Tumbling-Media

Mass Finishing Renders High Quality Parts

Parts that are manufactured usually need removing of jagged edges, cleaning and polishing before they are fit to satisfy their functionality (the function for which they are being built). This is achieved by means of a process called finishing. Mass finishing is several parts being finished all together. It is typically carried out in finishing machines or systems like tumbling machines, vibratory machines, blasters, centrifugal machines etc. Parts are fed into these machines along with finishing media, finishing compounds and water. The parts and the finishing media scrub against each other, with the compounds aiding in removing the debris and keeping it from re-depositing on the parts. Due to this scrubbing action, mass finishing takes place - edges are smoothed, surfaces get polished, nooks get cleaned and parts get broken from runners.

Finishing media are materials that aid in the mass finishing process. There are many types of media like synthetic pre formed plastic media, ceramic media and natural media like corn cob and walnut shell media. Finishing compounds could be dry or wet and depending on the action required, their composition varies. This determines their abrasive action, alkalinity etc. Mass finishing process can take place as a batch process, as a series of steps or as continuous process. In a batch process, parts are loaded as a batch and after finishing, the batch is unloaded. The next batch now goes in and so on. In the step by step process, the parts are taken through a sequence of processes, one by one. After every step, the parts will have some degree of finishing done on them and after the final step, they will be fully ready. In a continuous process, the loading and unloading of parts happens continuously, while the finishing process is carried out.

Walnut shell media are made from treated and crushed walnuts. As they are natural, they are bio degradable and safe for the environment. They are dry finishing media whose grain size is determined by the weight and composition of the parts being finished. They are very good cleaners too apart from being good polishers. They are suited for use with tumble machines and useful in finishing of parts made from soft metals like brass, aluminium and bronze. Mixed with paints, they act as anti skid agents and are typically used in paints used around swimming pools and pathways. Oil well drilling is another area where they are used, to prevent the oil from stagnating.

Walnut shells have the properties of hardness and fibre. They are also naturally angular and multi faceted, which makes the walnut shell media ideal for deburring. They last long and can be reused many times over. Used in tumbling and in some vibrating systems, they help to reduce cycle times. They can be used on delicate surfaces because they do not have a rough abrasive action. So, they do not damage micro finishes. There are companies who have been in the finishing business for a long time; they can find finishing solutions for any needs. To learn more visit http://gravcollc.com/

Good Finish For Parts With Deburring Machines And Media

Deburring is the process of removing jagged edges or protrusions from parts, mostly wooden and metal parts. Deburring machines are used to accomplish the process of deburring. Primarily two types of deburring machines are used – tumbling or barrel machines and vibratory machines. Tumblers are used for mass finishing of parts. They can be used for wet as well as dry finishing. These systems are well suited for fast and efficient deburring of plastic and metal parts or components. There are models that are available in different sizes from compact bench models to big barrels that can be fixed on floors. Tumbling systems are very important deburring systems in use. They are typically used where heavy deburring is required. Barrels are ideal for heavy loads. Dry tumbling is used when delicate deburring is called for and produces a smooth finish. Wet barrelling is used for metal processing to remove excess material as well as to provide a polish.

Vibratory deburring machines are also used for mass finishing. They function by shaking or vibrating the processing vessel, which causes the finishing media and parts to scrape against each other thus accomplishing a deburr and producing a polish. These deburing machines are precise and can deburr even recesses in the parts and hence they are very well adapted for delicate and intricate components. They can also be used on large surfaces because they have very short strokes and high speeds. These machines can be automated quite easily compared to tumblers.

Blasting machines are another type of deburring machines in which media is blasted on to parts under high pressure thus creating a finishing action. Blasting machines are used to deburr hard to reach parts and also to clean parts of dust, grime, rust etc. There are also other deburring machines like gyra machines, centrifugal disks and spin finishing machines for specialized usage.

Finishing media are used in finishing systems to aid in the deburring process. Ceramic media is ideal for use with hard metals that need heavy cutting action. They are generally used for polishing and deburring – light, heavy, fast or super fast deburring. For applications that need small sized media, ceramic media is highly recommended. They come in pre formed shapes to suit different purposes. Cones, stars, triangles, cylinders etc are some of the shapes in ceramic media. These shapes ensure easy separation of parts and deburring of hard to reach areas. Ceramic media are long lasting and inexpensive. As they can be used for multiple requirements, they are the most commonly used in the mass finishing industry.

Ceramic media are made as a combination of silica, minerals and abrasive materials and are manufactured at very high temperatures thus producing hard ceramic media which are then cut to the desired length. The rougher deburring applications call for a ceramic media that has more density. By using more abrasive in the manufacturing, high density can be achieved. But high density means faster wear and tear; so they are used only rarely. Go to http://gravcollc.com/ for more information on deburring machines and media.