to the National Flooring Equipment lineup, the V segment, also known as an arrow segment, is designed for fast, aggressive grinding. This shape is ideal for removing:
- Thin vinyl glue
- Carpet adhesives
- Light coatings
- Mortars
The arrow-shaped segment pierces through coatings with a sharp leading edge and a 10-degree positive angle. Shaped like a ship’s bow, it tears into material and pulls it away efficiently, making it perfect for early-stage surface preparation. This Flying V tooling pairs with National’s smaller, planetary grinders like the Helix, and 8274-4.
Beveled Puck Tooling
Our larger concrete grinders are typically paired with beveled puck tooling, which offers a balanced approach for general concrete grinding. These segments:
- Grind at a slower, more controlled rate
- Smoothly ride over edges, cracks, and expansion joints
- Reduce scratch patterns on the surface
The tapered shape helps maintain contact with uneven floors and is especially helpful if your goal is to prep for polished concrete finishes.
Meet the Rapida Segment
If you need a more aggressive style of segment for any size grinder, the Rapida is a great choice. Rapida segment is a high-quality soft bond diamond matrix and a reduced contact area for increased pressure on the slab. It’s specially designed to break through the concrete cap, a hardened layer that forms during curing to trap moisture and strengthen the surface.
Because this rigid concrete cap is more resistant to removal, the Rapida segment works for opening up concrete slabs and preparing them for coating or polishing.
Why Segment Matters in Surface Preparation
The shape of your grinder tooling affects everything from your first cut to the final finish. It influences how aggressively you grind, how smooth the results are, and even how much wear is placed on your machine.
Want to see the differences in action? Watch our team break down segment shapes and explain why they matter in real-world applications.