VIBRATORY FINISHING

MACHINE - REPORT
 VIBRATORY FINISHING MACHINE
A PROJECT REPORT SUBMITTED
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In
Mechanical Engineering
SUBMITTED BY

Gourav Sachdeva 2311662

Name of the Candidate (font: 12) Roll Number: (font: 12)
Name of the Candidate (font: 12) Roll Number: (font: 12)
Name of the Candidate (font: 12) Roll Number: (font: 12)
Name of the Candidate (font: 12) Roll Number: (font: 12)

SUBMITTED TO

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Ambala College of Engineering and Applied Research, Ambala
(Affiliated With)

Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra

December 2016
 CANDIDATE'S DECLARATION

I/We, Name of the candidate, Roll Number, hereby declare that the work which is
being presented in the project entitled, “Title of the project” in partial fulfillment of
requirement for the award of degree of B.Tech. (ME) and submitted in the Department of
Mechanical Engineering, Ambala College of Engineering and Applied Research,
Ambala, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, is an authentic record of my/our own
work carried by me under the supervision of Supervisor Name (Designation, Mechanical
Department, Ambala College of Engineering and Applied Research, Ambala).The matter
presented in this project Report has not been submitted in this or any other University /
Institute for the award of B.Tech Degree.

Signature of the Student Dated:

(Gourav Sachdeva)
2311662

Signature of the Student Dated:

(Name)
Roll Number

Signature of the Student Dated:

(Name)
Roll Number

Signature of the Student Dated:

(Name)
Roll Number
 Department of Mechanical Engineering

Ambala College of Engineering and Applied Research, Ambala

(Affiliated With)
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra – 136119
(Established by the state legislature Act XII of 1956)
(“A” Grade, NAAC Accredited)

CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report entitled “TITLE OF THE PROJECT” is the bonafide

work of “NAME OF THE CANDIDATES (Roll No) of 7th Semester, Mechanical

Engineering, Ambala College of Engineering and Applied Research, Devsthali,

Ambala”, who carried out the project work under my supervision during August, 2016 -

November, 2016.

(Name of Supervisor) (Ashwani Verma)

Supervisor Project Coordinator
Assistant Professor Assistant Professor
ME Department, ACE ME Department, ACE

The above statement is correct to the best of our knowledge.

( ) (Dr. S.K Jain)

External Examiner Associate Professor
Head of Department
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Project work is an important aspect in the field of engineering, where contribution is
made by many persons and organizations. The present shape of this work has come forth
after contribution from different spheres.

Give acknowledgement to Guide.

Give acknowledgement to H.O.D

I would also like to thank my parents etc who helped me in my Project.

I express my sincere gratitude to Ambala College of Engineering and Applied
Research, Ambala and Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra for giving me the
opportunity to work on the Project during my final year of B.Tech.
At the end thanks to the Almighty for …………

Signature of the Student

(Gourav Sachdeva) 2311662

Signature of the Student

(Name) Roll Number

Signature of the Student

(Name) Roll Number

Signature of the Student

(Name) Roll Number

Contents
Candidate’s Declaration i
Certificate ii
Abstract iii
Acknowledgement iv
List of Figures v
List of Tables vi
Abbreviations Used vii

Chapter 1 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER 1 1-14

1.1 Title of Article 1.1 1

1.2 Title of Article 1.2 2

1.3 Title of Article 1.3 3

Chapter 2 LITERATURE SURVEY 14-24

2.1 Title of Article 2.1 14

2.2 Title of Article 2.2 15

2.2.1 Title of Article2.1.1 15

Chapter 3 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER 2 25-34

3.1 Title of Article 3.1 25

3.2 Title of Article 3.2 26

3.2.1 Title of Article 3.2.1 27

Chapter 4 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER 3 35-44

4.1 Title of Article 3.1 35

 4.2 Title of Article 4.2 35

4.2.1 Title of Article 4.2.1 36

Chapter 5 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER 4 45-55

5.1 Title of Article 5.1 45

5.2 Title of Article 5.2 45

5.2.1 Title of Article 5.2.1 50

Chapter 6 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE SCOPE 56-58

6.1 Title of Article 6.1 56

6.2 Title of Article 6.2 57

REFERENCES 59-60

APPENDIX Title of the Appendix (Derivation of equation used in the

Project Report)

Note 1: The number of Chapters is just indicative. There may be more number of
Chapters in the Project but the format of the index has to be followed as given
above.

