This article will give detailed information on cylinder brushes regarding:
Often called "coil brushes," "rotary brushes," or "spiral brushes," cylinder brushes are crafted by coiling a metal strip around a cylindrical rod, also known as a mandrel, until the desired brush diameter is attained.
These brushes typically comprise bristles from various materials, including flexible synthetics, soft natural fibers, metal wires, and robust but lightweight polymers. The bristles are either stapled, glued, or knotted and positioned perpendicularly through drilled holes in the mandrel. An arbor hole at the core's center lets users attach a shaft, enabling the brush to be motor-driven and spun along its axis. The construction technique for a cylinder brush varies based on factors like bristle count, operating RPM, and other characteristics.
Interesting enough, "fill material" pertains to the bristle substance used on the exterior of the cylinder brush. Different materials are available as fill options, each possessing unique advantages for various applications. Here, we delve into some of the favored fill materials for cylinder brushes and their distinct benefits.
±Ę°ů´Ç±đłć®: Proex, derived from synthetic resin polypropylene, showcases an X-shaped filament, unlike standard polypropylene. This X and Y profile expands the effective cleaning surface by about 25% over pure polypropylene, boosting dust collection. Proex provides stellar sweeping capabilities in both indoor and outdoor environments, including wet or humid conditions, and is known for its durability. However, it's not ideal for high-temperature applications like foundries.
Polypropylene: As a synthetic thermoplastic polymer, polypropylene offers notable chemical and fatigue resistance, delivering reliable sweeping performance both indoors and outdoors, even in humid conditions. Although not suitable for high-temperature settings, it excels in freezing temperatures and efficiently gathers larger particles, though it is less effective than Proex for fine dust. The polypropylene wear life is commendable.
Nylon: Compared to polypropylene, nylon is less aggressive in sweeping and not as effective in damp conditions. It is preferable for rugged outdoor surfaces or high-temperature environments, withstanding temperatures up to 150°C (above 300°F), ideal for foundries. Nylon offers remarkable wear longevity.
Organic Fiber: While natural fibers wear out faster than synthetics, they excel in cleaning fine debris and controlling light dust. They are unsuitable for damp floors due to the lack of waterproof characteristics. Ideal for carpet sweeping, they avoid creating static electricity.
Goat Hair: Exceptionally soft and fine, goat hair is perfect for crafting short, pliable brushes for electronics use.
Horsehair: Horsehair brushes are ideal for delicate dusting, cleaning, and polishing.
Wire & Polymer: Wire features provide gentle cutting for removing hardened dirt, while polymer enhances comprehensive sweeping. Although wire & polymer brushes have a limited wear lifespan, they excel in dust management.
Wire and ±Ę°ů´Ç±đłć®: This combination unites Proex's versatility with wire's gentle cutting for general sweeping and removing hard-packed dirt. Unfortunately, wire-containing brushes are not allowed in food manufacturing or airports for safety reasons. While the wire component wears out before Proex, this type offers reasonable durability overall.
PBT Polyester: Though more costly than nylon, polyester is stiffer, offers better flick action, and excels in wet conditions. Its lifespan is similar to nylon, with large diameter polyester filaments (over 0.8mm) beginning to wear after approximately 120 hours of usage. PBT polyester is recognized for its excellent durability.
Cylinder brushes, also known as rotary brushes or roller brushes, are essential industrial cleaning tools found in a wide range of manufacturing, food processing, material handling, and surface treatment applications. Whether used for scrubbing, conveyor belt cleaning, fruit and vegetable washing, or surface finishing, cylinder brushes are engineered for efficiency and durability. You may encounter cylinder brushes daily without realizing it: from automated machinery and industrial vacuum cleaners to car washes and mechanized production lines. Their flexibility in design—ranging from densely filled brush surfaces to spiral-wound patterns—allows for optimal performance in both heavy-duty, abrasive cleaning and delicate product handling. Cylinder brushes are easily mounted onto shafts, making them simple to install or replace for ongoing maintenance operations.
In this chapter, we'll explore the most common types of cylinder brushes, their unique design characteristics, and the best-fit industrial or commercial brush applications for each. By understanding these distinctions, you’ll be better equipped to choose the right rotary brush solution for your specific cleaning, deburring, or materials processing needs.
Epoxy wound cylinder brushes offer unmatched flexibility and durability in environments demanding high rotational speeds (RPMs) and precise balancing. These industrial brushes are constructed using a steel, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, or heavy-duty plastic core, into which a helical groove is machined to anchor the brush filaments. Stainless steel holding wires secure filaments within the core, resulting in a tightly wound design that allows for smaller diameters and efficient refilling when needed.
