Tumbling-Media

Vibratory Compounds Give The Finishing Touch

Cleaning, polishing, smoothing and deburring of parts are all referred to as finishing. The primary types of machines used in the finishing process are the tumbling barrel machines and the vibratory machines. Finishing media are materials that are used with the parts to aid in the process of finishing. Finishing compounds also assist in the finishing process. One or all of the finishing media, water and finishing compounds are thrown together with the parts to be finished into a finishing system. The machines cause a sliding or tumbling action to take place between the parts or between the parts and the finishing media which in turn leads to cleaning, polishing and smoothing of the part surfaces.

Finishing compounds could be wet or dry. Wet compounds are used in the form of paste or with water in wet finishing processes while dry compounds are used in the form of powder in a dry finishing process. These compounds are formulated with specific properties for use in tumbling barrels or vibratory systems. The compounds that are specifically made for vibratory machines are called vibratory compounds. A vibratory machine is typically used for thorough cleaning and deburring of delicate parts or parts with hard to reach recesses like bores. They are also used on large surfaces. Vibratory compounds along with selected finishing media are added on to the vibratory machine in which parts have been placed for mass finishing. The rubbing action causes abrasive results on the parts effectively cleaning them. The vibratory compounds have suspension properties that ensure the abrasive action happens continuously by keeping the debris that arises, from depositing back on the parts.

Plastic deburring media are synthetic contraptions that are made into pre formed shapes; they are referred to as tumbling stones sometimes. The various shapes include cones, cylinders, pins, triangles, pyramids, wedges etc. Each of these shapes comes in handy depending on the deburring requirement on hand. For instance, cylindrical plastic deburring media might be recommended for cleaning long tube parts. Cones are valuable on parts containing holes while triangles are good on flat surfaces and corners. A combination of shapes can be used too, for complex requirements. Compared to ceramic media, plastic media are less aggressive though they are able to produce better finish on surfaces. As they are lighter than ceramics, they are ideal for use on parts that are apt to break with ceramic media.

Plastic deburring media is very effective for metal removal, polishing, cutting of parts from runners and pre-painted finishing. They are used for aluminium and brass that are soft metals and are helpful in preventing the broken burrs from lodging in holes in the parts. They can be safely used on parts with threads as the threads are left untouched by them. Parts to be anodized can be finished with plastic deburring media to ensure an efficient anodizing. They are useful to provide a smooth but dull finish. To understand vibratory compounds and plastic deburring media better and to learn about the different types available in the market, please visit http://gravcollc.com/

Go For A Smooth Finish With Finishing Compounds

Finishing is a term used to define the process of cleaning, polishing, deburring, coloring, separating and smoothing of parts or components, generally metals. Finishing compounds are compounds used in the process of finishing - they are defined as substances or materials that are used to give surface properties like softness, smoothness, flexibility, resistance to fire, resistance to corrosion, resistance to rusting and so on - to metal parts, wood, textile, leather etc. It is possible to impart a high quality to a finished product with finishing compounds so that the product comes out with the correct functionality, fit and aesthetics.

Mass finishing compounds are used to finish several parts together using machines like tumbling barrels or vibratory systems. The compounds are used to aid in deburring, descaling, polishing of ferrous and non ferrous materials etc. The typical mass finishing process involves putting the parts together with finishing media, water and finishing compounds into a barrel or vibratory machine and allowing them to vibrate or tumble together. As a result, the parts rub against each other or with the finishing media; the rough edges are smoothed out, debris and deposits are cleaned out and specific surface properties are imparted to the parts.

The finishing compounds can be used in closed loop and open loop finishing processes, which involves automatic or manual feeding of finishing media and compounds respectively. There are compounds that are made for wet use and those made for dry use. Compounds are also available for specific use with tumbling systems and those that work well with vibratory systems. There are some special properties given to the finishing compounds when they are manufactured. For example, deburring compounds are made to keep the deburring debris suspended during the finishing process to ensure that there is no re depositing. This way the surfaces are continuously kept ready to accept the abrasive action. Descaling compounds have properties needed to remove scales and assist the finishing media in descaling. Compounds used for polishing are made to provide conditioning to water, detergency, impart rinseability and brightening plus suspension properties to make sure that the debris is kept at bay.