Note 2: Page numbering should be as per the given format i.e. pages from
candidates’ declaration to list of abbreviations should be in Roman and page
numbering of the Chapters should be in decimal numbers. The title pages of the
project report should NOT be numbered.
 LIST OF TABLES

Table Caption Page

No. No.
1.1 Caption of Table 1.1 3

1.2 Caption of Table 1.2 4

1.3 Caption of Table 1.3 5

2.1 Caption of Table 2.1 12

2.2 Caption of Table 2.2 13

8|Page
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Caption Page No.

No.
1.1 Caption of Figure 1.1 3

1.2 Caption of Figure 1.2 4

1.3 Caption of Figure 1.3 5

2.1 Caption of Figure 2.1 12

2.2 Caption of Figure 2.2 13

9|Page
Introduction
Mechanical surface finishing, also known as mass finishing or vibratory finishing, is a surface finishing
technology that has been around for more than six decades. At the time it was invented in the 1940s, mechanical
surface finishing revolutionized whole industries with regard to their surface finishing methods. Large
international companies like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz in Germany were literally queuing up to initially
get a hold of rotary barrels and, later on, the first mass finishing vibrators. Delivery times of 24 months or more
were not unusual.

Deburring previously was a purely manual operation with extremely high personnel costs, poor quality, and no
consistency or repeatability of results. Then, all of a sudden, manual finishing operations could be replaced with
a mechanical process that significantly reduced personnel costs but, more importantly, one that consistently
produced higher-quality parts with a high degree of repeatable results

SOPHISTICATED SUPERFINISHING OF HIGH-VALUE COMPONENTS Over the years, mechanical

surface finishing has evolved from a simple deburring method into a sophisticated technology covering a broad
range of industries and applications. Here are just a few examples of “high-tech” mechanical finishing
applications:

• Grinding and polishing of medical implants, such as artificial knees, hips, ankles, etc. In the medical implant
industry, special mass finishing processes have been replacing robotic grinding and buffing systems (Fig. 1).

• Superfinishing of automotive gears down to a surface roughness of <2 (0.05 μm) to increase the life of power
trains, reduce running noise and, at times of high fuel cost, reduce the weight of these components without
jeopardizing their reliability (Fig. 2).

10 | P a g e
• Surface finishing of aero-engine components, such as turbine blades, blisks, turbine disks, vanes, etc. In
combination with shot peening, mass finishing processes reduce the “maximum exhaust gas temperature”
(MEGT) and increase the time intervals between engine overhauls. Better surface finishing of turbine blades
also increases the acceleration and compression of the air mass flow in turbines, resulting in lower fuel
consumption—an invaluabletechnical benefit with today’s high cost of kerosene (Fig. 3).

INTERACTION OF VARIOUS MASS FINISHING COMPONENTS

Frequently, mass finishing is considered a “low-tech” technology that is noisy, dirty, and wet. And many users
do not pay enough attention to selecting the right components required to optimize their finishing operation. The
results of such negligence are usually high finishing cost and a high scrap rate usually requiring a lot of rework.
All this could be easily prevented, if the users would pay a bit more attention to the optimum interaction of the
various components involved in any mass finishing process shows an example of a vibratory mass finisher.

Figure 1 :- Vibratory Mass Finisher

Main Types of Mass Finishing Media

Mass finishing media are generally classified into the following categories:

• Ceramic (including porcelain polishing media)

• Plastic (mainly polyester-based, but also including urea/formaldehyde media)

• Steel media (in hardened carbon steel and stainless steel) • Organic media (for example, granules made from
corn cob and walnut shells)

• Other media (for example, glass beads, polyamide micro-beads, etc.), which play only a minor role in
vibratory finishing and are not discussed further.

11 | P a g e
 The most commonly used mass finishing media are either ceramic- or plastic based. They account for
approximately 80–90% of all media used in mass finishing applications. All other media are specialties that are
used for certain applications, 14 Ceramic and plastic media always have one common characteristic:

They consist of a carrier that is mixed with certain types of abrasives

Whereas in the case of ceramic media the carrier is clay, in the case of plastic media the carrier is either
polyester or urea resin. The most common abrasives used in ceramic and plastic media are:

• Silica (sand)

• Brown and white fused alumina (aluminum oxide)

• Silicon carbide

• Zirconium

Depending on the application, mesh sizes can vary between 40 and 400.