Ideal for high-speed conveyor cleaning, polishing, and deburring tasks, epoxy wound brushes provide consistent, uniform contact thanks to their even filament distribution. The brush’s intended use informs the choice of bristle material—for example, a spiral brush intended for deburring metallic edges will utilize robust, corrosion-resistant metal filaments. Epoxy-wound cylinders are preferred in industries like automotive, aerospace parts manufacturing, food processing, and metalworking where heavy-duty rotary brush performance is required.
Steel wire cylinder brushes—also called carbon steel rotary brushes—provide superior fatigue life, long-lasting cutting action, and are among the most economical choices for industrial cleaning and surface treatment. These brushes excel at aggressive debris removal, descaling, paint stripping, rust removal, and heavy-duty cleaning on robust surfaces such as steel, iron, conveyor belts, and fabrication machinery. While steel wire cylinder brushes can effectively clean concrete, masonry, and some softer metals, users should consider softer filament options for delicate surfaces to avoid material loss.
Heat and Moisture Resistance: Steel wire cylinder brushes can briefly tolerate temperatures up to 275°F but are not ideal for continuous exposure to high humidity or corrosive environments. For such conditions, consider stainless steel or brass filament brushes. Modern steel wire brushes can be tailored in density, diameter, and size for optimized surface preparation, scale removal, and conveyor belt cleaning applications.
Common uses for steel cylinder brushes include:
If you are searching for a rotary brush for rust removal, aggressive scale, or heavy-duty conveyor cleaning, steel wire cylindrical brushes remain a top solution in industrial maintenance and fabrication.
Stainless-steel wire cylinder brushes are engineered for environments where corrosion resistance and hygiene are paramount. These roller brushes are ideal for cleaning, deburring, or finishing stainless steel, aluminum, and other non-ferrous metals without the risk of rust contamination. Stainless steel rotary brushes are widely used in food processing facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing, commercial kitchens, and applications involving exposure to water, humidity, or chemicals.
Stainless steel wire can withstand continuous operation at temperatures up to 600°F, accommodating applications such as conveyor belt cleaning in high-heat processes and sterilization tasks. Where more extreme temperatures are involved, specialty alloys such as Inconel® may be used. Select stainless-steel wire brushes for safety, food compliance, and when dealing with harsh cleaning chemicals in sanitary environments.
Brass wire cylinder brushes feature softer bristles than steel or stainless wire, making them an excellent choice for cleaning, polishing, and finishing softer metals without leaving scratches or scars. Engineered from Alloy 260 (70% copper, 30% zinc), brass wire rotary brushes provide a non-sparking, conductive solution, essential for hazardous industrial cleaning operations and static reduction.
Because of their anti-sparking properties and moderate corrosion resistance, brass cylinder brushes are routinely used for surface roughening, conveyor maintenance, static dissipation in manufacturing lines, and preparing metal for further processing. Their ability to safely clean metals like brass, copper, and aluminum sets them apart in energy, electronic, or aerospace industries. Brass wire is suitable for operating temperatures up to 300°F, offering reliable conductivity and chemical compatibility.
Primary applications of cylinder brass brushes include:
Staple-set cylinder brushes, constructed using U-shaped filaments stapled into pre-drilled patterns, are used where custom brush shapes, filament densities, or fill patterns are essential. Employing plastic or lightweight metal cores, staple-set rotary brushes accommodate specialty cleaning requirements, application-specific scrubbing, or finishing lines. They are favored for applications that require brushes with unique fill geometries or lighter weight for faster rotation.
Twisted-in-wire cylinder brushes (sometimes called stem brushes or tube brushes) are fabricated by twisting one or more wires around brush filaments, producing a spiral brush ideal for cleaning internal surfaces, holes, or tubes. These multi-purpose brushes can clean small parts, test tubes, and components with complex geometries, making them indispensable for laboratory equipment maintenance, pipe deburring, and machinery cleaning in tight spaces. Twisted-in-wire rotary brushes are available with wire, synthetic, or natural fibers depending on the application—whether deburring, residue removal, or surface preparation prior to painting, anodizing, or powder coating.
Cylindrical coil brushes are manufactured by spirally winding a strip brush onto a core, providing a continuous brush surface adjustable in density and filament pattern. Their versatility spans across industries: from vacuum cleaner rollers and street sweeper brushes to glass washing, plywood dusting, and conveyor belt cleaning. Both open-wound (gapped) and tightly coiled options are available—open-wound spiral brushes are suitable for moving material or debris, while dense coils are optimized for consistent wide-surface cleaning, dusting, or polishing.
