At one time, finishing a single part or a dozen one after the other was acceptable. Today, while this is valid in specific cases, it is no longer suitable or effective in the majority of instances. Companies mass-produce products. They demand the components for these items be ready on time and in sufficient amounts. To satisfy these requirements, companies turn to mass finishing.
What Is Mass Finishing?
Mass Finishing is a term that refers to a process that may involve any of the below:
* Brighten
* Clean
* Debur
* De-flash
* Descale
* Edge-breaking
* Polishing
* Radius
* Removing rust
* Super finishing
* Surface-conditioning
* Surface hardening
During the process, the multiple components are not fixture within the chamber in which they are placed.
Types of Mass Finishing Processes
Overall, mass finishing has applied to a variety of equipment. They include, but are not limited to:
* Centrifugal barrels
* Centrifugal disc machines
* Tumble-blast finishing
* Tumbling barrels
* Vibratory finishers
Technology has begun to take over, automating many of the previously manual services. Even today, mass finishing is looked at essentially as falling into one of the following two types.
1. Tumble Finishing: Barrel finishing is another common name for this process. The reason is simple. The components are placed within tumbling barrels in which they grind the rough edges or burrs off each through either a medium or each other. The resulting edges are finer and cleaner than when other systems are employed. In fact, tumble finishing is ideal for components that require special handling for delicate edges and fine details.
2. Vibratory Finishing: A type of barrel or tumble finishing, vibratory mass finishing involves the use of vibration to achieve the desired results. The machine used vibrates sending the components contained within the tub or bowl into a circular motion while, the media grinds against them. Suitable for both large and small items, of both simple and more complex geometrical design, this finishing process has been easily mechanized. Selection of both the correct media and bowl size is critical to the success of the operation and its outcome.
Companies do not choose mass finishing based purely on the results. While how a component appears and its condition are of great importance, they are not the only factors that must be taken into consideration. A company operates on a budget. It must make decisions that combine the objectives of high quality and functionality with cost-effectiveness. Mass finishing is chosen more often than not based on the simple fact that it offers high quality at a cost that is far less expensive than other types of finishing systems available.