The different types of media, how they are made, and for what applications they are generally used, are
subsequently described.

CERAMIC MEDIA

Density: 95–110 lbs/ft3.

Production method: extruded or pressed.

Firing temperatures: 2,100–2,400°F.

12 | P a g e
Available shapes: triangle, star, ellipse, cylinder, arrowhead, tri-star, pyramid, cone, rhomboid, parabolic, ball.

Applications: Due to their relative high density, ceramic media are generally used for aggressive grinding on
“tough” metals, such as steel, stainless steel, titanium, and so on.

Figure: Ceramic media

However, certain ceramic media can also be used for fine grinding—producing low Ra values on the part
surface.

Porcelain media, made from pure alumina, can be used for polishing, producing a high-gloss surface.

Limitations: Ceramic media can chip, and chips may lodge in bore holes and undercuts.

PLASTIC MEDIA
Density: 60–85 lbs/ft3

Production method: Abrasive/liquid resin mix is poured into molds at room temperature; mix hardens within
15–20 minutes.

Figure : Plastic media

13 | P a g e
Available shapes: triangle, tri-star, double wedge, cone, pyramids of different shapes, parabolic. Applications:
Due to their somewhat lower density, plastic media are generally used on softer metals, such as aluminum, zinc,
and brass.

Applications range from relatively aggressive deburring/radiusing to pre-plate surface finishes.

STEEL MEDIA
Density: 210–250 lbs/ft3 (depending on size)

Material: hardened carbon steel, standard carbon steel, stainless steel. Production method: Cut to length from
wire/round bar and then forged.

Figure : Steel media

Available shapes: Sphere (ball), satellite, oval, anglecut cylinder, etc. 15 Figure 11: Ceramic media Figure 12:
Plastic media Figure 13: Steel media

Applications: Pressure deburring of steel parts, ball burnishing (or ball polishing) of mainly stainless steel parts,
occasionally also aluminum parts.

ORGANIC MEDIA
Material: Mostly corn cob or walnut shell granules.

Applications: For drying of parts after vibratory finishing. Also used for highgloss polishing of metal parts,
mainly stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, etc., in combination with a mixed-in polishing paste.

SELECTION CRITERIA:
MEDIA SHAPE, SIZE, AND ABRASIVE CONTENT

Media shape, size, and abrasive content are crucial for achieving the optimum surface finish.

MEDIA SHAPE

14 | P a g e
The geometry of the parts to be finished generally determines the shape of the media to be used. A simple rule
of thumb is:

Round and compact media :Use for standard applications. There is less danger of media lodging in the part;
lower danger of chipping (in the case of ceramic media); and lower wear rate. Typical shapes include: cylinder,
cone, ball.

Figure : Round and compact media.

Media with sharp edges: For parts with complex geometry and difficult-to-reach surfaces. Danger of chipping;
higher wear rate. Typical shapes include: tri-star, triangle, arrowhead.

MEDIA SIZE

The required finish usually determines the media size :

Small media size: Produces a smoother surface by having more contact with the part surface; usually requires
longer processing times and more gentle processing.

Figure : Media with sharp edges.

Large media size: Faster removal of burs and radiusing of sharp edges on the parts; produces a rougher surface
than small media; more aggressive grinding required.

ABRASIVE TYPE

Silica: For deburring/deflashing of relatively soft metals, such as aluminum, brass, and zinc.

Silicon carbide: For aggressive grinding on difficult-to-machine metals. This abrasive produces dark surfaces.
Aluminum oxide: Characteristics are similar to silicon carbide.

Zirconium: Used in plastic media for adding weight. Mainly used for fine grinding of all kinds of metals.

15 | P a g e
Vibratory machinery and deburring equipment for deburring, surface finishing, burnishing, washing, cleaning,
pre-plate finishing, polishing and drying

Vibratory Compounds & media for use with ceramic, porcelain, copper, steel, plastic and other such parts.

