Polishing technology and method of powder metallurgy products

How to chamfer, deburr and descale the powder metallurgy parts?

Powder metallurgy is an advanced industrial technology that uses metal powder (or a mixture of metal powder and non-metallic powder) as raw material, and forms various types of products through forming and sintering. It is very suitable for mass production. In addition, some materials and complex parts that cannot be prepared by traditional casting methods and machining methods can also be manufactured using powder metallurgy technology, so it has received much attention from the industry. Do you know what kind of finishing and polishing process powder metallurgy products need to go through to obtain a satisfactory surface effect? ​​In this case, we will share a process technology and method for chamfering, deburring, descaling, polishing and brightening of powder metallurgy gear parts. This polishing solution is also suitable for the surface polishing of powder sintered sprockets, bushings, structural parts, 3D printing products and metal powder injection molding products.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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deburring,derusting and polishing effects of powder metallurgy gear parts

1. The surface of powder metallurgy gear parts before polishing
burrs and scale of powder metallurgy gear parts before polishing

Materials:

Iron-copper powder mixture

Appearance:

burrs on the edges of the teeth and grooves,
oxide scale on the surface

Shape:

gear

Size:

35*50MM

Pre-polishing process:

powder metallurgy

Post-polishing process:

packing

2. Requirements for polishing
  • chamfering of tooth edge, deburring of the grooves.
  • smooth and brighten surface, no burrs, no oxide scale.
3. Powder metallurgy gear parts polishing process details:
Process steps (1) rough deburring,chamfering,descaling (2) fine polishing (3) anti-rust drying
Machine and equipment vibratory finishing machine vibratory finishing machine vibratory dryer
Amplitude and speed highest speed highest speed highest speed
Tumbling media angle cut cylinder ceramic media spherical white corundum finishing media no
Abrasive media to workpiece ratio 4:1 6:1 8:1
Finishing and polishing compound finishing liquid polishing liquid anti-rust liquid
Water appropriate amount, the liquid level does not exceed the tumbling media appropriate amount, the liquid level does not exceed the tumbling media no
Polishing time 60 minutes 30 minutes 30 minutes
Remark automatic separating and picking up, rinsing with water automatic separating and picking up, rinsing with water anti-rust liquid soaking, vibrating drying
4. Effect of powder metallurgy gear parts after finishing and polishing
powder metallurgy gear parts chamfering, deburring, descaling, polishing, brightening effect
chamfering, deburring, descaling, polishing, burnishing effect of powder metallurgy gear parts

5. Additional instructions
  • This powder metallurgy product is a small-sized workpiece, and the burrs are mainly concentrated on the the tooth edges. The daily processing quantity is large, so a vibrating finishing machine is used, and a heavy-cutting angle cut cylinder deburring tumbling media is used for rough finishing. The sharp corner of angle cut cylinder can reach into the grooves between the tooth edges to remove burrs and chamfer.
    Fine polishing and brightening is also achieved by using a vibratory polishing machine, with the high-hardness, light-cutting spherical white corundum finishing media for fine finishing, which can perform micro-cutting, further reduce roughness, and improve surface brightness.
  • Because the product processing quantity is large, the product separating can be done by using vibratory separator to improve efficiency.
  • In order to improve the anti-rust and anti-corrosion performance of the product after water treatment, it is immersed in a rust inhibitor for anti-rust treatment after polishing. Finally, a vibrating dryer is used to dry the surface moisture and dry it.

6. Final summary
  • In this case study, we demonstrate the process of surface chamfering, deburring, descaling, polishing and brightening of a powder metallurgy gear component.
  • This process solution is also suitable for surface polishing of powder metallurgy sprockets, bushings, structural parts, 3D printing products and metal powder injection molding products.

Metal material hafnium parts polishing and deburring process technology method

How to automatically and quickly chamfer, deburr and polish small hafnium parts?

Metal materials include carbon steel, general-purpose alloys such as aluminum alloys, stainless steel, zinc alloys, etc.; and high-purity elemental metals, such as gold, silver, copper, aluminum, hafnium, gallium and other metals; high-purity precision alloy materials such as aluminum-copper alloys , molybdenum and niobium alloys, etc.; precious metals & rare metals such as titanium, iridium, tungsten, etc.; and rare earth metals such as cerium, gadolinium, lanthanum, etc., in the shapes of plates, coils, rods, pipes, wires, grain, blocks, ingots, Powder etc. To obtain a satisfactory surface effect, do you know what kind of finishing and polishing process is required for the burrs, flash, and scale produced after metal materials are cast, forged, rolled, drawn, pierced, stamped, sheared, etc. ? In this case, we will share the process solution for chamfering, deburring, and descaling and polishing the surface of metal hafnium parts. This polishing process is also suitable for surface polishing of other hard metal products.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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Metal material hafnium parts deburring, rust removal, polishing effect

1. Metal hafnium parts before polishing
burrs and oxide scale before deburring, polishing of metal material hafnium parts

Materials:

metal hafnium

Appearance:

burrs on the cut surface and oxide scale on the surface.

Shape:

cylinder

Size:

2.5*15MM

Pre-polishing process:

sawing

Post polishing process:

packing

2. Requirements for deburring and polishing
  • cutting end is chamfered without burrs.
  • smooth,brightened surface, no burrs, oxide scale.
3. Details of the polishing process of metal hafnium parts:
Process steps (1) rough finishing, chamfering, deburring and descaling (2) fine polishing (3) drying
Machine and equipment centrifugal barrel finisher centrifugal barrel finisher centrifugal spin dryer
Amplitude and speed high speed high speed high speed
Tumbling media spherical ceramic deburring media spherical white corundum finishnig media no
Abrasive media to workpiece ratio 4:1 6:1 no
Finishing and polishing compound finishing liquid polishing liquid no
Water appropriate amount, the liquid level exceeds the abrasive media by 20mm appropriate amount, the liquid level exceeds the abrasive media by 20mm no
Polishing time 30 minutes 30 minutes 15 minutes
Remark manual separating and picking up, rinsing with water manual separating and picking up, rinsing with water drying, no separating
4. The effect after polishing of metal hafnium parts
The effect after chamfering, deburring, descaling and polishing of hafnium metal small parts
comparison of the polished effects of hafnium metal small parts

5. Additional instructions
  • Because this hafnium product is a small-sized workpiece with high hardness, it requires strong cutting force to chamfer, deburr and remove scale. Therefore, the rough finishing process is using high-speed centrifugal barrel finishing machine, with heavy cutting force ceramic deburring ball.
    The precision finishing and polishing brightness also uses a centrifugal barrel finishing machine, with high hardness and light cutting force white corundum polishing ball to improve surface brightness.
  • Because the number of products processed is small, product separating can be done manually using screens to reduce equipment purchase costs.
  • In order to improve the anti-rust and anti-corrosion performance of the product after being exposed to water, a centrifugal spin dryer used for drying.

6. Final summary
  • In this case, we demonstrate a process for surface chamfering, deburring and polishing of parts machined with metallic material – hafnium.
  • This process is also suitable for surface polishing of other hard metal material processing parts.

How to deburr,descale, polish stainless steel sheet metal parts?

Automatic and rapid chamfering, deburring and polishing method for special-shaped non-standard stainless steel sheet metal parts

Stainless steel sheet metal processing parts are generally cut by laser cutting machines, sheared by shears, stamped by punches, bent by bending machines, or welded. So do you know what kind of finishing and polishing process this stainless steel product needs to go through to chamfer, remove burrs, flash, rust and scale to obtain a satisfactory surface effect? In this case, we will share the surface chamfering and deburring polishing process of a special-shaped non-standard stainless steel laser-cut sheet metal part. This polishing process is also suitable for surface polishing of carbon steel, aluminum alloy and other materials.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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Stainless steel sheet metal processing parts deburring, derusting, polishing effect

1. Stainless steel sheet parts before polishing
burrs and oxide scale before polishing of stainless steel sheet parts

Materials:

stainless steel

Appearance:

burrs, sharp cutting edge, protective film on the back

Shape:

simple curve

Size:

0.3*50*150MM

Pre-polishing process:

laser cutting

Post polishing process:

powder coating

2. Requirements for finishing and polishing
  • smooth surface,no burrs, scale.
  • chamfer,no cutting edge
3. Details of polishing process for stainless steel sheet parts
Process steps (1) rough finishing chamfering and deburring (2) drying
Machine and equipment centrifugal barrel finishing machine vibratory dryer
Amplitude and speed slow speed full speed
Tumbling media cone resin media corn cob drying media
Abrasive media to workpiece ratio 4:1 8:1
Finishing compound finishing liquid no
Water appropriate amount, the liquid level exceeds the abrasive media by 20mm no
Polishing time 30 minutes 30 minutes
Remark automatic separating and picking up, rinsing with water dry parts and wipe away water stains
4. Stainless steel sheet parts after polishing
stainless steel laser cutting metal sheet parts chamfering, deburring, descaling, polishing effect
stainless steel laser cutting metal sheet parts chamfering, deburring, descaling, brightening effect


Note: There is a plastic protective film on the back.

5. Additional instructions
  • Because stainless steel metal sheet processing parts are easily deformed, a centrifugal finishing machine with a small-capacity working barrel is used to reduce the operating speed and use it with softer texture cone-shaped resin media (also called plastic media) is used to chamfer and deburr. If you use ceramic tumbling media or other very hard abrasive media will cause problems such as deformation and bending of the workpiece, and ceramic deburring media can easily contaminate the stainless steel surface and make the surface black.
  • So why don’t polish parts use vibratory polishers? Because the vibrating polishing machine will cause the thin parts to stick to each other, and multiple pieces will fit together, which will not achieve the finishing and polishing effect.
  • Products can be separated automatically using a vibrating separator, to control the vibration amplitude of the vibrating separator so that no bending deformation occurs due to mutual collision.
  • In order to improve the anti-rust and anti-corrosion performance of the product after water cleaning, vibrating dryer, with corn cob polishing media, dry the moisture and wipe away water stains on the surface of the product.

6. Final summary
  • In this case, we demonstrate a process for surface chamfering and deburring of stainless steel laser-cut metal sheet parts using resin finishing media and corn cob drying media.
  • This process is also suitable for surface polishing of sheet metal parts such as carbon steel and aluminum alloys.

Non-standard stainless steel wire forming special-shaped spring chamfering, deburring and polishing solution

How to polish non-standard stainless steel wire formed special-shaped springs?

Stainless steel wire formed special-shaped springs are used in product spare parts and instrument components in the chemical, valve, petroleum, and electric power industries, such as motor brushes, switches, video cameras, and computer accessories. This type of precision spring requires both high strength and a smooth and bright surface. So do you know what kind of finishing and polishing process this stainless steel product undergoes to obtain a satisfactory surface effect? In this case, we will share a polishing process for chamfering and deburring the surface of a non-standard stainless steel wire-formed special-shaped spring. This polishing process is also suitable for surface polishing of compression springs, torsion springs, tension springs, clasp springs, medical springs, special-shaped rods, special-shaped springs and other products.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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Stainless steel spring deburring, descaling, polishing effect

1. Stainless steel wire formed special-shaped springs and buckles before polishing
burrs, oxide scale of stainless steel spring

Materials:

stainless steel

Appearance:

oxide scale and burrs on surface,dark gray.

Shape:

simple curve.

