Plastic Media

Mechanical Finishing Finds Numerous Uses

2009-12-20T09:34:00.000-08:00

Mechanical finishing finds lots of uses and involves cleaning, deburring and polishing parts especially metal ones. Tumbling barrels and vibratory machines are used for this function. Barrels are usually horizontal and the vibrators are in the shape of tubs. It is probable to load the parts to be finished and the mass finishing media into these machines together. These are equipment which are moved in a number of precise ways to formulate the media and the parts to scrape against each other thus causing an abrasive accomplishment which in turn cleans or polishes according to the requirement. Sometimes, to make certain that re-depositing of the deburred parts does not materialize, a number of chemical compounds are also added to the machines.

The equipment come in different models like those that can be mounted on to tables and those that are installed on the floor. Both dry and wet finishing can be done. In the tumbling barrels the abrasive materials are pushed or slid to accomplish the essential finish. In vibratory tubs the media are moved about more gently. Hence while tumbling barrels are preferred for heavy deburring and cutting operations and for undersized components, while the vibratory tubs are used to carry out gentler finishing requirements on superior manufactured parts. For some requirements like cleaning, deflashing, stripping etching etc, blasting machines are also used with blasting media which range from super fine to super coarse, for gentle to assertive requisites.

The media used can be ceramic, plastic, chemical or organic. Plastic media is favored for gentle polishing and in cases where the parts involved are delicate. Plastic weighs much less when compared to ceramic; it is easier on the natural environment when compared to chemicals and it is a great deal more resilient when weighed next to organic media. When the parts to be finished are made of soft metals like aluminum or frail materials like fiberglass, the only means to accomplish optimum and damage-free results is by using media that are prepared out of plastic. This particular media finds very explicit usage in the airframe components/ structures maintenance.

Plastic polishing media are admired for various finishing operations. Each condition needs the media to be made from a specific kind of material and have a certain contour and size. To meet all requirements, these abrasive items come in different plastic types (each having a dissimilar mass), assorted sizes like cones, cylinders, triangles, round, oval and so on. Sizes too vary from very small to very large ones. The plastic media are generally available in mass quantities. For some purposes a sole shape and size will be enough. For others multiple shapes and sizes have to be taken together throughout the finishing process. For example in the case of a part that has a bare surface, plastic media in just one shape and size should be adequate. But in the case of a component that has a surface with many dents, holes etc - all of which desires to be cleaned or polished - the tumbling-media has to essentially include a whole range of shapes and sizes.

Professional Parts Finishing With Finishing Machines

2009-05-26T09:45:00.000-07:00

Deburring machines or finishing machines are used in the method of finishing of parts. The parts to be finished, finishing media and finishing compounds are all loaded into the deburring machines. When the machine starts, the media and parts graze with each other; the media’s abrasive action produces the deburring and polishing that is desirable. The finishing compounds are there to improve the media efficiency.

The main types of deburring machines are tumbling barrel machines and vibratory finishing machines and they are the most commonly used. There are other machines also like the centrifugal barrel machines and blasting machines that are used for precise cases. Barrel machines are perfect when heavy loads are to be run and these machines give optimum performance when they are run with 50% full load.

There are wet barrel machines and dry barrel machines. Wet barrels are used most normally; they are used for the removal of excess material from parts and also for polishing. Water and finishing compounds are used with these machines to polish, clean and deburr parts. Wet barrels work fine on metal parts and they can also be used for dry finishing operations. Dry barrels are used in mass polishing and deburring in plastic as well as metal parts. No liquids are used in these machines. They come in useful in factories where large quantities of water are not readily available. Dry systems work well on frail parts as the environment inside the dry barrel is very protected. The finished parts typically have a hand buffed look when they surface from the dry machines.

In blasting machines, media are blasted to hit against the parts that are to be finished which causes a deburring and cutting outcome. In centrifugal machines where the load in the machine is rotated at very high speeds, the load goes to the wall of the piece of equipment and the parts and media rub very forcefully with each other – this in turn produces a deburring and polishing effect.

The vibratory finishing machines have a processing vessel also known as a finishing tub to load the parts, media and finishing compounds. A shaft mounted on to the tub produces the shaking action. This tub is shaken at a high rate of speed but with very small strokes. So, these machines while reducing the cycle time of the finishing operation considerably are very soft on the parts. Even delicate components can be finished safely in a vibratory finishing machine. These machines provide a precise and complete cutting action. They are ideal for removing material from recesses in the parts like for instance a bore. Because of their tiny stroke, they are well outfitted to handle bulky parts like wing spans without the risk of causing any harm to them. Another foremost advantage of vibratory finishing machines is that they can be easily automated either completely or partially and human intervention can be reduced to a great degree. There fore they can be used in a batch processing mode or a sequential mode.

Mass Finishing Parts by means of Vibratory Finishing Machines

2009-05-25T10:25:00.001-07:00

Mass finishing refers to the finishing procedure on numerous parts simultaneously. Finishing involves the deburing, polishing, smoothing, cleaning and separating of parts. The finishing procedure is carried out in a tumbling or vibratory machine, with finishing media, finishing compounds and the parts to be mass finished thrown in collectively.

Depending upon the nature of the parts that necessitate mass finishing, the finishing machine, finishing media and finishing compounds should be preferred. In tumbling machines, parts can be tumbled with or without media. These machines are well matched for aggressive cutting and producing glistening polishes; they are good for working on edges and rounded corners. Vibratory machines are appropriate for shaking parts and media at a elevated rate of speed; they are secure for use on fragile parts and these machines supply very smooth finishes even in parts with holes and deep recesses. Natural media like corn cob media and walnut shell media are used when a soft abrasive result is essential. For heavier abrasive needs, man made media like plastic and ceramic media can be used.

When common deburring has to be completed, ceramic media is very functional. Hard ceramic media are used for light deburring and polishing. Softer ceramic media that have more abrasive ingredients are used when more rapidly cutting is needed. If frail parts are subjected to mass finishing, plastic media can be used to give very smooth finishes without much shine. Because plastic media are much lighter compared to ceramic media, they do not hurt fragile parts. It is essential to use the right quantity of media for the amount of parts being finished so that the parts remain safe. Finishing compounds are used to boost the efficiency of the finishing media being used and to progress finishing cycle times. Compounds could be alkaline or acidic; they are very successful in de-greasing and de-scaling and they also help in increasing cutting speeds.

Vibratory finishing machines are used in mass finishing of parts. They comprise of tubs called finishing or processing tubs that are vibrated at high speeds. The parts to be finished are put into the tub along with finishing media and when the tub vibrates, the parts and media graze against each other. This abrasive action produces the deburring of parts. The cutting action that happens in a vibratory system is precise and thorough. Compounds particularly suited for vibratory systems can be used to provide better performance.

The vibratory finishing machines run at high speeds and very short strokes. So, they are powerful; yet, because of the short strokes, they do not place any undue stress on the parts. They can therefore be safely used on large parts like wing spans and landing struts. The vibratory finishing machines effortlessly dislodge material from holes and recesses in parts like bores and can work very fragile parts without causing any damage. The vibratory machines can be automated very easily – a full automation can be done for a finishing process that is sequential in nature. It can also be used as part of a large batch finishing process.

Plastic Media

2009-03-28T07:48:00.000-07:00

Grav Co manufactures plastic media in our Sturgis, Michigan plant. We have media for fast cut, long life and fine finish. With more than 50 years in the mass finishing business, we will find a solution for your most demanding finish requirements.

Grav Co LLC
400 Norwood Ave
Sturgis, MI 49091

269-651-7110 Fax
800-521-5793 Toll Free