MECHANISMS OF CLEANING :

The removal of objectionable contaminants from metallic surfaces can be accomplished by mechanical
processes, chemical processes, or a combination of both.

Mechanical Processes

1. The physical removal of surface layers by means of aggressive mechanical action. Shot blasting with glass,
aluminum oxide, sand, or dry ice (CO2 ) pellets. Mass finishing via vibratory mill or part-on-part burnishing.
Grinding. Abrasive pad buffing.

2. The physical removal of surface contaminants with minimal base metal removal. Gas scrubbing by
electrocleaning, cathodically, anodically, or periodic reverse. Impingement by high- or low-pressure spray. 68

Turbulence, such as that supplied by slosh washers or turbo washers, in which cleaning solution is turbulently
flowed over the surfaces to be cleaned. Cavitation supplied by ultrasonics. Abrasive brushing in solution.
Abrasive slurry.

16 | P a g e
Mass Finishing
This method helps with off-line capabilities. Cleaning, deburring, descaling, and burnishing are surface
improvements accomplished by mass finishing. The base metal is conditioned prior to additional surface
finishing. Critical areas are rounded out and burnishing can result in low rms value or high luster. The process
combines mechanical energy and chemical action. The mechanical contribution is by tumbling in horizontal or
oblique barrels or by using vibratory bowls. Specially blended chemicals are added in dilute-liquid form or low-
concentration powders. They wet and react with the surface of parts, allowing other parts or special media (e.g.,
plastic, ceramic, or stone) to work on the parts. Mass finishing is especially helpful to seal porosity of aluminum
and zinc before transfer to the plating line. If parts are to be mass finished or if this is a feasible option, trial
evaluations are recommended to determine best suited equipment, media, and optimum: media-to-parts ratio,
flow rates, and cycle times.

Tumbling and Vibratory Methods

Just as hand buffing is most often suitable for high value pieces, lower value parts can often be effectively
highlighted in bulk. Parts, such as certain cabinet hardware, fasteners, or other small parts, would typically be
brass plated or antiqued in bulk handling methods. If so it is desirable to burnish or highlight in bulk as well. To
do this the parts can be burnished in a tumbler or in a vibratory mill.

A tumbler is a rotating drum, which rolls the parts against each other like a cement mixer. The parts can be
burnished either wet or dry using a plastic or ceramic media with an abrasive or a polishing compound.
Selecting the desired combination of these effects will produce a variety of different burnishing possibilities.
The parts can generally be taken right off the process line, without drying, and loaded directly into the tumbler.

Vibratory finishers operate in a similar manner but use a vibrating bowl rather than a rotating drum. As
mentioned the vibratory bowls can also be charged with different types of media and compounds to achieve the
type of contrast desired. Both the tumbler and vibratory mill will produce a nondirectional pattern on the part
surface and cannot really reproduce the effect achieved by a hand-buffing operation; however, they operate at
much lower cost and can be preprogrammed to produce the identical result batch after batch. Consequently, they
are less dependent on the human factor for consistent quality. For certain parts compromising on quality a bit in
order to control the cost allows the manufacturer to sell the finished piece at the desired price point and still
make a profit.

PROTECTIVE TOPCOATS
After coloring and highlighting are completed the part is ready to be topcoated to protect it from corrosion. Even
though the parts may look completely finished the decorative antique finish is quite susceptible to corrosion or
tarnish unless protected. The products most often used to accomplish this are clear lacquers. As in all the
previous operations there can be many options open to the finisher, depending on the durability required of the

17 | P a g e
final finish, operating cost, equipment cost, environmental concerns, etc. In actual practice there are a few
options that provide the most benefits.

Air-Dry Lacquers
These products can be water-based or solvent-based and commonly utilize acrylic or urethane polymers to form
a protective film. The acrylics are the lower cost option and can provide an effective topcoat for many parts
used indoors only, such as light fixtures, wall sconces, etc., that do not see heavy wear. Generally, solvent-based
lacquers are more protective than water-based products but also present a potential solvent fume problem in
terms of discharge into the atmosphere.