Size:

Ø3*10MM

Pre-polishing process:

cut to shape

Post polishing process:

finished product inspection

2. Requirement for polishing
  • smooth surface, no burrs and scale.
  • reduce surface roughness, increase gloss, and improve brightness.
  • close to mirror polishing effect.
3. Details of stainless steel wire forming special-shaped spring and buckle polishing process
Process steps (1) Coarse finishing to remove burrs and scale (2) Fine polishing (3) Mirror polishing
Machine and equipment vibrating bowl finishing machine vibrating bowl finishing machine tumbling barrel finishing machine
Amplitude and speed highest amplitude,full speed highest amplitude,full speed highest amplitude,full speed
Tumbling media spherical ceramic deburring media stainless steel ball walnut shell polishing media
Abrasive media to workpiece ratio 4:1 6:1 8:1
Finishing compound finishing liquid polishing liquid no
Water appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media polishing paste
Polishing time 1 hour 30 minutes 6 hours
Remark pick up by hand and rinse with water pick up by hand and rinse with water mirror polishing
4. The effect of stainless steel wire forming special-shaped springs and buckles after finishing and polishing
deburring, descaling and polishing effects of stainless steel wire formed special-shaped springs and buckles
deburring, descaling and brightening effects of stainless steel wire formed special-shaped springs and buckles

5. Additional instructions
  • Because stainless steel is harder material, ceramic deburring ball is used for rough finishing to remove scale and burrs. If you use angle cut triangle ceramic deburring media or angle cut cylinder ceramic deburring media with sharp corners or edges will cause scratches, pitting and other problems on the surface of the product.
  • The workpiece material is hard and has no edges and corners, so it can be automatically separated by a machine. There will be no surface damage caused by collision with each other, which greatly improves the efficiency of discharging materials.
  • For stainless steel product parts, polish with stainless steel polishing ball is very effective in brightening. The surface of the product after rough finishing has no luster, but it will become bright after vibratory fine finishing and polishing with stainless steel media.
    In order to further improve the smoothness and brightness of the product surface, finally use tumbling barrel polishing machine, combined with walnut shell polishing media, achieves a quasi-mirror polishing effect with the support of polishing paste.

6. Final summary
  • In this case, we demonstrate a process of deburring, descaling and brightening for the surface of stainless steel wire-formed special-shaped springs using ceramic deburring media, stainless steel polishing media and mirror polishing media.
  • This process is also suitable for surface polishing of compression springs, torsion springs, tension springs, buckle springs, medical springs, special-shaped rods, special-shaped springs, precision buckles and other products.

How to polish zinc(aluminum) alloy handles?

Mirror polishing method and solution for zinc alloy (aluminum alloy) handles

In this case, we will discuss the polishing process of a zinc alloy (aluminum alloy) door handle.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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Zinc alloy, aluminum alloy hardware deburring, descaling, mirror polishing, brightening effect

1. Zinc alloy and aluminum alloy handle hardware before polishing
Zinc alloy, aluminum alloy hardware surface burrs, oxide scale

Materials:

zinc alloy

Appearance:

surface oxide scales,burrs,gray-white.

Shape:

simple curve. holes in the surface.

Size:

109*20*16mm

Pre-polishing process:

die cast

Post polishing process:

plating

2. Requirements of polishing
  • smooth surface without damage
  • descaling
  • Reduce surface roughness, increase gloss, and improve brightness
3. Details of the zinc alloy hardware handle polishing, deburring and descaling process
Process steps (1) coarse finishing to deburr,descale (2) fine polishing and brightening (3) drying
Machine and equipment vibratory bowl finisher vibratory bowl finisher vibratory dryer
Amplitude and speed highest amplitude,full speed highest amplitude,full speed highest amplitude,full speed
Tumbling media cone resin media spherical stainless steel media corn cob drying media
Abrasive media to workpiece ratio 4:1 6:1 8:1
Finishing compound finishing liquid polishing liquid no
Water appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media no
Polishing time 1 hour 30 minutes 30 minutes
Remark pick up by hand and rinse with water pick up by hand and rinse with water pick up by hand and rinse with water
4. Effect after finishing, polishing and brightening
surface treatment effect of zinc alloy,aluminum alloy hardware deburring,descaling,polishing,brightening
surface treatment effect of zinc alloy,aluminum alloy hardware deburring,descaling,finishing,burnishing

5. Additional instructions
  • Because the workpiece material is relatively soft, resin media can only be used to roughly remove scale and burrs. If you use ceramic deburring media, so the hardness is too high and the sand grits are too coarse, it will wear the surface of the product and cause scratches, pitting, color contamination and other problems.
  • Also because of the material, if a machine is used for automatic separating, the collision of workpieces will cause surface damage.
  • Zinc alloys can easily re-oxidize when exposed to water and air. Therefore, we need to dry the water immediately after polishing.

6. Final summary
  • In this case, we demonstrate a process of using a resin (plastic) finishing media to deburr, remove scale and brighten on the surface of a zinc alloy handle.
  • This process is also suitable for polishing belt buckles, jewelry pendants, souvenirs, craft gifts and other products produced from aluminum alloy and copper die-casting parts.

The descaling, polishing, brightening process of motorcycle pedal starter lever

How to polish the motorcycle pedal starter lever?

In this case, we will discuss the finishing and polishing process of descaling and deburring from a high-hardness forged iron motorcycle starter rod.

    • jerrylu
    • 2024-06-03
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motorcycle parts, starter levers, starter rod, deburring, descaling, polishing, brightening effect

1. Motorcycle starter lever before polishing
motorcycle parts, starter levers, starter rod, deburring, descaling, polishing, brightening before

Material:

Pig iron forgings

Apparance:

oxide scales and burrs

Shape:

S-shaped curve

Size:

300*7mm

Pre-polishing process:

Pig iron forging.

Post polishing process:

Finished or electroplated.

2. Requirements for finishing and polishing
  • The surface is smooth and burr-free.
  • Remove surface oxide scale.
  • Reduce surface roughness, increase gloss, and improve brightness.
3. Details of the finishing, polishing, deburring and descaling process for motorcycle parts (starter lever, starter rod, spark lever)
Process steps (1) Coarse finishing to remove burrs and scale (2) Fine polishing (3) Drying
Machine and Equipment Vibratory bowl Finishing Machine Vibratory bowl Finishing Machine Vibratory Dryer
Amplitude and speed highest and full speed highest and full speed highest and full speed
Tumbling Media angle cut cylinder ceramic deburring media ballcone stainless steel media corn cob polishing media
Abrasive to workpiece ratio 6:1 6:1 8:1
Finishing compound finishing liquid polishing liquid No
Water Appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media Appropriate amount, the liquid level should not exceed the tumbling media No
Finishing time 4 hours 30 minutes 30 minutes
Remark parts separated and picked up automatically, rinsed with water parts separated and picked up automatically, rinsed with water dry the water and wipe away the water stains
4. Effect after finishing and polishing
Rough deburring and descaling of motorcycle parts, starter levers, starter rod

deburring and descaling of forging motorcycle starter lever

Fine polishing and brightening of motorcycle parts, starter levers, starter rod

polishing and brightening of forging motorcycle starter lever

5. Additional information
  • Because the motorcycle starter lever accessories are made of pig iron forgings and the material is very hard, ceramic media with heavy cutting force is used to roughly remove scale and burrs. In order to fully finish the corners of the parts or the toothed inner wall of the inner ring, the shape of the ceramic media is a chamfered cylindrical tumbling deburring media, and the smooth curve of the cylinder itself can have a smooth surface on the starting rod. Smoother polishing effect. It should be noted that if the starting rod is made of aluminum forgings, then our tumbling finishing media cannot use ceramic media, but needs to use softer materialResin media (also called plastic media).
  • These motorcycle parts are not afraid of hitting each other, so in order to improve the screening efficiency, the finishing machine uses the vibrating bowl finisher with separator.
  • Iron workpieces are easily oxidized again when exposed to water and air. Therefore, we need to dry the water immediately after finishing and polishing.

6. Final summary
  • In this case, we demonstrate the process of deburring and descaling on the surface of a forged motorcycle workpiece, also called a starter lever, starter rod, and spark lever, and further improving the surface gloss and brightness.
  • This process is also suitable for polishing parts and components such as automobiles, bicycles, fishing gear, pumps and valves, sewing machines, equipment and tooling produced from forged iron.

How to deburr, descale, polish laser cutting workpieces?

How to remove burrs, flash, scale, chamfer, oil and dirt on laser cut parts? ShineTec is your reliable service manufacturer.
The mass finishing and polishing machines, equipments and tumbling abrasive media we produce can well meet the surface finishing treatment requirements of special-shaped laser cutting workpieces, water jet cutting parts, plasma cutting parts, and flame cutting parts. Depending on your actual production capacity and operating environment, we can help you achieve the best product finishing and polishing process. No burrs, No flash on parts. Efficient equipment and high-quality finishing abrasive media ensure the final surface quality of your products.

Deburring, deflashing and polishing of carbon steel and alloy steel laser cutting parts

Deburring, deflashing of carbon steel and alloy steel laser cutting parts

For parts such as stainless steel and high carbon steel, Ceramic Deburring Media with heavy cutting force are generally used, and a vibrating finishing and polishing machine is used with chemical finishing compound to achieve high finishing efficiency, strong processing capabilities, and a lower surface roughness.

Deburring, deflashing and polishing of aluminum-magnesium alloy laser cutting parts

Deburring,deflashing of aluminum-magnesium alloy laser cutting parts

Because the product material is relatively soft, high-density, color-contaminated Ceramic Deburring Media are not suitable for polishing this aluminum-magnesium alloy product. The best tumbling media is Resin Media, also called Plastic Media, Polyester Media.

Deburring, deflashing and polishing of brass and copper laser cutting parts

Deburring, deflashing of brass and copper laser cutting parts

Also because the product has a soft texture, resin tumbling media are also needed to deburr and deflash. After finishing and polishing, the surface color of the product can maintain its original color, and no contamination by ceramic tumbling media will occur.

Deburring, deflashing and polishing of stainless steel plate laser cutting parts

Deburring, deflashing of stainless steel plate laser cutting parts

Laser cutting workpieces made of thin steel plates and galvanized sheets also need to use high-cutting ceramic deburring media, with a vibratory finishing and polishing machine with Finishing Liquid Compound. If the workpieces stick to each other, Chemical Compound need to be added to prevent sticking.

Sheet metal laser cutting parts deburring deflashing and polishing

Deburring, deflashing of sheet metal laser cutting parts

Using a ceramic media such as a triangle with sharp corners or a beveled cylinder, you can deburr and polish deep into the corners, inner holes, gaps and other parts of the workpiece.

Deburring, deflashing and polishing of plastic and acrylic laser cutting parts

Deburring, deflashing of plastic and acrylic laser cutting parts

Laser cutting workpieces made of plastic or acrylic are suitable for polishing with high density porcelain tumbling media. This tumbling media does not contain abrasive sand, has no cutting force, and will not scratch the surface of the product.

  • 1. What are laser cut parts?
  • Laser cutting parts are workpieces produced using laser cutting processing technology. It is used in spare parts for products with high precision requirements in various industrial fields.
  • 2. Why do laser cut parts need to be deburred?
  • Laser-cut parts produced during processing must undergo surface treatment processes such as deburring and polishing.
    The benefits of applying this finishing process are as follows:

    2.1 Remove oxide layer.
    Laser cutting uses gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide as assistance. These gases will form an oxide layer on the surface of the product during high-temperature cutting. It may corrode or rust the parts, so you must polish these cutting parts to remove the oxide layer.

    2.2 Improve product appearance quality.
    The appearance of a product affects its quality. If you are a practitioner of machined parts, using the deburring and finishing process can provide a beautiful and uniform appearance to the workpiece.

    2.3 Repair product surface quality.
    The laser cutting process may cause certain appearance defects to the workpiece, such as silk lines, cracks, pitting, etc. Through finishing and polishing, these defects can be repaired, thereby improving product yield and reducing production costs.

    2.4 Chamfer processing.
    Laser cutting will produce sharp edges or corners, which may cause harm to users during use.
    After chamfering, sharp edges can be removed and sharp corners can be smoothed and rounded. It can also reduce product stress, which affects product durability and quality stability.

    2.5 Produces a special matte effect.
    Some products may require a matte finish. This demand can be met by using appropriate tumbling abrasive media and correct finishing and polishing processes.