Applications for cylindrical coil brushes range from condenser tube cleaning, glass processing, and industrial dusting to surface finishing, deburring, and even photo-processing. These rotary brushes can be tailored in diameter, length, and core design to match your exact cleaning challenge.
Bronze wire cylinder brushes are engineered for demanding manufacturing environments where durability, anti-sparking qualities, and effective static dissipation are required. Using phosphor bronze (typically Alloy 510 with 95% copper, 5% tin), these brushes offer increased fatigue and tensile strength compared to standard brass wire, making them suitable for hazardous locations where sparks must be avoided.
Bronze rotary brushes efficiently clean conveyor rollers, machine parts, and wide industrial substrates without removing the underlying base material. Their heavy-duty design finds use in textile, automotive, and metals manufacturing. Strip-brush-based bronze cylinder brushes are easily customized for variable shaft sizes, brush densities, and application-specific engineering.
Bronze brush strips can extend up to 20 feet, with custom outside and inside diameters, and are available with cores or channels in galvanized steel, stainless steel, brass, or aluminum for robust industrial use. Galvanized steel options further improve corrosion resistance for wet or outdoor applications.
Nylon cylinder brushes are a popular choice for both light-duty and precision cleaning, as well as abrasive surface finishing in industrial plants, OEM machinery, and food processing facilities. Their synthetic filaments deliver excellent abrasion resistance, bend recovery, and resistance to chemicals and weak acids, making them reliable for conveyor belt cleaning, timber processing, metal finishing, and even automotive detailing.
Nylon cylinder brushes can be filled with a range of nylon grades—such as Nylon 6.6 for moderate rigidity or Nylon 6.12 for FDA-approved, food-contact safe use. Heat-stabilized nylon brush filaments are available for prolonged high-temperature operation, and conductive nylon blends are used for static reduction in electronics and assembly line environments. Abrasive-impregnated nylon is also available for powered rotary brushes, enhancing deburring, edge blending, and fine surface finishes on metal and plastic workpieces. Nylon cylinder brushes excel in applications where moisture, moderate heat, or exposure to solvents is expected, and can be customized for wheel, cup, or end rotary brush configurations.
Polyester filament cylinder brushes present an efficient alternative where nylon or polypropylene may not withstand environmental conditions. With slower moisture absorption, superior acid resistance, and strong heat tolerance, polyester rotary brushes are utilized in applications such as high-temperature conveyor cleaning, chemical manufacturing, or surface finishing in food-safe environments. Polyester offers better filament memory and bend recovery, retaining its cleaning and scrubbing effectiveness longer in industrial cleaning equipment.
Polypropylene cylinder brushes are prized for their chemical resistance and cost-effectiveness in industrial rotary cleaning and scrubbing tasks. These brushes are commonly used in fruit and vegetable washing, water-based component cleaning, and conveyor maintenance within humidity- and sanitation-sensitive environments, thanks to their durability and ability to retain stiffness when wet. Industrial polypropylene brushes are available in multiple filament gauges and trim lengths, providing options for aggressive scrubbing or gentle dusting.
Due to resistance to acids, caustic alkalis, and a broad spectrum of solvents (but not chlorinated solvents), polypropylene brushes require lower temperatures (maximum 225°F operating, 330°F melting) compared to nylon or polyester brushes. Polypropylene rotary brushes are an affordable solution for routine manufacturing and food processing plant cleaning applications.
Tampico cylinder brushes, made from natural agave fibers, offer exceptional performance in high-heat or moisture-intense environments. Used in both wet and dry rotary brush applications, Tampico brushes outperform many synthetic filaments for water retention and heat resistance, operating efficiently at temperatures up to 400°F. Applications include scrubbing, washing, conveyor belt cleaning, and surface polishing for wood, metal, and stone. Tampico’s compatibility with abrasive and greasy substances makes it a go-to choice for challenging material handling and manufacturing needs.
For users seeking an environmentally-friendly, renewable fibrous brush option with superior moisture absorption, Tampico rotary cylinder brushes provide sustainable industrial cleaning and finishing solutions. Brush strips can be custom-wound to fit customer-specific rotary brush machinery in paddle wheel or conveyor cleaning applications.