Finishing media are used in the finishing process to clean, polish and deburr. Corn cob media comes under the head of dry finishing media. It is made from treating and powdering of corn cobs to provide abrasive action on parts being finished. As they are made from natural products, corn cob media is bio degradable and environment friendly. It is long lasting and reusable; it is also cost effective. It can be used in both vibratory and tumbling systems. The grit size of the corn cob media is determined by the finishing requirement – it varies depending on whether the finishing process needs to be gentle or rough, the nature of the surface being deburred etc. The corn cob media has very good absorbing properties and can absorb both water and oily substances with ease; proves very effective in degreasing and cleaning parts. To gain further insights into finishing products, log on to http://gravcollc.com/

Vibratory Finishing Machines For The Glossy Finish

Finishing machines are used for the finishing process that is carried out on parts for the purposes of cleaning, deburring, polishing and separation of parts. There are many types of finishing machines. The two important and widely used ones are the tumbling barrel machines and the vibratory finishing machines. In the tumbling variety, a huge barrel holds the parts and finishing media, compounds and water. In the vibratory finishing machines, there are usually tubs or bowls that undergo a shaking action at a particular speed. The shaking action is caused by a shaft that is attached to the tub or bowl.

The vibratory finishing machines come as large floor models (that can be fixed to the floor) or as smaller bench models (that are fixed on tables or benches). When the machine shakes at a high rate of speed, it causes the parts and the media to rub against each other thus resulting in cleaning and polishing. Using the vibrating machines, it is possible to get a very precise cutting of burrs and parts. They are also very effective in removing debris and dirt lodged in nooks and crannies, like a bore for instance. This sort of cleaning is not possible in a tumbling barrel. Vibratory finishing machines are ideally suited for use on delicate and intricate parts; also for large and bulky surfaces like wing spans - because they have high speeds combined with very short strokes. This provides powerful finishing but at the same time places very less stress on the parts. Vibratory finishing machines can be automated or semi automated quite easily and are good for continuous or batch processing.

Finishing or deburring media are materials that provide an abrasive action on parts to aid in the finishing process. They can be natural or man made. They come in different shapes and sizes depending on the requirements. When media is used in finishing machines, they accomplish finishing tasks like cleaning of oils, grease, dirt, grime etc and deburring of jagged edges or removing extra material from parts. Natural deburring media like walnut shells and corn cob media are made from naturally available material – they are non toxic, environment friendly, reusable and cost effective.

Man made deburring media like ceramic media and plastic deburring media are used for heavy and aggressive finishing. They come in different shapes and sizes. Some of the standard shapes found in the deburring media are cones, cylinders, pyramids, three headed stars, triangles etc. These shapes aid in polishing and cleaning hard to reach recesses in the parts. Depending on the shape and size of the holes in the parts, the shape of the media is chosen. If the part has a complex design with many corners having different shapes, then a combination of media shapes can be used to achieve uniform finish in the parts. Companies having a vast experience in the finishing industry generally have the expertise to find tailor made solutions to any deburring requirements. To gather further information, please log on to http://gravcollc.com/

Tumbling Barrels Provide The Needed Finish

Deburring machines are better known as finishing machines. Their purpose is to finish parts – by facilitating polishing, cleaning, separating and deburring actions. There are two important types of mass finishing deburring machines – tumbling barrel machines and the vibratory machines. In all the deburring machines, the parts are loaded along with finishing deburring media, finishing compounds and/ or water. Deburring media include ceramic media and plastic media that are man made and corn cob media and walnut shell media that are natural. Finishing compounds come as wet or dry compounds. Their composition varies depending on the abrasive action that is needed, inhibition action (like anti corrosion, anti rust) and the suspension properties needed. The compounds help to suspend the debris that comes out during the finishing process in deburring machines. This prevents the debris from getting deposited or lodged back into the parts.