    2.6 Improve security.
    Flashes, sharp edges, and sharp corners on the surface of the workpiece may cause harm to the user. Therefore, it is necessary to use a deburring and finishing machine for polishing in the subsequent process to improve the surface quality of the product.
  • 3. Can you explain the method of deburring from laser cutting workpieces?
  • Currently, many laser-cut parts are still polished manually. For example, traditional deburring methods such as sandpaper, power tools with grinding heads, belt sanders, and grinding wheels are used.
    These backward polishing methods are inefficient, not environmentally friendly, and also bring many safety hazards.
    Some new deburring processes include ultrasonic, thermal energy, electrochemical, sandblasting, shot blasting and other methods. Each has its own characteristics and limitations.
    The tumbling finishing and polishing process we currently provide is a low-cost, high-volume, and high-efficiency mechanized deburring and polishing method, which is especially suitable for some special-shaped laser cutting parts with complex cavities.
  • 4. What kind of equipment is the laser cutting workpiece deburring machine?
  • Laser cutting parts polishing machine is a machine used to deburr, descale, chamfer, clean, degrease, and polish and brighten laser cut products. Using the right tumbling abrasive media and choosing the right machine type will make your process more efficient. At the same time, it can also reduce labor costs, reduce labor intensity, and improve production efficiency.
  • 5. What are the advantages of laser cutting parts finishing and polishing machines?
  • The benefits of laser cutting parts deburring and polishing machines are as follows:

    5.1 Lower processing costs. Manual deburring requires high labor costs, more tools and abrasive material losses. Our finishing and polishing machine for laser cutting is a one-time investment. Later, you only need to purchase some tumbling media, chemical compound liquid regularly. Only very little manual participation is required during the processing, so labor costs will be greatly reduced.

    5.2 Save time. It is obvious that machine deburring and polishing can greatly save operating time compared to manual polishing. Your productivity can be greatly improved.

    5.3 Non-destructive surface treatment. Use suitable matching tumbling finishing media and choose the correct mass finishing equipment. After completing the polishing processes such as deburring and descaling, your product workpiece will not change in shape, position and size. It is a lossless process. If it is polished by hand, due to the different handling strength of each workpiece, it may have an impact on the size of the product, and each one is not uniform.

    5.4 Get the best surface quality. The quality of product appearance determines the quality of the product. Manual polishing cannot achieve a consistently stable product surface quality. But a polishing machine can give you a consistent look. Finishing time and surface roughness level can be controlled, helping you to stand out in the fierce market competition.

    5.5 Save labor. At present, the labor cost of product polishing process accounts for a large proportion of the overall product cost. ShineTec’s finishing and polishing machine allows a single worker to perform multiple batches of mechanized deburring, descaling and polishing, which will save a lot of labor costs and greatly reduce labor intensity.

    5.6 High-volume polishing. Our finishing and polishing solutions are characterized by high-volume, high-efficiency, mechanized automatic finishing. Laser cutting parts of different shapes and sizes can be processed in the same polishing machine. If combined with automated assembly lines, your production efficiency and product quality can be greatly improved.

    5.7 Extremely low maintenance costs. The daily maintenance cost of the machine and the loss of tumbling media are the most important factors for business owners to consider. ShineTec’s finishing and polishing machines have almost no maintenance costs. In addition to regularly adding a little lubricant to the motor, there are no other special tools that need to be purchased.

    5.8 No specially trained operators are required. Manual finishing and polishing requires special training for operators first. This is a high labor cost and an uncontrollable link in the production process. The mass finishing machines we provide are very simple to operate. Workers only need to load and unload materials. The polishing process of the machine does not require manual participation.

    5.9 Safe production environment. Laser-cut parts may have sharp corners, burrs or flash edges, which may cause harm to front-line workers. Debris generated during manual polishing may also enter people’s eyes or cause skin allergic reactions. Using finishing and polishing machines can avoid these phenomena. Provide production workers with a safe and reliable production working environment.

    5.10 Improve the adhesion of electroplating, paint and coatings. Some laser-cut parts may require electroplating, painting or coating treatment in the final stage. If polished by hand, the appearance of the product will be inconsistent, resulting in unstable surface quality of the finished product. After using our tumbling finishing and polishing, there will be a uniform surface quality before subsequent surface treatment, and a reliable and stable product quality will be obtained later.
  • 6. What types of laser cutting parts deburring machines does ShineTec have?
  • ShineTec provides different tumbling finishing and polishing machines that can be used to polish laser cut parts. They are vibratory/vibrating deburring and finishing machines, centrifugal barrel finishing machines, centrifugal disc finishing machines, and barrel tumbling finishing machines. Depending on the material, shape, specification and size of the workpiece, we can select the correct machine model and matching ceramic deburring media, porcelain polishing media and other tumbling media to meet your process requirements.

    6.1 Vibratory Finishing Machine. Vibration type, also called vibrating finishing and polishing machine, is the most commonly used equipment for deburring and polishing laser cutting parts. It is characterized by strong applicability, large processing capacity, easy operation, convenient loading and unloading, and controllable process. Generally, small and medium-sized special-shaped workpieces can be processed. The disadvantage is that it is not easy to penetrate deep into the cavity.

    6.2 Centrifugal Barrel Finishing Machine。 The centrifugal barrel finishing type, is a device suitable for finishing and polishing some small-sized laser cutting workpieces. It is characterized by strong cutting force, short processing time, and the ability to penetrate deep into the inner holes and gaps of the workpiece. The disadvantage is that the processing capacity is not large at one time, and loading and unloading is time-consuming.

    6.3 Centrfugal Disc Finishing Machine。 The centrifugal disc finishing machine is suitable for processing some laser cutting workpiece products with large burrs. It is characterized by the strongest cutting force, short processing time and easy loading and unloading. Generally speaking, compared with vibratory polishing machines, the finishing and polishing efficiency can be increased by about 30 times. The disadvantage is that it is not suitable for some thin laser cutting parts and is easy to deform or get stuck in the gaps of the machine chassis.

    6.4 Tumbling Barrel Finishing Machine. Also called rotary barrel polishing machine. It is suitable for parts with high surface polishing brightness and gloss requirements. It is characterized by slow work and careful work, combined with special abrasive media, such as walnut shells, corn cobs, wood, bamboo chips and other plant abrasives, and polishing paste, which can bring a mirror-like shiny surface effect. The disadvantage is that the processing time is slow and the efficiency is low. Some parts may need to be processed for several days at a time. It is also not suitable for some easily deformed laser cutting workpieces.
  • 7. What deburring abrasive media are used in laser cutting parts deburring machines?
  • The tumbling media used for finishing and polishing laser cutting parts are also called mass finishing media. ShineTec offers a wide range of abrasive media. The factors that affect the quality of abrasives mainly include cutting force, wear resistance, specific gravity density, hardness, appearance size, color and other indicators. High-quality raw materials and scientific production process control bring high-quality abrasive media. The main types are as follows:

    7.1 Brown Corundum Ceramic Deburring Media. Brown corundum ceramic media is a commonly used abrasive material used for deburring, descaling, deflashing and finishing of laser cutting parts. Suitable for hard metal parts. The deburring ceramic media provided by ShineTec are available in triangular, cylindrical, spherical, conical, three-star, oval, pyramid, tetrahedral and other shapes. Each shape has different specifications and sizes. Each abrasive media also has different cutting force levels. Heavy cutting force deburring media are used for workpieces that require a lot of finishing and cutting force, and light cutting force deburring media are used for some product workpieces that require a lot of smoothness.

    7.2 High Alumina Porcelain Media. High-alumina porcelain media do not contain brown corundum sand with strong cutting force. Therefore, this tumbling polishing media has no cutting force and cannot be used for deburring, descaling and other processing. Because of the high alumina content, the polishing abrasive media formed after final sintering has a large specific gravity, dense internal structure, and strong hardness. It is suitable for polishing processes that improve the surface brightness of laser cutting workpieces. The greater the specific density, the higher the surface brightness of the treated product. The appearance color is porcelain white, and the shapes are generally spherical, triangular, cylindrical, oval, etc.

    7.3 Resin Media。 Tumbling resin media are also called Plastic Media, Polyester Media. Because they have a moderately elastic surface, they are suitable for polishing and polishing laser cutting parts produced from soft metals such as aluminum alloys. Resin grinding stone is an abrasive material made of resin mixed with corundum sand powder through a curing reaction. It is also suitable for deburring and polishing workpieces made of materials such as copper and plastic. ShineTec can provide resin abrasives in conical, pyramid, triangular, three-star, bullet and other shapes. Brown corundum sand containing different mesh numbers can bring different cutting forces, and can also be divided into heavy cutting, medium cutting, and light cutting grades.

    7.4 Stainless Steel Media。 This polishing media is made of stainless steel. Because it has no cutting force and a density of up to 7.8 g/cm3, it is also used to polish the surface brightness of laser-cut parts. The specific gravity is more than three times higher than that of high-alumina porcelain polishing media, and the surface brightness obtained after polishing is also far superior to that of high-alumina porcelain polishing media. The shapes include ball, ballcone (ufo), and pin shapes, which are suitable for brightening metal workpieces.

    7.5 Mirror Polishing Media. It is mainly produced by processing walnut shells, corn cobs, cork pellets, bamboo chips, etc. In addition to their finishing and polishing functions, walnut shells and corncobs are also used to dry cleaned workpieces in a vibration dryer because of their strong water absorption. Vegetable tumbling media are mainly used to polish the surface brightness of laser cutting parts. When used in conjunction with a barrel tumbling polishing machine, a mirror-like bright effect can be achieved.
  • 8. Which products’ laser-cut parts can be used with this tumbling finishing deburring and polishing machine?
  • The laser cutting parts polishing machine provided by ShineTec can handle workpieces made of the following materials:

    8.1 Stainless steel laser cutting parts. This is the most commonly used workpiece material. Used in healthcare, automotive parts, electronics, machinery and other industries.

    8.2 Aluminum alloy laser cutting parts. For example, the framework of digital products.

    8.3 Laser cutting parts in copper. Brass is easily oxidized in the air and turns black. Its original appearance can be restored by polishing and brightening.

    8.4 Plastic laser cutting parts. Used in medicine, automobile, aviation, electronics and other industries.

    8.5 Thin sheet laser cutting parts. It is easy to form sharp edges after laser cutting, which also require polishing and rounding.

    8.6 Bending laser cutting parts. Triangle tumbling media are very suitable for deburring and polishing products.

    8.7 Acrylic laser cutting pieces. Used in construction, advertising, machinery and other industries.

    8.8 Carbon fiber laser cutting parts. Most carbon fiber products are cut using lasers.

    8.9 Carbon steel laser cutting parts. This product is very versatile.

    8.10 Alloy steel laser cutting parts. Such as chromium alloy, manganese alloy, tungsten alloy, titanium alloy and other components.

Can plasma finishing and polishing achieve a mirror polishing effect?

Plasma polishing has been widely used in fine polishing applications of high-end products, such as furniture and bathroom tableware industry: handles, handles, faucets, copper parts; glasses industry: glasses frames, glasses frames; aerospace manufacturing: aircraft engine blades; medical device manufacturing Industry: titanium alloy, stainless steel equipment and other fields.

1. What is plasma polishing?

Plasma polishing, also known as nano-polishing, is a new finishing and polishing process for deburring, descaling, and improving brightness on the surface of metal product workpieces. In essence, it is also electrolytic polishing. Under the action of large current, the electrolyte is vaporized and high-energy plasma is generated to impact the surface of the product to achieve a polishing effect. It is suitable for large quantities of special-shaped workpieces with complex curved surfaces to quickly and efficiently achieve a near-mirror polishing effect. So what kind of surface polishing effect can plasma polishing achieve? Today we will share a case in which deep-drawn stamping parts made of 304 stainless steel were treated with plasma polishing to remove burrs and oxide scale to achieve mirror polishing. Take a look at the specific advantages and disadvantages of this process and whether it can meet your finishing and polishing needs.
Let’s take a look at the comparison of the effects of plasma polishing on this stainless steel stamping part:

Surface effect of stainless steel deep-drawn stamping parts before plasma polishing

Surface effect of stainless steel stamping parts before plasma polishing(nano-polishing)

We can see that the surface of the original surface of this workpiece has lines left after cold rolling, and there are obvious stretch marks left after stretching on the edges. The upper opening has obvious burrs left after punching and cutting. It feels prickly and can cut your skin if you’re not careful.

Surface effect of stainless steel deep-drawn stamping parts after plasma polishing

Surface effect of stainless steel stamping parts after plasma polishing(nano-polishing)

Now the surface of the product is shiny, and the oxide scale on the internal and external surfaces has been removed. The original cold rolling marks are almost invisible when viewed from the front. The stretch marks on the edges have also become much reduced. The upper opening feels better to the touch. It should be smooth, no tingling feeling, and the burrs should have been removed.