With modern advances, a wide variety of synthetic alternatives—such as polyester or specialized nylon blends—are available to match or exceed the physical and durability characteristics of natural Tampico. When specifying brush fill material, evaluate the working conditions (temperature, pH, chemical exposure) and cleaning targets to select the optimal rotary brush for your process and sustainability requirements.
Choosing the right cylinder brush—whether steel, stainless, brass, bronze, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, Tampico, or blended design—depends on your application’s temperature range, abrasive needs, chemical exposure, regulatory compliance, and surface sensitivity. Leading brush manufacturers can assist with rotary brush selection, customization, and replacement options, ensuring your facility operates with maximum efficiency, reliability, and safety.
24 SR – 24 Single Rows: The 24 single row (24 SR) cylinder brush features 24 tufts or clusters of durable brush fibers arranged seamlessly around its diameter, also referred to as a "full fill" pattern. This industrial-grade sweeping brush is highly effective for sweeping, scrubbing, and containing high concentrations of fine debris such as dust, sand, soot, and similar small particulate contaminants. However, due to its dense fill, the 24-row brush is less efficient at capturing larger, bulky debris often found in commercial or municipal cleaning operations. The operational lifespan and performance of a 24-row industrial brush are governed primarily by frequency and conditions of use—meaning longevity is not dependent on bristle count alone. In equivalent usage scenarios, a high-density 24-row pattern will last as long as a 6-row or 8-row brush. This makes it ideal for applications prioritizing fine-particle removal, like manufacturing floors, road dust control, and technical cleaning environments.
The 6 or 8 Double Row Helical Pattern (6. DRH or 8. DRH): The 6 or 8 double row helical (DRH) pattern is among the most widely used industrial brush fill designs for both primary and heavy-duty sweeping applications. The distinctive spiral or helical arrangement of bristles dramatically improves debris collection efficiency. This versatile, all-purpose pattern excels at removing both small and large particles—capturing embedded dust, dirt, wood chips, glass fragments, and litter, while the alternating gaps between the rows enable the collection of bulkier refuse and larger contaminants. The DR helical configuration is popular for use in street sweepers, parking lot cleaners, and warehouse floor scrubbers, thanks to its ability to handle a diverse variety of waste types, from fine particles to leaves and packaging scraps. Compatible with all standard brush fill materials—including synthetic (polypropylene, nylon), natural fibers, and abrasive options—this pattern ensures optimal cleaning performance across a wide range of surfaces and environments.
Herringbone (or Patrol Pattern), with 6 Double Rows or 5 Triple Rows of Chevrons (DRC or 5. TRC): The 6 double row or 5 triple row chevron—more commonly known as the herringbone or patrol brush pattern—is a highly specialized cylinder brush design tailored for exterior or outdoor sweeping applications. Its innovative "V"-shaped (chevron) row configuration is engineered to channel and direct debris efficiently toward the center of the hopper, promoting fast and effective removal with minimal passes. With wider gaps between bristle rows, this pattern is uniquely suited for capturing bulky litter, seasonal leaves, and larger, non-uniform debris that accumulates in parking lots, roadways, municipal sidewalks, and outdoor venues. Known for its longevity and resistance to wear, the herringbone pattern is generally manufactured from premium nylon, which offers durability and high resilience under demanding service conditions. This efficient cylindrical sweeper brush is a go-to choice for contractors seeking routine, cost-effective maintenance for large, open, or uneven surfaces.
"WWW," or "Sand Wedge": The "WWW," or sand wedge, is a unique, high-density cylinder brush design that features a distinctive zig-zag or wave pattern alternating with open spaces. Engineered specifically for cleaning environments with heavy accumulations of fine materials—such as sand trays, gravel-strewn surfaces, or fine industrial dust—this pattern enhances debris collection by maximizing contact area while maintaining airflow and preventing clumping. It delivers the same fill density as a typical high-capacity brush, enabling it to lift and trap deeper pockets of small granular materials. Facility maintenance teams often select the "WWW" or sand wedge pattern for tough commercial cleaning tasks, turf maintenance, and sand reclamation operations where traditional sweepers fall short.
"Flip Flap," or "Window": The "flip flap" brush—also called the "window" pattern—incorporates a specialized design featuring strategically exposed windows between the rows of bristles. These "windows" greatly enhance the brush’s ability to pick up and collect light, scattered materials (such as paper scraps, plastic fragments, or lightweight debris) that may be missed by denser patterns. Ideal for use on smooth, finished, or coated industrial floors, this design minimizes bristle drag, increases sweeping speed, and protects delicate surfaces from abrasion. The flip flap window pattern is favored for retail shopping centers, stadiums, and other high-traffic public spaces where spotless appearance and fast turnaround are key priorities.