Baking or Cross-Linkable
Resins These products are widely used on parts that require high wear resistance and/or outdoor exposure and
include polyurethanes, epoxies, and nitrocellulose lacquers—all of which can cross link during drying to form a
very dense and tenacious film. Very often they are cured in an oven at 250 to 350°F for 10 to 20 minutes to
speed drying. These products are suitable for high-value parts or surfaces that must be exposed to outdoor
weathering elements. It is also possible to use lacquers containing corrosion inhibitors that specifically protect
copper alloys. The most widely used is benzotriazole and its related compounds. These materials can be blended
into many types of lacquers in small concentrations and provide an extra measure of corrosion resistance,
making them particularly well suited for use on items such as marine hardware, building components, etc.

Clear Powder Coats

Relatively new on the scene these topcoats produce coating thicknesses of 2 to 4 mils and offer extremely high
protection levels. They are applied like any other powder 390 coat in a dry, electrostatic spray followed by
350OF oven bake. Powder coats are not suitable for all parts. They work best on parts that have an open shape
with few or shallow recessed areas and can be susceptible to the Faraday Cage Effect. This is commonly seen
with any electrostatic or electrolytic operation (including plating) and prevents deposition in deep recesses.
Consequently, it is difficult to powder coat the inside surfaces of many parts.

Electrophoretic Liquid Lacquers

These products are not new but they are just now coming into popular use. They are liquid lacquers used as an
electrophoretic immersion at the end of the plating line followed by an oven cure. Though not commonly used
on parts that are highlighted after coloring they do find use as a clear sealant over a solid black finish such as a
black nickel. In this setting the part is racked and taken through the plating operation then black nickel and
electrophoretic lacquer.

Paste Wax and Oil Finishes

18 | P a g e
Some parts do not require a permanent antique finish but are designed to allow the surface to age naturally in
service. For example brass hand rails, building fascia panels, elevator panels, and other parts can be initially
sealed with a temporary protective film such as paste wax or oil. When installed they will be handled during
normal use and constantly “burnished” by this contact. Over time they will develop a natural, soft patina that
will ultimately be permanent because it is being constantly developed.

TYPICAL PROCESS CYCLES

Solid Copper or Brass (For example, a soldered light fixture assembly.)

1. Mild alkaline soak clean: 8-10 oz/gal mix; 150°F; 4-6 minute soak with air agitation.

2. Dragout rinse: nonflowing rinse to remove most of the cleaner residues.

3. Overflow rinse: treated by ion exchange.

4. Mild acid tarnish remover: 10% sulfuric acid; room temperature; 1-3 minutes.

5. Overflow rinse: treated by ion exchange.

6. Oxidize: blacken or brown in room-temperature oxidizing solution; 1-3 minutes.

7. Overflow rinse: treated by ion exchange.

8. Final rinse: deionize water to minimize water staining during drying.

Steel Stamping (For example, a rack-processed stamped lamp base.)

1. Heavy-duty alkaline soak clean: 10-12 oz/gal mix; 170-180°F; 4-6 minute soak.

2. Alkaline electroclean; 12 oz/gal of high caustic formula, 160°F; 6-12 V anodic current; 100-150 A/ft2 ; 2-4
minutes.

3. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

4. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

5. Acid pickle: hydrochloric acid; 30-40% by volume; room temperature; 2 minutes.

6. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

7. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

8. Copper strike: 75-120°F; 15-20 A/ft2 ; 2 minutes.

9. Brass plate: 90°F; 6-10 V; 15-20 A/ft2 ; 15-30 minutes.

10. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds. 391

11. Sour rinse (to neutralize cyanide); 2% sulfuric acid; room temperature; 30 seconds.
19 | P a g e
12. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

13. Oxidize in black nickel or room temperature solution.

14. Rinse: clean tap water; 20 seconds.

15. Rinse: deionized water (to minimize staining during drying).

16. Warm dry: 130°F.

17. Highlight: cotton buff with abrasive compound.

18. Lacquer: nitrocellulose lacquer.

19. Oven cure: 250°F; 15-20 minutes.

Zinc Diecasting (For example, rack-processed cabinet hardware.)