2. Scope of application of plasma polishing

Now we fix the stainless steel deep drawing stamping part on the hanger and put it into the plasma polisher. After waiting for 2 minutes, you can see that its surface is now shiny and the original oxide layer has been completely removed. We Let’s take a look at the overall surface condition. The cold-rolled marks on the surface of the original part before polishing is still quite obvious. Look at the stretch marks on the edge. You can still see the obvious stretch lines. Let’s touch the cut part at the opening, the hand feels relatively rounded, does not irritate the hand, and the burrs have been removed. The internal and external surfaces of the entire product have uniform polishing quality and high brightness. It should be said that it is quite beautiful. Let’s sum it up. If your products are small pieces with relatively small burrs, smooth original surfaces condition, complex shapes, and large quantities, then plasma polishing can meet your needs and achieve a mirror polishing effect. If you want to remove larger burrs, flashes, scratches, and thicker oxide layers through plasma polishing, then plasma polishing cannot meet your requirements. Friends, do you now understand the characteristics of plasma polishing?

How to polish the surface of engine connecting rod parts?

Do auto parts, engine parts, engine piston connecting rods need to be polished? The answer is yes. Engine connecting rods on the market are made of various materials, including titanium alloy, stainless steel, cast iron, forged iron, aluminum alloy or zinc alloy. During the machining process, quality problems such as burrs, flash, cracks, tool lines, rust, and scale will inevitably occur on the surface. In order to improve the surface quality and service life of connecting rods, ShineTec does our best to provide you with the best deburring, descaling, finishing and polishing processes, methods, collections and solutions for your products. The special finishing and polishing machines, equipment and tools produced by us can solve various problems you encounter in connecting rod polishing, which can be called the connecting rods polisher.

Finishing and polishing of titanium alloy engine piston and connecting rod accessories

Finishing and polishing of titanium alloy engine connecting rod parts

Titanium alloy connecting rods are used in the engines of many sports vehicles due to their high strength and excellent performance. Light weight but high durability are the outstanding advantages of titanium connecting rods.
This kind of engine parts generally uses a vibrating finishing and polishing machine to perform polishing processes such as deburring, descaling, deflashing, chamfering, and brightening. The main polishing process is divided into two processes: rough finishing and fine finishing.
Rough finishing uses high cutting strength ceramic tumbling media combined with chemical finishing liquid, and fine finishing uses high density stainless steel media combined with acidic chemical polishing liquid to improve the surface brightness of the product.

Finishing and polishing of cast iron engine piston and connecting rod accessories

Finishing and polishing of cast iron engine connecting rod parts

Engine connecting rods made of cast iron are weaker than those made of stainless steel. Generally, low carbon steel is used for production. The main advantage of this product is the low material cost.
A Vibratory Finishing Machines is also used for rough finishing and fine polishing. For coarse finishing, ceramic tumbling media and finishing liquid are used to remove burrs, oxide scales, and flash edges. For fine polishing, stainless steel polishing media and acidic polishing liquid are used to brighten the surface.

Machined engine piston connecting rod accessories finishing and polishing

Finishing and polishing of machined engine piston connecting rod parts

Machined connecting rods can be made from different materials of metal or alloys. This kind of connecting rod will bear high pressure in the engine, so good finishing and polishing of the product surface can repair some surface defects such as cracks, pits, burrs, flashes, etc. to ensure that the connecting rod will not break under pressure.
A vibratory polishing machine can be used for polishing. If the volume and quantity of workpieces are small, a Centrifugal Barrel Finishing Machine can also be used. Different metal or alloy materials require different finishing and polishing abrasive media.

Finishing and polishing of forged engine piston connecting rod accessories

Finishing and polishing of forged engine piston connecting rod parts

Forged connecting rods are stronger than cast iron connecting rods. The surface of the forged connecting rod is definitely rough and not smooth, so the finishing process of deburring and descaling is necessary.
Universal vibratory finishing and polishing machines can be used for surface finishing and polishing. If you pursue short time and high efficiency, you can also use a centrifugal barrel finishing machine. It’s just that the purchase cost of the machine is higher than that of the vibration machine.
The abrasive media need to be matched according to the material and the shape and size of the workpiece.

Aluminum alloy or zinc alloy engine piston connecting rod accessories finishing and polishing

Finishing and polishing of aluminum alloy engine piston connecting rod parts

There are many benefits to using aluminum alloy or zinc alloy connecting rods compared to cast or forged connecting rods. Although its strength is not as strong as connecting rods made of other materials, this connecting rod can improve shock absorption performance and help reduce stress damage to the engine crankshaft.
Vibrating finishing machines or centrifugal barrel finishing machines can be used to debur, descale and deflash. Tumbling media, there is no doubt that Resin Media(Polyester/Plastic Media)must be used,For polishing brightness, Porcelain Media, High Density Porcelain Media, orStainless Steel Media can be used.

Finishing and polishing of supercharged engine piston and connecting rod accessories

Finishing and polishing of supercharged engine piston connecting rod parts

This type of connecting rod needs to have strong fatigue resistance. Can be produced in different metals or alloys.
A slight defect on the surface of the product may lead to substandard quality, so finishing and polishing is a necessary process. We also recommend using a vibratory finishing and polishing machine.

  • 1. What part of the engine is the connecting rod?
  • The piston connecting rod belongs to the category of automotive parts and is an essential accessory for an engine. It is installed between the piston and the engine crankshaft. Also called connecting rod assembly. It is responsible for converting the linear motion of the piston into the rotational motion of the crankshaft.
  • 2. What is the function of finishing and polishing engine connecting rods?
  • Polishing your engine connecting rods has many benefits:

    2.1 Fine finishing and beautiful surface.
    The correct polishing process can give the connecting rod a beautiful surface treatment.

    2.2 Improves the durability of connecting rods.
    Finishing and polishing can remove burrs and scale from the surface of the connecting rod, which are key quality defects that affect the life of the connecting rod. Therefore, removing these imperfect surface defects through finishing and polishing methods can greatly improve the durability of the connecting rod.
  • 3. Can you explain how traditional engine connecting rods are polished?
  • The traditional way of polishing connecting rods is manual. It requires a lot of labor and is an annoying process.
    They all use a polishing wheel. Polishing heads of different sizes can be installed on this polishing wheel. According to the different connecting rods, different polishing heads can be replaced for operation. It is also necessary to use polishing paste to speed up the polishing process and make the surface of the connecting rod shiny.
  • 4. How is ShineTec’s engine connecting rod polishing machine polished?
  • Generally speaking, it is divided into two processes. The first is rough finishing, deburring and descaling. Just put your connecting rod blank and tumbling abrasive media into the machine, and then add an appropriate amount of finishing liquid and clean water. After the rough finishing process is completed, the connecting rod can be taken out and transferred to the fine polishing process, which uses polishing to improve the gloss and brightness of the product surface. Just put the connecting rod and the porcelain abrasive media for fine polishing into the machine, add an appropriate amount of polishing chemical liquid and water, and start the machine. The entire polishing process is fully automatic, and you can get a shiny finished connecting rod after the polishing is completed.
  • 5. What are the benefits of using ShineTec’s finishing and polishing machine to polish engine connecting rods?
  • The benefits are many:

    5.1 Excellent surface quality. The traditional manual polishing method depends on the skills and skilled procedures mastered by the workers. The finished products polished by each worker will result in different surface polishing quality, and it is difficult to achieve consistent surface quality of the finished products.
    Polishing with our ShineTec finishing machines can avoid these problems and achieve consistent surface polishing quality.

    5.2 Save man-hours. Polishing each piece by hand requires many man-hours. A worker can only handle one piece of connecting rod at a time. Using ShineTec’s engine connecting rod deburring and descaling solutions, large batches can be processed fully automatically at one time. The operating hours are greatly reduced.

    5.3 low cost. Finishing and polishing mainly consist of two costs. One is the purchase cost of machinery and equipment, and the other is the labor cost of polishing. Manual polishing requires a large number of workers, but using our ShineTec professional finishing machine to polish large quantities of connecting rods only requires one operator. The one-time setup cost of the equipment will be higher than manual polishing tools such as polishing wheels, but it can be used for a long time. The tumbling ceramic media can generally be used for several months or even years after purchase. They are not more expensive than grinding wheels and polishing heads. The key is This saves a lot of labor costs, and overall, the cost of polishing will be greatly reduced.

    5.4 No specially trained polishing operators are required. Hand polishing requires extensive training of operators upfront. Using our mechanized high-volume automated finishing and polishing solutions is simple and requires no dedicated employee training.

    5.5 Not a labor-intensive polishing process. Traditional manual polishing is a typical labor-intensive process and requires a lot of labor. The polishing process of engine piston and connecting rod parts provided by ShineTec is completely mechanized. Only one worker is required to control the machine’s switch, which greatly reduces the use of labor.

    5.6 Non-destructive surface polishing process. The quality of hand polishing depends on the skill of the polisher. Because manpower is uncontrollable, sometimes the polishing process may inevitably cause damage to the product surface. Using ShineTec’s finishing and polishing process, as long as the correct process flow and tumbling ceramic media are determined through process samples in the early stage, the final product of the engine connecting rod will have a uniform surface quality.

    5.7 Extremely low maintenance costs.
    When determining the polishing process for engine connecting rod accessories, routine maintenance costs are also an important factor that should be considered. ShineTec’s deburring and polishing machines are easy to use and operate and do not require additional special tools or trained operators. Therefore, daily maintenance costs are extremely low.

    5.8 Large batch processing. ShineTec’s engine connecting rod polishing machine has the capability of mechanized processing of large batches at one time. It can not only polish the same products in batches, but also deburr and polish connecting rods with different shapes and sizes in the same batch. It can be called an engine connecting rod polisher.
  • 6. Can you explain the differences between polishing by different finishing machines?
  • ShineTec’s finishing and polishing machines mainly have three common types that can be used for professional polishing of engine connecting rods. It can meet the needs of deburring, descaling, degreasing, deflashing, polishing and brightening.

    6.1 Vibratory Finishing Machine。 The vibrating finishing machine is the most commonly used machine for polishing engine connecting rod parts. This model is the easiest to use and operate. The high-strength and elastomer PU lining of the working chamber can protect the connecting rod and tumbling ceramic media from hitting and cutting the inner wall iron plate. It is the most cost-effective and economical engine connecting rod polishing process solution. It can feed large quantities of connecting rods at one time and is suitable for polishing small and medium-sized engine connecting rods.

    6.2 Rectangular Tub Finishing Machine。 Vibratory rectangular tub polishers can be used to polish long wishbones and crossmember links. The rectangular working chamber can be divided into several independent spaces with partitions, so that each connecting rod can be polished in a separate space without collision damage.

    6.3 Centrifugal Barrel Finishing Machine. The centrifugal barrel finisher relies on centrifugal force to drive the working barrel for polishing. It is mainly used to clean and polish connecting rods during the fine polishing stage. The polishing efficiency of this model is very high, and it can produce a mirror-like polishing effect on the surface of the connecting rod within half an hour. Centrifugal barrel finishing machines are divided into two types according to different loading and unloading methods. One is that the barrel has a relatively large capacity and cannot be removed. There is a sealing cover on the barrel, and loading and unloading tumbling media go directly through the opening of the barrel. The other is that the working barrel has a small capacity and can be taken out of the machine. The loading and unloading tumbling media are in the machine. Performed externally, suitable for smaller sized connecting rod polishing.
  • 7. Are there any differences in finishing and polishing between the different abrasive media provided by ShineTec?
  • The abrasive media used to remove burrs, scale and flash from engine connecting rods are also called ceramic tumbling media or polishing media. Each abrasive media corresponds to a different polishing process. Ceramic deburring media are generally used for deburring, deflashing, and descaling. Stainless steel media or polishing porcelain media and high-density porcelain media are generally used to improve brightness. For different shapes and sizes of connecting rods, each tumbling media has different shapes and sizes to choose from.

    7.1 Ceramic Deburring Media. Deburring media is made by mixing brown corundum sand with cutting force with clay, alumina powder, etc., and then sintering it in a high-temperature kiln after shaping. According to the different particle sizes of brown corundum sand, it is divided into heavy cutting, medium cutting and light cutting types, which are suitable for different materials. To measure the quality of a deburring media, there are several indicators such as cutting force, wear resistance, dimensional consistency, hardness, and color difference. The ceramic media produced by ShineTec all use the best first-grade brown corundum new sand, clay raw materials from major manufacturers in the industry, strict molding production processes, and proper sintering temperature control. The above indicators of the tumbling ceramic media are all Ahead of domestic peers. Especially in the key indicator of wear resistance, it is far ahead of competing products. The use time can be extended by 2-3 times, which can save a lot of consumable costs for the manufacturers.