Cylinder Scrubs: Cylinder scrub brushes—a cornerstone in industrial floor cleaning—are manufactured in a range of materials, including polypropylene, polyester, nylon, or abrasive nylon inserts. Available in lengths up to 60" (1524 mm), these brushes are designed for deep-cleaning, removing embedded contaminant layers, stubborn rubber deposits, and heavily compacted soils from concrete, tile, or epoxy-coated floors. Their aggressive bristle construction enables them to tackle rubber tire marks, grease, graphite, oil stains, and other challenging messes common in manufacturing, automotive service, and warehouse facilities. When selecting a cylinder scrub brush, consider bristle type, diameter, and compatibility with your floor cleaning machines to ensure optimal cleaning performance and extended service life.
Choosing the Right Cylinder Brush Pattern for Your Application
When evaluating cylindrical brushes for industrial sweeping, floor care, or commercial cleaning, it is important to consider the type, pattern, and material of the brush to achieve optimal results. Patterns like the 24-row full fill and double row helical are better suited for routine fine particle sweeping, while chevron (herringbone) designs excel at large debris removal and heavy-duty maintenance. Specialty options, such as the "WWW" and flip flap window patterns, offer targeted advantages for niche cleaning challenges—like sand extraction or picking up lightweight packaging waste. Assess factors such as debris type, surface area, and compatibility with your current equipment when choosing your next or replacement cylinder brush. This ensures reduced downtime, longer brush longevity, and improved cleaning efficiency for your company’s operations. For manufacturers, facility managers, and maintenance professionals, investing in the correctly patterned sweeper brush increases productivity and provides a cleaner, safer environment for employees and customers alike.
Shaft: Shafts may include keyways as needed for drive applications. Metal clips can be attached to the shaft to secure steel cylinder brushes or be directly welded to it. Brushes mounted on a shaft are generally refillable, provided the shaft remains in good condition.
Throw-Away Core: Cylinder brushes can be mounted on an inexpensive, thin-walled tube with end bushings that attach to a drive shaft, making replacement easy. Instead of keeping a spare brush while waiting for the worn brush to be returned for refilling, you can simply order a new brush and install it in place of the old one.
Refillable Core: A refillable core is made from heavier wall tubes and can be refilled multiple times, offering a more durable and cost-effective solution. This design often features detachable shafts for easy replacement, avoiding the need to recreate the shaft or core by simply refilling the existing core.
Dynamic Balancing: Dynamic balancing may be necessary for cylinder brushes operating at higher speeds, typically between 350 to 500 revolutions per minute, to reduce vibration and improve brushing consistency. This is particularly important for brushes with larger sizes and weights to ensure smooth operation.
Cylinder brushes have a wide range of industrial applications. For example, they can simplify machine cleaning tasks and effectively remove chipping, rust, and grease debris. Smaller, more delicate cylinder brushes are used for precision tasks, such as pre-installation cleaning of computer circuit boards. These brushes reach into the board's crevices to remove particulates, dust, and other impurities. Below are some common industrial uses for cylinder brushes:
Food-processing brushes are most commonly used for the following purposes:
Cylinder brushes have numerous industrial applications, including but not limited to the following:
Cylinder brushes offer several advantages over other types of brushes, including:
Cylinder brushes offer several advantages over other brush types. Unlike pads, cylinder brushes do not tear or require recentering and do not necessitate expensive laundering. They use 20–30% less water and avoid the problem of squirting cleaning agents onto baseboards and walls, as is often needed with pads. Additionally, there are cylinder brush cleaning machines designed to clean edges and corners more effectively than round pad machines by being placed directly on baseboards. Cylinder machines operate at a quieter level of just 67 dBa (decibel noise level), making them ideal for environments with noise restrictions, such as healthcare facilities, nursing homes, and educational institutions.
Machines equipped with cylinder brushes provide floating head pressure that is about six times greater than that of standard disc units. This floating head allows for more consistent full-floor contact, enabling the brush to adapt to both high and low areas, making it more effective on uneven flooring and in spaces with varying textures. While pads may simply pass over grout and texture lines, cylinder brushes are capable of reaching and cleaning these areas effectively.
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...
A nylon brush is a brush that has nylon polymer filaments that are exceptionally tough, strong, flexible, and have excellent elasticity. The various types of nylon filaments, which are durable and abrasion resistant, are the most commonly used fiber for the manufacture of brushes...
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...