How to achieve the best finish, according to Vibra Finish

Media and compounds are an important part of the Vibra Finish metal-finishing process.

Vibra Finish has decades of experience in finishing metal parts – a process of altering their appearance through smoothing, polishing, deburring, and/or cleaning. One way the company recommends for achieving the most effective finish possible is to use finishing compounds and media in the tumbling process.

To get the most out of finishing, Vibra Finish suggests placing parts with media and compounds into a finishing machine, which causes the parts to rub against the media with the compounds’ assistance. This results in a polishing and smoothing effect.

Improving the efficiency of media

Finishing compounds improve the efficiency of the media, and they can also raise the foam level or lubrication inside the machine to polish the components. Another function is to improve the grinding effect, which leads to better deburring and smoothing. Compounds are ideal for degreasing and cleaning applications, as they help to emulsify and suspend dirt, and they also remove scales. Another key benefit is imparting anti-rust and anti-corrosion properties on parts, to extend their lifespans.

Finishing compounds usually come in liquid, powder, or cream form, each made from ingredients in different proportions that give them a distinct acidic, alkaline, or pH-balanced property. Vibra Finish recommends acidic compounds for higher cutting speed or better bleaching.

Plastic deburring media, also known as tumbling stones, are an artificial type of media that come in various preformed shapes and with different degrees of abrasive content. Lightweight, they are ideal for applications that require soft abrasive finishing or that involve brass or aluminum parts; they also come in handy for general-purpose deburring, pre-painted finishing, and heavy, fast cutting. These media provide smooth finishes, but with little shine.

Shapes of plastic deburring media include cones, pyramids, wedges, and triangles – depending on the desired finishing effect. For example, triangles suit corners and flat surfaces, while cones work well with parts with holes. Users should apply a combination of different shapes in order to get optimal finishing on parts with complex geometries.

Vibra Finish sells 13 types of compounds and four kinds of plastic media in its catalogue.

To learn more, contact Vibra Finish.

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