    7.2 Resin Media. Also called plastic media, polyester media, it is obtained by mixing brown corundum sand with resin and curing it. There are also three different finishing levels, heavy cutting, medium cutting, and light cutting. Commonly used shapes include cone, triangle, tetrahedron, and bullet shape. This kind of tumbling finishing media is suitable for polishing soft parts made of aluminum alloy, zinc alloy, copper and other materials.

    7.3 Porcelain Media. This kind of tumbling abrasive media is mainly made of sintered kaolin and alumina powder. It does not contain brown corundum sand and has no cutting force. Therefore, it is mainly used to polish the surface brightness. That is the last fine finishing and polishing process. The quality of the product is mainly determined by the alumina powder content, which ranges from 30% to 70%. The higher the content, the greater the density and specific gravity, and the higher the gloss and brightness of the polished product surface. Of course, sintering temperature is also a key factor affecting quality. Like brown corundum abrasives, tumbling porcelain media have various shapes, including sphere, triangle, oblique triangle, right cylinder, oblique cylinder, three-star, oblique three-star, ellipse, etc., and the specifications and sizes also vary widely.

    7.4 Stainless Steel Media. Since the specific density of stainless steel can reach 7.8 grams/cubic centimeter, which is three times that of porcelain media, the surface of the polished product has the highest density and the highest brightness. Suitable for surface polishing of hard metals. Not suitable for soft metal workpieces such as aluminum alloys and copper. This polishing media has virtually no wear and can be used continuously for decades. The stainless steel media shapes include ball, ballcone, ufo, and pins shapes, and the materials include AISI201, AISI304, AISI316, AISI420, and AISI440C, which are suitable for different acidic or perishable environments.

    7.5 Walnut Shells or Corncob Media. Walnut shell or corncob media is a biodegradable vegetable abrasive. It is mainly used for the drying process after polishing the engine connecting rods. This tumbling abrasive media also comes in different sizes depending on the particle size. In addition to absorbing water and drying, it also has the ability to adsorb impurities and dust on the surface of the connecting rod to the abrasive, playing a cleaning role. It is a dust-free cleaning process.
  • 8. Are there any engine connecting rods that can be polished using ShineTec’s polishing machine?
  • ShineTec’s mass finishing machines are suitable for almost all types of engine connecting rods on the market.

    8.1 Titanium alloy connecting rod. Titanium alloy connecting rods are high-end products on the market because of their strength and durability. Its performance is unmatched by other connecting rod products. A vibratory finishing machine can be used for cleaning and polishing.

    8.2 Cast iron connecting rod. Because it is mainly produced from low carbon steel, its strength is lower than that of stainless steel connecting rods. Due to its low production cost, it is the most widely used connecting rod product on the market. Vibratory finishing machines can be used for finishing and polishing.

    8.3 Machined connecting rods. The material can be produced from different metals, depending on the type of engine used. The most suitable machine is a centrifugal barrel finishing machine, which can quickly remove tool lines, burrs, and scale. A vibrating finisher can also be used.

    8.4 Supercharged engine engine connecting rods. Because it is used in high fatigue strength environments, high-strength materials will be used to produce this connecting rod. Generally used in high-horsepower heavy-duty engines. Proper polishing process can repair surface defects and extend the service life of connecting rods. Suitable for polishing using a centrifugal barrel finishing machine.

    8.5 Forged engine connecting rods. Compared with cast iron connecting rods, forged connecting rods have higher durability. The tighter metal crystal structure formed inside the forged parts ensures higher strength of the product. But forged connecting rods have more surface imperfections. Vibratory or centrifugal barrel finishing machines can be used to polish this product.

    8.6 Aluminum alloy connecting rod. Aluminum alloy connecting rods have better shock absorption performance. It can reduce the stress on the engine crankshaft and extend its service life. Because it is a soft metal, the tumbling finishing media used for deburring, descaling must be a resin tumbling media. The mass finishing machine can be a vibratory finishing machine or a centrifugal barrel finishing machine.

What is the ceramic media?

About Ceramic Media

  • 1. What is the ceramic media?
  • Ceramic media is used for tumbling finishing and polishing of product parts and workpieces, also called tumbler media, vibratory media, tumbling chip. It is a melting reaction between sand powder abrasives (such as brown corundum abrasive sand, white corundum abrasive sand, chrome corundum abrasive sand, silicon carbide abrasive sand, alumina powder, zirconia powder, etc.) and other ceramic bonding agents at high temperatures, artificially sintered mass finishing and polishing materials with various shapes. Because its hardness is close to that of stone, it is called tumbling stone. It can repair defects on the product surface, improve surface physical properties, and has a variety of finishing or polishing uses.
    ceramic media producing-cutting&shaping
    ceramic media producing-sintering
  • 2. What types of ceramic media are there?
  • There are many types of ceramic media, each suitable for different surface treatment purposes.
    Depending on the type of sintered abrasive sand powder, the commonly used ones are ceramic deburring media, silicon carbide deburring media, White corundum finishing media, chrome corundum finishing media, porcelain polishing media, High density porcelain media, zirconia polishing ball, Resin media.
    According to the use effect, there are rough finishing media, fine finishing media and polishing media. Both rough and fine finishing media have cutting force, but the cutting force is divided into light and heavy. The polishing media does not have cutting force and is only used to improve the surface gloss and brightness of the workpiece.
    According to the material, there are ceramic media and resin media. Among them, ceramic media are the collective name for deburring media such as brown corundum, silicon carbide, white corundum, chrome corundum, high-aluminum porcelain, high-density porcelain, and zirconia abrasive media.

    angle cut cylinder porcelain media
    cone resin media
  • 3. What is the use of ceramic media?
  • The operating principle of the ceramic media is to mix the workpiece or part with the tumbling media, add an appropriate amount of water and finishing compound, and load it into tumbling finishing machine In the working barrel, mechanical movements such as tumbling and rotation are carried out through vibratory (vibration), centrifugal disc, barrel, and tumbling barrel, so that the ceramic media and the workpiece impact and rub against each other, finishing the surface to achieve the effect of deburring and polishing.
    The role of ceramic media is reflected in two aspects:
    The ceramic media with cutting force can perform functions such as deburring, descaling, deflashing, chamfering, derusting, degreasing, cleaning and smoothing of parts and workpieces.
    The ceramic media without cutting force improves the density of the skin layer by impacting the product surface, and can polish and brighten the surface of parts and workpieces.

    heavy cutting ceramic media
    porcelain polishing media
  • 4. How long is the service life of the ceramic media?
  • The service life of a ceramic media can usually be from a few months to a few years, depending on the hardness, shape, and size of the finishing workpiece. Workpieces with sharp burrs and edges, sharp edges, flash edges, higher hardness and larger appearance will cause greater loss to the media. The service life is shorter.
    Of course the most basic factor depends on the quality of the ceramic media. High-quality tumbling media will enhance wear resistance while ensuring finishing efficiency. ShineTec’s ceramic media is a mature and stable formula formed on the basis of dozens of process tests. Corundum sand and ceramic bonding agent have the strongest matching performance, and the wear resistance of the product is longer than other products on the market in terms of service life. There is a 3 times improvement.
  • 5. What are the different functions of ceramic media made of different materials?
  • 5.1 Brown corundum deburring media is suitable for finishing and cutting product workpieces made of general metal or non-metal materials such as burrs, oxide scales, flash edges, turning tool marks, cutting edges, mold closing lines, etc.

    5.2 Silicon carbide deburring media are suitable for finishing and cutting hard, highly brittle and low-strength materials, such as cast iron, brass, bronze, zinc, tin and other products, especially magnetic materials such as rubidium iron boron, with very good results.

    5.3 White corundum and chrome corundum deburring media are suitable for finishing and cutting some precision parts and components because of their fine grit size. Also, because of their low surface roughness after treatment, they also form a very bright surface effect, so It is often used to finish and polish these products in one process at the same time.

    5.4 High alumina porcelain polishing media do not contain abrasive sand inside, so they have no deburring effect. The main component is alumina powder. The abrasive has high density. When it moves with the workpiece, it has a strong impact on the surface of the workpiece, forming a thick surface dense layer, which can improve the surface gloss and brightness of the part.

    5.5 The function of high-density porcelain polishing media is the same as that of high-alumina porcelain media. The difference is that the content of alumina powder in high-density porcelain media is higher, and its alumina content can reach more than 95%. Therefore, the density is larger, forming the surface brightness is higher.

    5.6 There is no abrasive sand inside the zirconia polishing ball. The main component is zirconia powder. The density of the zirconia media is higher than that of high-density porcelain media. The surface brightness of the workpiece after natural treatment is the highest.

    5.7 Resin media contain abrasive sand inside. Depending on the grit size of the sand, they can be divided into heavy cutting, medium cutting, and light cutting. They are suitable for finishing some soft metal workpieces, such as aluminum alloy products.

  • 6. What is the finishing efficiency of the ceramic media?
  • The finishing efficiency of the ceramic media depends on the grit size of the abrasive sand contained in it and the type of deburring and finishing machine. Specifically in terms of finishing time, the time required for a single finishing treatment can range from a few minutes to a few hours.
    The larger the grit size of the abrasive sand, the stronger the cutting force and the higher the finishing efficiency. But the larger the grit size, the greater the surface roughness and therefore the worse the surface finish.
    Depending on the operation mode and speed of the tumbling finishing machine, the finishing efficiency can be arranged in the following order:
    centrifugal disc finishing machine > centrifugal barrel finishing machine > vibratory finishing machine > tumbling barrel finishing machine
    In addition, for the same type of machine, the larger the machine, the larger the volume of the working barrel, and the higher the finishing efficiency.

    ShineTec fully automatic polishing machine for hardware
  • 7. Does the shape and size of the ceramic media affect its finishing performance?
  • The shape and size of the ceramic media are key factors affecting finishing performance. The purpose of making the ceramic media into shapes such as triangles, cubes, spheres, cylinders, and three-star shapes is to make certain sharp corners, cut surfaces, and curved surfaces of the ceramic media better match the irregular and complex shapes of product parts, so that some parts that are difficult to reach can be parts can also be polished. If the selection of the ceramic media is incorrect, some parts will never be polished, which will definitely affect the finishing performance.
    The size of the ceramic media is also an important factor to consider. If the size is too large, it will also cause the inner holes, dead corners, gaps and other parts of the workpiece to be unable to be polished. If the size is too small, on the one hand, it will cause the abrasive to wear too fast, and on the other hand, it will block certain holes in the product, and may even result in defective products.

  • 8. What are the benefits of finishing and polishing with ceramic media?
  • Are you still looking for manual polishing methods? Let us recommend to you this large-volume, high-efficiency automatic finishing and polishing process. Its comparative advantages over manual finishing methods are as follows:

    8.1 Compared with manual finishing and deburring, the efficiency can be improved dozens of times. Using some large-scale tumbling finishing machines, ceramic media mixed workpieces can feed hundreds or even thousands of kilograms at a time, and can be completed within dozens of minutes or hours. This processing efficiency is incomparable to manual polishing.

    8.2 The surface effect after finishing is uniform and controllable. The quality of hand polishing depends on the personal skill proficiency of the worker. Some products may have burrs polished cleanly, while others may still have some residue. The surface quality of each product is different. Sometimes it may also cause product damage, resulting in a relatively high scrap rate.

    8.3 The running costs of tumbling finishing are extremely low. The one-time purchase cost of the machine starts from a few thousand dollars, and it can generally be used for many years. The choice of ordinary ceramic media depends on the actual conditions of the product parts that need to be processed, and the price ranges from a few dollars to more than ten dollars per kilogram. Buying a few hundred kilograms at a time can usually take several months. The amount of polishing compound is very small and the cost is almost negligible.
    Ordinary finishing machines can feed dozens of kilograms of workpieces at a time, and the finishing time for a batch is generally 30-60 minutes. The direct cost of finishing and polishing when evenly distributed to each product is minimal.
    On the other hand, in terms of saving labor costs, the advantage of using ceramic media for batch deburring and polishing is even greater. As long as workers need to handle it when loading and unloading materials, the machine can be operated unattended, which greatly saves labor costs.