1. Deburr: vibratory finishing machine using ceramic media and deburring compound.

2. Mild alkaline soak clean: 120°F; 5 minutes.

3. Mild electroclean: 120°F; 3 minutes.

4. Rinse: 20 seconds.

5. Rinse: 20 seconds.

6. Acid pickle: sulfuric acid salt; 8 oz/gal, 75°F; 2 minutes.

7. Rinse: 20 seconds.

8. Copper strike: 2 minutes; 75-120°F.

9. Brass plate: 30 minutes; 90°F.

10. Rinse: 20 seconds.

11. Dezincify: 180°F; 5 minutes.

12. Rinse: 20 seconds.

13. Blacken: hot caustic oxidizer; 240°F; 15 minutes.

14. Rinse: 20 seconds.

15. Deionized water rinse; 20 seconds.

16. Dry: warm air.

17. Highlight: automatic buffing machine.

18. Lacquer.

20 | P a g e
19. Bake cure

WASTE TREATMENT
This area is of critical importance to the metal-finishing industry because a chemical process line cannot operate
without proper treatment of waste products, as mandated by the Federal EPA and appropriate state or local
agencies. Since these process lines utilize a variety of different chemical products it is impossible to offer a
simple overview of the waste treatment picture. A few comments are in order, however, about the types of
wastes generated in these lines and the waste treatment methods commonly employed to achieve compliance
with the regulations.

Alkaline Cleaning Residues

These residues are primarily composed of nonhazardous alkaline salts such as sodium hydroxide, sodium
carbonate, sodium phosphates, wetting agents, and other compounds, which are not specifically regulated. By
virtue of their operating pH they tend to dissolve metals from the parts being processed—in most cases copper
and zinc. Simple pH adjustment is very effective in precipitating much of the metal content and bringing the
effluent into acceptable pH range of 5 to 9. Any 392 remaining metal content can be precipitated with the help
of specialized flocculants.

Acid Residues Acid solutions quickly dissolve metals from the parts being processed and, like the alkaline
chemicals, respond well to simple neutralization techniques to precipitate the metal content. Acid and alkaline
rinsewaters are typically mixed together for treatment and help to neutralize each other.

Cyanide Residues
The rinses following the brass plating bath will contain cyanide, copper, and zinc. This rinsewater is typically
subjected to a cyanide destruct process, which oxidizes and decomposes the cyanide to harmless chemicals and
also precipitates the copper and zinc content. The metallic sludge is then collected on filters and disposed of as
hazardous solid waste.

Solid Waste
The waste treatment methods above generate hazardous solid waste in the form of metal-bearing precipitate,
which is commonly collected on a particle filter cartridge or plate filter element. This solid waste can be sent out
to a licensed waste treater for proper stabilization and landfilling.

Dragout Rinses These are often used as preliminary rinses following a heated process tank such as a heated
cleaning tank or plating tank. Dragout rinses are perhaps the single most effective and least costly way to
minimize chemicals in the drain. They are typically followed by a treated rinse, which is fed to ion exchange or
other treatment. For process solutions carrying only a moderate level of metals, a single dragout rinse is

21 | P a g e
sufficient. A brass plating tank, on the other hand, will contain fairly high concentrations of cyanide, which is
costly to treat. Consequently, it is common to see two or three dragout rinses used to minimize the level of
cyanide sent to waste treatment.

Copper and Selenium-Bearing Effluent

Room-temperature oxidizers are perhaps the simplest to operate because they respond so well to treatment by
ion exchange techniques. Some lines are set up with the rinsewaters going in two different directions, so to
speak; the rinsewaters from the alkaline clean and acid tarnish removers tend to neutralize each other in the
drain and are sent to a pH adjustment to complete the precipitation process; meanwhile, the rinsewaters
following the copper/selenium-based oxidizers can be treated by ion exchange to purify the water and reuse it
with none of this water entering the drain. Another option, in many cases, is to treat all the rinsewater in the line
with ion exchange. Since all the rinses can contain metals none can be considered sewerable. But, since the total
dissolved solids content of these rinses is usually quite low ion exchange is able to purify all the rinsewaters, in
many lines, and return them to the rinse tanks to be reused over and over again. In general ion exchange works
well when the total dissolved solids content of the water is 1,000 ppm or less. For higher concentrations pH
adjustment and neutralization techniques are more efficient. Most ion exchange systems are equipped with a
conductivity light, which signals the operator that the resin tanks are saturated and ready for regeneration. The
regeneration can be performed on site or the resin tanks can be shipped to a licensed waste treater for
regeneration. Responsible chemical suppliers offer advice on proper waste treatment techniques for their
products. There is a great deal of additional information avail- able elsewhere in this edition of the Metal
Finishing Guidebook or in other industry publications. In summary there are many different aspects to antique
finishing, which take some time and experience to learn. As long as the decorative hardware industry is in
existence, however, these finishes will be in demand and will evolve to meet the needs of the marketplace. The
trend is toward safer processes, less polluting chemicals, and easier and shorter processes. As always cost is of
prime concern.

