If you have several items that require finishing, this can be accomplished. Mass finishing is a practice common in manufacturing. It allows large numbers of components to be finished at the same time. It accomplishes this through what are referred to as abrasive industrial processes.
Types of Mass Finishing Processes
Over the past decades, the basic processes utilized in mass finishing have altered only slightly. Technology has had some input and a few more words have been added to the lexicon for mass finishing. Even with computerization, there are still two major types of mass finishing. These are tumbling and vibratory finishing.
1. Tumble finishing: This process is also referred to as barrel finishing. The components are placed in tumbling barrels. They are allowed to either grind against each other or a medium. This removes the rough edges or burrs. As a result, the components come out cleaner and free from burs or rust. They may also be mass finished to produce a bright finish or polish.
2. Vibratory finishing: This is a form of barrel or tumble finishing. The actions are similar only the container used, and sometimes the medium differ. Vibratory finishing is a very popular choice among the different types of mass finishing processes. This is due, in part, to automation. Round vibrators feature a separation of the components and the media inside the compartment.
Mass finishing can be done in short or long cycles. It can be performed wet or dry. The systems can be run in batches or flow in a continuous system. The components may also be entered sequentially. In fact, there are several variables to consider when deciding upon mass finishing.
Why Opt for Mass Finishing?
Finishing is a means of producing a component that possesses a surface refinement. Mass finishing is the means through which a large number of components can achieve this result economically. The goal of mass finishing, therefore, is to perform any, some or all of the following actions:
* Brighten
* Burnish
* Clean
* Deburr
* De flash
* Descale
* Edge-break
* Polish
* Prepare parts for pre-plate, pre-paint or coating surface preparation,
* Radius formation
* Refining surfaces
* Remove rust and other surface contaminants
* Surface smoothing
The goals of mass finishing do not eradicate a major reason companies chose to mass finish. It is a question of economics. Mass finishing is substantially less expensive than manual deburring and other surface finishing techniques. By adopting this process, companies reduce the amount of labor intensive finishing methods. At the same time, this allows them to maintain the increasingly rigorous standards of quality that are demanded by consumers.
Mass Finishing
Mass finishing processes can economically provide manufacturers with the uniform results they want. If appropriate, the methods ensure that the products are of significant consistency, fulfilling all the quality control standards. In the end, it is because of its ability to remove the flaws and present polished or finished products cost-effectively that companies turn, as the solution, to mass finishing.