    8.4 By customizing ceramic media with special shapes and sizes, they can be used to process some deburring and polishing areas that cannot be completed by manual finishing. They have powerful functions and wide applicability.

    8.5 It is a safe and environmentally friendly deburring and polishing process. Compared with processes such as chemical polishing and electrolytic polishing, the sludge produced by ceramic media can be directly treated as solid waste after filter press, which is environmentally friendly.
  • 9. Can the ceramic media be used for dry finishing?
  • Not allowed.

    The water and finishing compound during the polishing process can provide lubrication. Buffer the impact force generated by the workpiece and ceramic media during high-speed movement. Without the lubrication and buffering effects of water and finishing liquid, the debris and impurities shed during the finishing process will scratch the surface of the workpiece and leave pits on the surface.

    At the same time, these metal or non-metal debris and impurities will accelerate the wear of the PU lining in the working barrel, greatly increase the temperature rise generated during work, and greatly reduce the service life of the PU.
    If the dust generated during the grinding process is not moistened with water, it will produce dust and pollute the surrounding air and environment.
  • 10. What kind of ceramic media is the best quality?
  • If you don’t know where to find the best ceramic media, here are some tips to help you decide:

    10.1 The shape of the ceramic media. The forming process in the production process of ceramic media is a link that reflects the manufacturing process level of the manufacturer. Good quality control capabilities determine that the ceramic media’s mixing, mud refining, shaping, cutting, and sintering processes all have qualified quality control capabilities. The ceramic media produced in this way have uniform shapes, consistent sizes, smooth surfaces, and sharp corners, these performance indicators ensure that cracks, mud occur rarely.

    10.2 The hardness of the ceramic media. This indicator reflects the sintering temperature control level of the kiln. If the kiln temperature is too low, the melting reaction of various micro-powders inside the ceramic media is insufficient, the tumbling media is too tender, the hardness is not up to standard, and the wear is very high during use. If the kiln temperature is too high, it will cause over-burning. Corundum sand on the surface of the ceramic media will precipitate, resulting in a porridge-like surface and the product will be scrapped.

    10.3 Durablity of ceramic media. Excellent product raw material quality, strict production process control, and just the right formula combination can produce high-quality ceramic media. The wear resistance of ShineTec’s tumbling media can reach about 3 times that of other manufacturers on the market. You can compare the use cost, which can reduce the direct cost of your product finishing and polishing process by 3 times.

    high quality ceramic media
  • 11. How to choose a suitable ceramic media?
  • 11.1 Choose the material of your ceramic media based on the effect you want to achieve. If you want to deburr, descale, deflash, derust, chamfer and other finishing effects on your product parts, then you should choose ceramic deburring media, silicon carbide deburring media, white Corundum finishing media and chrome corundum finishing media are abrasives with cutting force. If you just want to improve the surface brightness of your product, you need to choose polishing porcelain media, high-density porcelain media, and zirconia polishing bead, which are non-cutting and high-density tumbling ceramic media. If your product is made of soft metals such as aluminum alloy, copper, and zinc, you need to choose a resin media.

    11.2 Choose the appropriate ceramic media based on the size and surface condition of your product. If your product does not have holes, or cracks, then choose a larger deburring media so that it has a long service life and will not produce stuck holes or clogging even after its shape becomes smaller.

    11.3 Choose the appropriate ceramic media based on surface roughness. For rough products, choose a tumbling media with strong cutting force and sharp product corners. For precision parts, choose a abrasive media with fine abrasive grit and low cutting force.

What is the finishing media?

About Finishing Media

  • 1. What is the finishing media?
  • All materials that are naturally produced or artificially produced and have high hardness, cutting ability and certain strength and toughness, and are used for grinding, finishing or polishing, can be finishing media, abrasive media. Finishing media are a diverse category, and many people have questions of one kind or another, such as: What are finishing media? What are the commonly used finishing media? What are finishing media used for? What are the types of finishing media? Let’s talk about these issues in detail below.
    natural abrasives
  • 2. What are the types and uses of commonly used finishing media?
  • According to the source, abrasives can be divided into two categories: natural abrasive media and artificial finishing media.

    2.1 Natural abrasive media include diamond, natural corundum (also called emery), garnet, quartz sand, diatomaceous earth, pumice, flint, silica, feldspar, chalk, lime for polishing, etc.

    2.1.1 Diamond. Diamond is the hardest substance currently known. The main ingredient is carbon, which is expensive because of its limited origin. Mainly used for manufacturing resin, ceramic or metal bonded abrasive tools. Diamond has a sharp shape and is the best abrasive tool for grinding hard and brittle materials such as cemented carbide, optical glass, and ceramics. It has a better polishing effect on alloys of different phases with huge differences in soft and hard. In addition, diamond polishing abrasive media have the characteristics of long finishing life, high cutting ability, and strong wear resistance. However, because it is easily carbonized at 700℃~800℃, it is not suitable for finishing steel materials and ultra-high-speed grinding.

    2.1.2 The main components of emery are aluminum oxide (Al2O3), a small amount of iron oxide (Fe2O3) and other impurities. It can be used for finishing and polishing all metals.

    2.1.3 Garnet is the oldest type of polishing abrasive media. It was called Ziyawu in ancient China. It has been used to grind gemstones since the Bronze Age. It gets its name because the crystal particles are shaped like pomegranate seeds. It is mostly used for sandblasting, waterjet cutting, manufacturing coated abrasive tools, filter materials, wear-resistant floor aggregates, etc. It is used in hardware, steel, castings, ceramics, aluminum, wood, and leather industries.

    2.1.4 The main component of quartz sand is SiO2, which is the earliest grinding wheel material and can be used for grinding, polishing, tumbling and sandblasting. The main component of diatomite is also SiO2, which is an ingredient in the manufacture of polishing powder and whetstone. Suitable for finishing and polishing soft metals such as brass, aluminum, and zinc.

    2.1.5 Pumice comes from volcanoes and is the raw material for making polishing powder. Suitable for finishing and polishing soft metals and their alloys, wood, glass, plastic, leather, etc.

    2.1.6 Flint, is a relatively common siliceous rock. Because flint is hard and produces sharp fractures when broken, it was first favored by primitive people in the Stone Age and used to strike and make stone tools. The striking of flint and iron tools will produce sparks, so it was also used as a fire-making tool by ancient people. In ancient China, a small piece of flint and a steel “fire sickle” were often struck to make fire, so flint is also called flint. The modern grinding industry utilizes its hard and sharp edges as grinding materials.

    2.1.7 Silica is the general name for vein quartz, quartzite, and quartz sandstone. The main component is also SiO2. Silica has a wide range of uses. When used in the grinding industry, it can be used to make grinding stones, oil stones, and sandpaper. It can also be used to polish glass, Surface of metal products, sawing and grinding stones, polishing jewelry, etc.

    2.1.8 Feldspar is the general name for feldspar minerals. There are many types, such as albite, anorthite, barium feldspar, barium adolite, microcline feldspar, orthoclase, feldspar, etc. The main component is feldspar. Silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, K2O, sodium oxide, calcium oxide, etc. When used in the grinding industry, it is often used as a bond component in the production of bonded abrasive tools, such as grinding wheels.

    2.1.9 Chalk is calcium carbonate and has a wide range of uses. It is used in the grinding industry as a raw material for tooth powder, toothpaste and other cosmetics.


    2.2 Artificial abrasive media. It is an abrasive material that does not exist in nature and is entirely artificially produced. The main types are:

    2.2.1 Sintered abrasives. Mainly divided into corundum abrasive media, silicon carbide abrasive media and CBN (cubic boron nitride) abrasive media, the varieties are divided into:

    Brown corundum abrasive media. The main component is Al2O3, which has medium hardness, high toughness, sharp particles, relatively low price, and is suitable for processing metals with high tensile strength.

    White corundum abrasive media. Its hardness is slightly higher than brown corundum, but its toughness is poor. It is easy to cut into the workpiece during finishing. It has good self-sharpening, low heat generation, strong finishing ability and high efficiency. Chrome corundum abrasive media is its derivative.

    Single crystal corundum abrasive media. Its particles are composed of a single crystal and have good multi-edge cutting edges, high hardness and toughness, strong grinding ability, and low grinding heat. The disadvantage is that the production cost is high and the output is low, so the price is relatively high.

    Silicon carbide abrasive media. Divided into black silicon carbide abrasives, green silicon carbide abrasives, cubic silicon carbide abrasives, and cerium silicon carbide abrasives. The main component is SiC, which has high hardness, high brittleness, sharp abrasive grains, good thermal conductivity, and strong wear resistance. It is more suitable for processing hard and brittle metal and non-metallic products. At present, the finishing and cutting of most NdFeB magnetic materials is widely used.

    CBN (cubic boron nitride) abrasive media. It is a synthetic super-hard material, its hardness is second only to diamond, and it is an excellent grinding material. Compared with traditional grinding materials, CBN abrasives have excellent grinding performance, especially when grinding cemented carbide, and are more efficient. CBN abrasive media are known as one of the greatest technological advances in the history of the abrasives industry due to their high strength, high wear resistance, excellent hardness close to diamond, and excellent thermal stability. The wear resistance and hardness are more than four times that of traditional abrasives, and its unique chemical properties also make it particularly suitable for grinding ferrous metal materials.
    The thermal integrity of CBN abrasive media and their ability to maintain a sharp cutting edge when machining ferrous materials makes them the product of choice for advanced grinding systems. When grinding ferrous metals, they do not react with each other; when grinding steel alloys, they are not easily oxidized. This makes CBN abrasive media the first choice for high-performance grinding wheels for grinding different materials such as cast iron and hard steel.
    CBN abrasive media can withstand high temperatures of 1300℃~1400℃, are chemically inert to iron group elements, have good thermal conductivity, have high removal rates when grinding steel, have large grinding ratios, and have long tool life. They are ideal for grinding hardened steel, The best abrasive for metals with high hardness and toughness such as high-speed steel, high-strength steel, stainless steel and heat-resistant alloys. In addition, CBN abrasive tools are also suitable for ultra-high-speed grinding, and metal-based CBN abrasive tools will not break even if the linear speed exceeds 250m/s.


    2.2.2 Preformed finishing media.
    There are two types of such finishing media: One is sintered ceramic media; also known as ceramic deburring or polishing media. Corundum sand or silicon carbide powder, quartz powder, alumina and other materials are melted at a high temperature of more than 1,000 degrees and sintered into a finishing media with very high hardness. The other is abrasives media bonded with resin, called resin media, polyester media or plastic media. This type of abrasives media can be made into triangular, spherical, square, conical, cylindrical and other shapes. Each shape of abrasives media has different sizes.


    2.2.3 Steel finishing media.
    It can be made into hard steel balls, stainless steel balls, ballcone, ufo, needles, pins, angle cut cylinder and other shapes. This type of abrasive media has high strength and is not easily broken. It is mainly used for polishing surface brightness.


    2.2.4 Bio-degradable finishing media.
    Commonly used ones include corn cobs, walnut shells, sawdust, shredded felt, shredded leather, etc. It is mainly used in the tumble polishing process. It is used for the final polishing and drying of parts that have been treated with light finishes, and can achieve an effect close to mirror polishing.

    diamond abrasive media
    Artificial brown corundum abrasive media
  • 3. What is tumbling finishing media?
  • Tumbling finishing mediaalso called tumbling abrasive media and mass finishing media, refer to abrasive media that use tumbling, vibrating, rotating and other motion methods to finishing the surfaces of product parts and workpieces. It can be natural abrasive media such as river sand, stones, and plants, but most of them use artificial abrasives, including abrasive media with cutting force and polishing media without cutting force. This artificial abrasive media comes in a variety of shapes, including tri-angle, ellipses, spheres, cylinders, tri-star shapes and other clumps, so it is also commonly called tumbling media. It can be said that tumbling abrasive media are one category of abrasive media, but because natural abrasive media are rarely used now, tumbling media actually refer to tumbling abrasive media in most cases.
    angle cut tri-angle ceramic tumbling media
    sphere ceramic tumbling media
  • 4. What can tumbling finishing media be used for?
  • Tumbling media can deburr, descale, deflash, chamfer, derust, degrease, clean, polish, brighten on metal and non-metallic parts and workpieces. The advantage of this kind of finishing media is that it can quickly finish products in large quantities, automatically, and has the characteristics of low cost, high efficiency, safety and environmental protection.
  • 5. What are the types of tumbling finishing media?
  • Tumbling media are divided into three types of abrasive media: rough finishing, fine finishing and polishing:

    5.1 Rough finishing media, mainly includes brown corundum ceramic media, resin ( plastic) media, divided into heavy cutting force, medium cutting force and light cutting force.