Mechanical/Mass Finishing
Mechanical surface finishing, also known as mass finishing or vibratory finishing, is a surface finishing
technology that has been around for more than six decades. At the time it was invented in the 1940s, mechanical
surface finishing revolutionized whole industries with regard to their surface finishing methods. Large
international companies like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz in Germany were literally queuing up to initially
get a hold of rotary barrels and, later on, the first mass finishing vibrators. Delivery times of 24 months or more
were not unusual.

Deburring previously was a purely manual operation with extremely high personnel costs, poor quality, and no
consistency or repeatability of results. Then, all of a sudden, manual finishing operations could be replaced with
a mechanical process that significantly reduced personnel costs but, more importantly, one that consistently
produced higher-quality parts with a high degree of repeatable results.

22 | P a g e
Advantages Of Using A Vibratory Finishing Machine
In many industries, vibratory finishers are the most commonly used piece of mass finishing equipment. Used to
remove burrs and smooth surfaces, vibratory finishing machines come in countless shapes and sizes but, at their
core, work the same way: they spiral and vibrate parts within a media to achieve a desired level of finish. That
isn’t to say, however, that all vibratory finishers are created equal. In this post, we’re going to discuss five of the
major advantages that you stand to gain by purchasing your vibratory finishing machine from CLM Vibetech.

1. Variable sizes

Available in sizes ranging from 1 to 100 cubic feet, our vibratory finishers can fit into any floorplan and any
production process.

2. Unparalleled versatility

A range of options, from automation of all or some of the functions of the machine to screen deck options that
allow for work to be done to your parts as they exit the machine, means that your vibratory finishing machine
can be utilized for several purposes across multiple applications.

23 | P a g e
3. Heavy-duty construction

With an all heavy-duty, interlocking weldments and thick premium polyurethane linings, you can be confident
that the mass finishing equipment from CLM Vibetech is built to stand up to even the harshest processes.

4. Premium components and standardized parts

Utilizing only premium and readily available components (bearings, seals, motors, and electrical components),
our finishing equipment is easy to service and maintain. As a result, you’ll experience a reduction in downtime
and an increase in productive, profitable hours.

5. Customizable for your application

No matter what you need, our vibratory finishing machines can get it done. With optional pneumatic gates,
compound systems, waste water treatment systems, rinse bars, step-down screens, noise covers, rust inhibit
stations and many more, your finisher can be tailored to your specific application.

Vibratory Finishing is used for:

Deburring: removing the particles and shavings (known as burrs) that appear when metal is machined or worked

Polishing: producing a smooth, bright, reflective surface finish

Smoothing: improving the surface finish and blending of any defects or sharp edges

Super finishing: production of a high quality smooth surface

Cleaning: removal of contaminants, debris, grease or dirt from components

Pre-plate finishing: producing a flat, smooth surface finish prior to subsequent plating or coating;

Ball burnishing: high-intensity processing, normally within stainless steel balls, to produce a bright lustre finish

Barrelling or Tumbling: the original process for deburring or polishing components using a rotary drum rather
than a vibratory vessel

24 | P a g e
Conclusion

Benefits Of Vibratory Finishing

Less wear on your component making them more durable and increasing power output

Cost effective and non-labour intensive

A smoother surface makes your component run cooler, faster and longer

Produces an accurate, controllable and uniform standard of finish

- super finishing to 0.03 ra

25 | P a g e
 References

 Degarmo, E. Paul; Black, J T.; Kohser, Ronald A. (2003), Materials and Processes in Manufacturing (9th ed.),
Wiley, ISBN 0-471-65653-4.
Categories:
 Industrial processes
 Metalworking
Kohser, Ronald A. (2003), Materials and Processes in Manufacturing

26 | P a g e