Vibratory deburring machines involve a tub or a bowl that is shaken at high speeds which causes the parts and the finishing media to scrape against each other in a filing kind of motion. In a vibratory machine, the sliding action happens on all of the load with a single vibration; there fore cycle times are very less compared to tumbling barrels. They are high speed, short stroke machines and hence are good for delicate parts as well as large surfaces. They are very useful as separators of parts. The loading and unloading of vibratory machines is very simple. There are also other types of deburring machines like centrifugal machines, blasting machines and spinning machines that are used in special cases. In the blasting deburring machines, some media are blasted on to parts to deburr them.

In a tumbling machine, tumbling barrels are present to hold the parts and the finishing media and compounds. They are available as floor (large) and bench (small) models. The parts and the finishing media are lifted from the barrel’s corners by the movement of the machine and they bump and slide against each other. The media that is used in barrel tumbling depends on the roughness of the finishing that is required, the nature of the parts being tumbled and whether polishing or deburring is the prime requirement.

In barrel tumbling, parts can be used without using any media too in special cases. Usually, barrel tumbling is used for wet processing but in some cases where there is a need, dry finishing can also be done using them. Wet barrel finishing is intended for processing metals. They can be used for removing burrs, polishing and improving surface appearance. A dry barrel system gives a finish that is smoother and more uniform than a wet finishing barrel. In factories where there is not much water, dry barrelling is the ideal option. Tumbling barrels are ideal for heavy loads; they function optimally when they are 50 % loaded. Screen doors can be added to barrels for use in separating parts. For more details on the different kinds of deburring machines available from finishing industry experts, go to http://gravcollc.com/

Finishing Parts Becomes Easy With Tumbling Media And Compounds

Tumbling media are materials that are used in the finishing process. They are loaded with parts to be finished into finishing machines, with or without tumbling compounds. They help in cleaning, smoothing and deburring of parts. Tumbling media can be man made or natural. Man made media include plastic media, synthetic media and ceramic media which come in preformed shapes. Natural media include walnut shell media and corn cob media. Tumbling media are used in finishing machines like tumbling barrels, vibratory machines and centrifugal machines.

Plastic media are otherwise known as tumbling stones. They come in shapes like cones, pyramids and triangles and have varying abrasive properties. They create smooth but dull finishes on surfaces and because of their light weight are suited for use on parts that might get damaged easily. They are safe on threaded parts and can be used on parts as a pre cursor to anodizing. The cone shaped plastic media act well on parts with holes and triangle shape acts well on edges and flat surfaces. Multiple shapes can be used on parts with complex designs.

Ceramic tumbling media are made of silica, minerals and abrasives mixed in different proportions and processed at high temperatures to produce hardened shapes. They are good for aggressive finishing needs and work well with hard metal parts. They suit usage with heavy loads that cannot be handled by plastics; they also come in smaller sizes and hence are suited for smaller parts. Synthetic tumbling media also come in different shapes; they weigh lesser compared to ceramic media. They are cost effective and are good to provide ultra smooth finishes. Compared to plastic media, they take more wear and tear and residue left from processing is lesser. They are ideal for use in high energy machines like centrifugal barrels.

Tumbling compounds are chemicals used to increase the effectiveness of media by ensuring that glaze is not formed on the parts during the finishing process. They act as abrasive agents and help in maintaining a nice color to the metal parts. They impart anti rust and anti corrosion properties to the parts when the right agents are added to them; they are effective cleaning agents and help in deburring by suspending debris and preventing them from getting re-deposited on the parts. The compounds are either alkaline or acidic in nature depending on the media they are used with.