    5.2 Fine finishing media, includes white corundum ceramic media, chrome corundum ceramic media, 3P abrasive media, etc. Because the grit size of the micropowder contained in it is very fine, some of which are nearly 2000-3000 mesh, it can continuously perform micro-cutting on the surface of the workpiece to form a more delicate surface roughness, which is suitable for finishing and polishing precision parts.

    5.3 Polishing abrasive media include high-alumina porcelain media, high-density porcelain media (high-alumina porcelain media with an alumina content of more than 95%), stainless steel media, walnut shell abrasive media, corn cob abrasive media, etc. The main purpose is to improve the gloss and brightness of the workpiece surface.

  • 6. How does tumbling finishing media work?
  • The shapes of tumbling finishing media include triangles, spheres, cubes, cylinders, three-star shapes, etc. The cutting surfaces are straight and angle to form acute angles at different angles. The specifications are also available in dozens of sizes from 1mm to 60mm, which are suitable for each. Finishing and polishing of internal and external surfaces of product parts with irregular and complex shapes, holes, seams, corners and other parts. The main mode of operation is to put the abrasive media and parts together into the working barrel of the tumbling finishing and polishing machine, and use the vibrating, tumbling, rotating and other mechanical movements generated by the machine to cause the abrasives to rub and cut on the surface of the workpiece to achieve the effect of finishing and polishing.
    ShineTec's Hardware Fully Automatic Polishing Machine
  • 7. How to choose the correct tumbling finishing media?
  • There are several factors to consider when purchasing tumbling media:

    7.1 Cutting force. This indicator determines the speed at which the workpiece is ground. Heavy-cutting abrasive media can finish parts faster but produce a relatively rough surface finish. Conversely, light-cutting abrasive media finish more slowly but produce higher surface quality.

    7.2 Durability. Wear resistance determines the service life of abrasive media. Wear resistance is affected by factors such as the quality of various raw materials, the particle size and content of abrasives, the matching degree of binder and corundum sand, the condition of vacuum during molding, and the control of sintering temperature. This is a key indicator reflecting the quality of abrasives.

    7.3 Hardness. Workpieces with different hardnesses require tumbling media with different hardnesses for finishing. The harder the workpiece, the harder the abrasive media is required to polish it. If high-hardness abrasives are used to polish workpieces made of soft materials, they may cause damage to the workpiece. For example, if aluminum alloy workpieces are ground with brown corundum ceramic deburring media, the surface will be dull, corrosion pits (impacting points) and a deformation disturbing layer will be produced on the surface.

    7.4 Shape and size. Different shapes and sizes of product parts require matching abrasive media of different sizes and shapes. Generally speaking, the larger your workpiece is, the larger the media will be, and the smaller the workpiece will be, the smaller the abrasive will be. Particular attention should be paid to the shape and size of the abrasive media so that it cannot get stuck in the inner holes, pipes, gaps, corners, etc. of your product.
    Every user of abrasive media wants to buy high-quality abrasives with fast grinding time, high surface quality and strong wear resistance. Maybe you are looking for where is the best tumbling abrasive media manufacturer? Please contact us. ShineTec masters the key technologies of abrasive production and manufacturing and can provide you with the most cost-effective abrasive media.
  • 8. What is the best tumbling finishing media?
  • To measure the quality of finishing media, the most critical factors are cutting efficiency and wear resistance. However, in terms of production and manufacturing processes, these two are contradictory indicators. To achieve high cutting efficiency, you need to use large-grained corundum sand. However, the larger the particle size of the sand, the easier it is to fall off from the matrix during finishing, affecting the wear resistance of the abrasive and causing high wear. Here it is necessary to master the bonding strength between the sand grains and the binder, find a balance point, and maximize the cutting force of corundum sand while enhancing the bonding strength with the matrix. It requires both high cutting force and strong wear resistance. This is the core technology that produces the best tumbling media.
    tumbling finishing media
  • 9. How long is the service life of tumbling finishing media?
  • The service life of tumbler media typically ranges from several months to several years, depending on the hardness, shape, and size of the workpiece being ground. Workpieces with sharp burrs and edges, sharp edges, flash edges, higher hardness and larger appearance will cause greater loss to the abrasive. The service life is shorter.
    Of course the most basic factor depends on the quality of the tumbler media. Good abrasive media will enhance wear resistance while ensuring grinding efficiency. ShineTec’s tumbler media are mature and stable formulas formed on the basis of dozens of process formula tests. Corundum sand has the best material match with other binders, and the wear resistance of the products is longer than other products on the market in terms of service life. There is a 3 times improvement.
  • 10. How to calculate the volume matching ratio between finishing media and workpiece?
  • What is the most appropriate loading ratio of tumbler media to workpiece during primary finishing and polishing? This ratio depends on the finishing effect you want to achieve. Factors that need to be considered include the material, size, shape of the abrasive media, the material and weight of the workpiece.
    Below is a basic tumbler media : parts ratio guide, please refer to the table below to determine your usage:

    Tumbler Media to Workpiece Volume Ratio Typical Application
    0 : 1 no abrasive media, and the product is self-finishing and polishing, such as some decorative stones for handicrafts.
    1 : 1 Same proportion of tumbler media and products with very rough surface, such as forgings, castings, etc.
    2 : 1 Light finishing, allowing workpieces to collide with each other.
    3 : 1 Minimum ratio for copper, aluminum, zinc and other non-ferrous metal workpieces. The workpieces may collide with each other, so the ratio is suitable for finishing and polishing ferrous metals.
    4 : 1 Average efficiency ratio of non-ferrous metal workpieces. High efficiency ratio for ferrous metal parts.
    5 : 1 Suitable for finishing and polishing non-ferrous metal parts. Workpieces rarely collide with each other.
    6 : 1 Suitable for finishing and polishing of non-ferrous metal products. It is often used for pre-plating treatment of resin media and aluminum and zinc alloy workpieces.
    8 : 1 Suitable for finishing and polishing of non-ferrous metals or precision parts. Less surface roughness and smoothness.
    10:1~20:1 Better polishing quality. Suitable for irregular shapes or fragile workpieces.
    Max No collision between workpieces. One machine polishes one part or each workpiece needs to be separated.
What is the best deburring, finishing and polishing process method?

In the manufacturing process of machining, powder metallurgy, plastic injection molding, metal casting, electronic appliances, medical equipment, aerospace, 3D printing, jewelry, instrumentation, jewelry and other industries, we will all encounter surface treatment problems. We are also frequently exposed to the two professional terms finishing and polishing, so do you know what the differences are between different finishing and polishing process methods? What is the best commonly used finishing and polishing process? The following is an introduction to various finishing and polishing processes.

1. What is finishing?

Finishing uses abrasive tools and media to cut the surface of the workpiece under a certain pressure. Product workpieces can be made of various metal or non-metallic materials, and the processed surface shapes include flat surfaces, arc surfaces, concave and convex surfaces, threads, tooth surfaces and other special-shaped surfaces.
Finishing can be achieved by manual or mechanical automation. It is the preliminary stage of surface treatment. The main purpose is to remove scale, deburr and level.
According to the different grit size of the abrasive media, it is divided into heavy cutting, medium cutting and light cutting, which correspond to different cutting strengths. The stronger the cutting force, the higher the efficiency, but the higher the surface roughness.
The manual finishing method mainly uses grinding tools such as grinding wheels, sandpaper, wire brushes, and grindstones to grind the surface of the workpiece. It is a surface treatment process with maximum cutting intensity and has the greatest impact on the accuracy and appearance dimensions of the product. The advantage of manual finishing is that it requires less equipment investment, is convenient and fast, and is suitable for various complex cavities. The disadvantages are high labor costs, low efficiency, unfriendly environment, poor safety, and inconsistent surface quality. It is a process that will be phased out.
The automated finishing method uses professional finishing machines and equipment to perform batch mechanized grinding of the workpiece surface. At present, there are several special machines and equipment below that can be used for automatic finishing in large quantities.

Surface grinding lathe deburring and scale grinding and polishing

Grinding lathe

Divided into internal and external cylindrical or surface grinders, belt sanders, grinders, etc. Internal and external cylindrical grinders are used to grind the cylindrical internal and external surfaces of product workpieces. Surface grinders are used to grind flat parts to obtain a smooth and flat outer surface. Abrasive belts and grinders are also operated by manual single parts and are suitable for medium and large-sized components. The advantages of this kind of grinding machine are simple operation, high cutting force, the ability to cut and grind different parts with different strengths, and the ability to process products of medium and large dimensions. The disadvantage is that the purchase cost of the machine equipment is high and it can only process a single product. It can only grind product parts with simple shapes, but cannot handle workpieces with complex surfaces and irregular internal holes, holes, gaps and other parts.

Robotic deburring, grinding and polishing of automotive aluminum alloy wheels

Industrial robot

This is an advanced grinding processing equipment. By setting a fixed motion path through PLC programming, and using the grinding head, workpieces with complex internal and external surfaces can be automatically ground. For example, some stainless steel, aluminum alloy, zinc alloy and other kitchen utensils, bathroom hardware, car wheels, etc. The advantage of this equipment is that grinding and finishing can be integrated into one piece, and different surface treatment processes can be achieved by replacing different grinding heads. It is also suitable for processing medium and large complex-shaped product parts. It can also control the finishing of a certain part of the product individually, and has strong defect repair capabilities. The disadvantage is that the purchase cost is high, the investment in supporting facilities is also large, it can only be processed in a single piece, the efficiency is low, the operation and maintenance are complicated, and the inner surface of the product cannot be processed.

Sandblasting, deburring, descaling, grinding and polishing

Sand blasting machine

This is the most widely used grinding treatment method. Sandblasting is a machine that uses compressed air as power to eject high-speed abrasive sand chip to remove scale, burrs, and flash on the surface of the product. Suitable for some medium and large-sized products, such as cast iron parts, forgings, machined parts, large turbine blades, etc. Shot blasting is to throw small steel shots through a high-speed rotating impeller, impact the surface of the part, and remove the oxide layer. The advantage of this grinding method is that it is suitable for extra large or medium-sized product workpieces, can handle complex shapes, and can improve the metallographic structure of the product surface and improve the surface mechanical properties. The disadvantages are high investment cost, small batch processing at one time, not suitable for small workpiece products, high surface roughness after treatment, and cannot handle the inner surfaces of the product’s inner holes, pipes, gaps, etc.

Abrasive flow,inner hole deburring, descaling, polishing

Abrasive flow machining for deburring and descaling

Also called AFM deburring and finishing. This method is widely used for in-hole deburring and descaling of various precision parts. Its operating principle is to mix diamond, white corundum sand, silicon carbide and other abrasive sand with the abrasive flow to prepare a semi-fluid finishing media, which quickly passes through the holes inside the workpiece under the pressure generated by the machine, and uses the abrasive sand to polish the inner wall. Cutting to achieve the finishing effect of deburring and descaling. The advantage of this method is that it is particularly suitable for deburring and polishing the inner surfaces of precision parts with complex inner holes. The disadvantage is that its finishing efficiency is low and it cannot be processed in batches. It can only be used for polishing inner holes below 500mm. The cutting amount is only within a few microns. It cannot remove large burrs, turning lines, oxide skin, rust spots, etc. Special tooling fixtures are also required, and the one-time investment cost is also high.

Magnetic grinding, deburring, polishing, descaling, degreasing, cleaning

Magnetic polishing machine

Magnetic polishing uses magnetic force to drive the stainless steel needles in the working barrel of the machine to produce high-frequency motion and impact the internal and external surfaces of the workpiece to achieve the effect of deburring, descaling, deflashing, brightening from the inner holes, dead corners, gaps, and other parts of the hardware workpiece. Suitable for finishing and polishing metal or hard plastic non-metal workpieces. The advantage of this polishing method is that it is suitable for irregular and complex special-shaped parts. Deburring, descaling and polishing can be completed in one go. It does not deform, does not affect the dimensional accuracy of the workpiece, and does not damage the surface. The surface roughness can reach Ra0.1-Ra0.01. It can be processed quickly in batches. It takes 5-20 minutes in polishing, has high efficiency, no loss of consumables, and low investment. The disadvantage is that the machine’s processing capacity is generally within tens of kilograms at a time, and it is only suitable for workpieces of smaller sizes, such as small hardware, small ornaments, precision parts, etc.

tumbling finishing and polishing to deburr, descale, deflash, derust, chamfer, degrease

Mass finishing machine

This is the most widely used surface finishing method and is also a professional equipment in the field of batch finishing. Contains models with multiple motion patterns, using vibratory finishing, centrifugal barrel finishing, centrifugal disc finishing and other methods drive the tumbling deburring media and workpiece to tumble and rotate in the working barrel of the machine, let the abrasive to cut on the surface of the workpiece to remove burrs and oxidation skin, flash, oil stain and other effects. The abrasive media has a very high hardness after being sintered at high temperature, like stones, so it is generally called ceramic media, also called tumbling media. Materials include brown corundum, white corundum, silicon carbide, etc. Commonly used shapes include triangle, spherical, cylindrical, three-star, cone, and tetrahedron. There are also various specifications and sizes, which are used to finish workpieces of different materials and shapes. The advantages of this finishing method are wide application range, large batches and high efficiency. The shape of the workpiece can be irregular and special-shaped. Internal holes, dead corners, cracks, cross holes and other parts can be finished. The size can range from a few millimeters to 3 meters, the dimensional accuracy of the product is not affected, and the workpiece materials can be supported from non-ferrous metals, ferrous metals, powder metallurgy, plastic, acrylic, rubber, bamboo, marble, glass and other non-metal materials. The investment cost is low and the operation is simple and convenient. The disadvantage is that it can only finish the entire workpiece and cannot control the finishing of a single part. For example, it is impossible to level a certain convex part of the product. Also, if the inner hole or pipe length of some products exceeds 30mm, the effects of rust removal and descale on the inner surface will not be satisfactory.

2. What is polishing?

Polishing refers to a processing method that uses manual, mechanical, chemical or electrochemical methods to reduce the surface roughness of the workpiece to obtain a shiny and bright surface. Generally speaking, polishing is performed after finishing and is a later stage of surface treatment. Polishing cannot improve the dimensional accuracy or geometric shape accuracy of the workpiece, but is intended to obtain a smooth surface or mirror gloss. Sometimes it is also used to eliminate gloss (matting), such as to obtain a matte effect. The main polishing methods are as follows:
1. Artificial polishing.
The manual polishing method mainly uses professional tools such as polishing wheels, polishing heads, and angle grinders to apply polishing paste on the polishing wheel and press it against the product surface while rotating at high speed, allowing the abrasive to roll and micro-cut the workpiece surface. This results in a shiny surface effect. The surface roughness of the polished product can reach Ra0.6~0.01 micron. Like manual grinding, the advantage of manual polishing is that it requires less equipment investment, is convenient and fast, and is suitable for irregular shapes and internal surfaces. By using polishing and abrasive media of different mesh sizes, a mirror polishing effect can be achieved, which is the best among all polishing methods. The disadvantages are that the labor cost is too high, training is required to get on the job, efficiency is low, the environment is unfriendly, safety is poor, and surface quality is inconsistent. It is a process that will be phased out. At present, it is only used when polishing some medium and large kitchen and bathroom products.
2. Mechanical polishing. Use professional polishing machines and equipment to perform batch mechanized polishing of workpiece surfaces. At present, there are several special machines and equipment below that can be used for automatic polishing in large quantities:

Automated industrial robot polishing mobile phone case

Industrial robot

A cloth wheel is installed on the robotic arm and products with irregular and complex surfaces can be polished according to the set motion trajectory. At present, many kitchen and bathroom hardware, decoration, automobile wheel and other industries have begun to use this robot-automated polishing method extensively. By replacing the cloth wheel and polishing paste with a finer grit size on the surface of the product that has been ground in the previous process, the same equipment can achieve the polishing function. Its advantage is that it is suitable for processing medium and large product parts with complex shapes, and can also achieve mirror effects. The disadvantage is that the purchase cost is high and the investment in supporting facilities is also high. It can only be processed in a single piece, with low efficiency. The operation and maintenance are complicated. It cannot handle the inner surfaces of the product such as holes and gaps.

Shot blasting, shot blasting polishing machine

Shot blasting machine

Shot blasting or shot blasting machines can also be used for polishing. They use stainless steel shot media to hammer the surface of metal parts at high speed to increase surface density and achieve the effect of improving surface gloss and brightness. The advantage is that it is suitable for medium and large parts, and can also handle complex curved surface cavities. The disadvantage is that the polishing roughness is high, which can only increase the gloss and brightness, but cannot achieve a mirror-like polishing effect. In addition, it can only be used for surface polishing of product parts made of metal.

Magnetic polishing machine

Magnetic polishing machine

Magnetic polishing machine integrates the finishing and polishing processes into one. It uses the high-speed rotation and rolling of stainless steel needles to impact the surface of the workpiece. It removes burrs, scale, oil and impurities while improving the surface brightness of the product, achieving the purpose of polishing. The advantages are high efficiency, no loss of consumables media, and low investment. The disadvantage is that the number of processes is small, it is only suitable for small product parts, and the surface roughness after polishing is relatively high.

mass tumbling polishing

Tumbling polisher

It can also be called a mass polishing machine, polishing tumbler. Based on the rough finishing of descaling and deburring in the previous process, by replacing different polishing media, the roughness of the product surface can be reduced and the brightness can be improved. Abrasive media for polishing are generally usedporcelain polishing media, high-density porcelain media (In fact, this is also a type of porcelain, but the alumina content in it is higher than that of common porcelain media, can reach about 95%, so the density is higher than that of common porcelain media), white corundum polishing media, chrome corundum polishing media, stainless steel polishing media. The principle is to use high-density, high-hardness tumbling media to hit the surface of metal products to change the tightness of the arrangement between grains. At the same time, the micro-powder contained in the polishing media is used to perform micro-cutting on the surface, reducing roughness and improving brightness and gloss. There is also a polishing method commonly known as polishing, which is to use barrel tumbling polishing machine uses plant bio-degradable such as wood chips, bamboo chips, corn cobs, and walnut shells. It uses the coarse fibers on the surface of this material to simulate the cloth wheel used for manual polishing, and with the polishing paste, it passes Dozens of hours of slow and micro-finishing achieve a mirror-like effect. The advantage of rotary tumbling polishing is that it has a wide range of applications, large batches, and high efficiency. It can be used for product parts with various special shapes and complex surfaces. The materials can also be metal and non-metal materials. The operation is simple and convenient. The disadvantage is that the polishing effect cannot reach the mirror state of a manual cloth wheel. The smooth polishing method can only achieve an effect close to a mirror surface at best.

3. Chemical polishing.
Chemical polishing is a method that relies on the chemical corrosion of chemical reagents to selectively dissolve uneven areas on the surface of the product to eliminate oxide scale and etch and level it. Using strong acid or alkaline solutions such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid or sodium hydroxide, the principle is that the convex parts on the surface of the metal parts have a different electrode potential than the concave parts in the solution, resulting in different dissolution rates, causing the convex parts to It dissolves preferentially over concave parts and can remove rough surface roughness and obtain a smooth finish ranging from an average of several microns to tens of microns. The advantage of this polishing method is that the equipment is simple and only requires a container to hold the solution. It can handle thin tubes, parts with deep holes and complex shapes, and has high production efficiency. The disadvantages are obvious: it is not environmentally friendly, has serious pollution, emits a large amount of harmful gases, has a short service life of the polishing solution, and is difficult to regenerate. The polishing effect is not as good as electrolytic polishing.

Chemical deburring and descaling, polishing

Chemical polishing process

Comparison of surface effects of chemical process methods for deburring,descaling and polishing

Comparison of chemical polishing effects of workpieces

4. Electrolytic polishing.
Electrolytic polishing is essentially chemical polishing. The acid solution is put into the electrolytic tank, the workpiece is used as the anode and connected to the power supply, the lead electrode in the electrolytic tank is used as the cathode, and direct current is passed on. Due to the high current of the burrs and oxide scale on the surface of the part, the corresponding dissolution speed in acid solution is fast. This uneven dissolution speed dissolves burrs or oxide layers first, which plays a smooth and polishing role for the entire workpiece. If the surface is too rough, it is not suitable to electrolytic polish directly. It is best to use mechanical polishing to rough finish it once, and then electrolytic polishing can make the surface finish of the parts reach a very high level, and even achieve a mirror-like gloss effect. Some daily products and handicrafts such as decorative hardware, lamps, kitchen and bathroom supplies made of stainless steel, aluminum alloy, and zinc alloy can be electropolished to obtain a satisfactory surface effect. The advantage of electrolytic polishing is that it is suitable for processing parts with special-shaped and complex surfaces, some parts that cannot be mechanically polished, and internal deep holes, thin tubes, gaps, and dead corners. It has high production efficiency and good polishing effect. The disadvantages are the same as chemical polishing: serious pollution, poor safety, unfriendly to the environment, complicated preparation of electrolytic acid, short service life, and difficult regeneration. It is only suitable for polishing steel, aluminum, copper, nickel and various alloys.

Electrolytic method for deburring, descaling and polishing

Electrolytic polishing process

Comparison of workpiece effects of electrolytic polishing process

Comparison of surface effects of electrolytic polishing workpieces

5. Plasma polishing.
Also called nano-polishing, it is a new environmentally friendly polishing process that can be called a polishing artifact. The principle of plasma polishing is relatively complex. It involves three polishing mechanisms. One is the tip discharge effect: raised parts such as surface burrs have low resistance and are easily broken down in a high-voltage electric field, forming discharge channels. The burrs are dissolved and sharp edges are formed. The corners are rounded and the flatness is improved; the second is the particle bombardment effect: the polishing solution and the workpiece are instantly short-circuited, causing a large amount of heat to vaporize the polishing solution. When the ions of this gas reach a certain number, plasma is formed. The form of this plasma is very high. When it collides with the surface of the workpiece, the oxide layer on the metal surface will be loosened and decomposed, and the surface will be evenly polished. The third is the gas film blasting scour effect: the plasma gas film surrounding the product is rapidly blasted under the influence of electromagnetic field and high temperature, and the oxide layer on the surface of the workpiece is peeled off under the action of tangential cavitation force. The combined action of these three effects instantly The surface of the workpiece will be shiny. Nano-polishing can control the dimensional accuracy of the workpiece within 0.002mm, and the roughness can reach Ra0.01. The polished product has improved smoothness, precision, hardness and durability. It is widely used in the field of fine polishing of high-end products, such as the furniture, bathroom and tableware industries. : handles, handles, faucets, copper parts; glasses industry: glasses frames, glasses frames; aerospace manufacturing: aircraft engine blades; medical device manufacturing: titanium alloys, stainless steel instruments and other fields.
The advantages of plasma polishing are wide application, fast polishing speed (can be completed within ten seconds to two minutes), high precision, good effect, and can achieve electroplating-level mirror effect. Its nano-polishing liquid is very environmentally friendly, and the waste liquid can be discharged directly without causing pollution. The equipment adopts automatic control, which is simple to operate, convenient to maintain and has low labor cost. It can polish some irregular and complex surfaces, dead corners, holes and other parts. It can also produce a passivation film on the surface of the workpiece to keep the surface bright and effectively prevent oxidation. The disadvantage is that the initial investment in equipment is large, and the preparation of workpiece polishing fluids of different materials is complicated. It can only polish conductive materials such as stainless steel, copper, zinc and their alloys. It is not suitable for excessively large burrs, pits, and excessively thick oxide layers. Suitable for polishing medium to large size product parts.

Plasma polisher for deburring, descaling, chamfering, nano polishing machine

Plasma (nano) polishing machine

Comparison of plasma and nano polishing workpiece effects

Comparison of plasma (nano) polishing workpiece effects

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