The flow rate of the tumbling compounds should be matched with the volume of media being used for a good finish. Tumbling compounds are known to help in degreasing, descaling and removing grime. They help in lubrication of parts to protect them. They help in grinding, polishing and brightening of surfaces. They help to finish delicate parts by providing a cushioning effect and preventing damage to the parts. Acidic tumbling compounds enhance cutting speeds and bleaching efficiency. When used in proper combination with finishing media, tumbling compounds help to reduce cycle times substantially. To learn about the advantages of tumbling media and tumbling compounds, go to http://gravcollc.com/

Tumbling Barrels For That Great Polish

Finishing is a term to describe the process of burnishing, cleaning, deburring and separation of parts using machines and materials called media to assist in the process. It is an important process to ensure that the parts come out with high quality in terms of a smooth fit and proper functionality apart from becoming aesthetically sound. There are primarily two types of machines used in mass finishing of parts – that is finishing of several parts together. These are tumbling or barrelling machines and vibratory machines.

Tumbling barrels are typically used for rough and tough jobs on hard metals. They are very good for deburring of heavy burrs. They are also recommended for burnishing, radius-ing of jagged edges plus breaking parts from runners. They can unction with or without using finishing media. Tumbling barrels are ideal when the loads are heavy; such loads cannot go on vibratory systems. These barrels run at optimum level when they are half filled. Barrels that have screens can be used as a plastic deflashing machine. Parts can be separated when screen doors are installed in these barrels.

There are wet and dry tumbling barrels. Wet barrel involves batch processing which means the parts are processed as batches. They are used for deburring and polishing, radius-ing, cleaning and improving the surface appearance and smoothness. Processing metals is best done in wet tumbling barrels. This equipment can be used in dry processing too, when needed. Dry barrelling is also a batch processor which is normally used to polish and deburr without liquids. Dry barrels can deflash, grind and form radii too. Compared to a wet system, these produce smoother and more uniform finish. Predominantly, wet tumbling is used in tumbling barrels. But specific cases like lack of readily available water make the dry process a more viable option.

Centrifugal barrel machines are also used in mass finishing of parts. They have gained a lot of popularity because they are the fastest finishing machines available today – about 20 times faster than a vibratory sytem’s cycle times. They are high energy machines in which the parts are placed in closed barrels. Finishing media, water and finishing compounds are added on. The barrels rotate to provide a sliding action inside which gives a uniform finish to the parts. The barrels are made of steel or a composite material and have urethane lining. They can be removed for loading and unloading purposes. Composite barrels can be used where cycle times are expected to be under an hour. For longer durations and larger machine, steel barrels are advisable.

The centrifugal barrel machines come with electronic controls that make them very simple to use. These controls include a process timer that controls the rotation times. There is an emergency stop for crisis situations. Indicator lights help in process tracking. Safety features are there to ensure that these machines cant run without covers and other locks in place. They are also typically wired for different voltage needs. For gaining more insights, http://gravcollc.com/ can be referred.

Manufacturer of Tumbling Media

David Scheetz is principal owner and CEO and Robert Summey is Sales manager. These two together bring over fifty years of metal finishing experience to Grav Co LLC.

Grav Co LLC manufactures the finest mass finishing equipment and supplies in the marketplace. We build Torex vibratory finishing machines, deburring machines, Grav-i-Flo disc finishing, high speed and low speed barrel finishing, tumbling barrels, centrifugal barrel machines and spin finishing equipment in our Sturgis, Michigan plant. We also manufacture vibratory finishing media, corn cob media, plastic deburring media, walnut shell media, and various liquid and tumbling compounds, and have a very good line of ceramic finishing media.

The trade name Grav-i-Flo has been synonymous with quality finishing equipment and supplies for over sixty years.  We are able to provide you a quote on standard equipment, and supplies in one day or less. We ship most supply orders in one to two days. We are a world class supplier of finishing equipment and supplies.

New Products

A new product line currently on the drawing board is standard parts washers. We are building a cellular style belt and rotary drum washers. If you have a parts washer project currently that you think a simple belt or drum washer will suffice, we build a very good washer at a very competitive price. Try us, I think you will like the products and our team. Let us help you resolve your finishing needs.