Isotropic Mass Finishing for Surface Integrity and Part Performance

Author:  Authors are members of SME-DESC Technical Group
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Volume 20 / Issue 4, Fall 2006
Doc ID:  2006030
Year of Publication:  2006
Abstract:  
Members of SME-DESC Technical Group: David A. Davidson, Deburring/Surface Finish Specialist; Jack Clark, Applications Engineering Manager, ZYGO Corporation; Dr. Michael L. Massarsky, President, Turbo-Finish Corporation When presented with edge and surface finishing problems, many manufacturers continue to reach for solutions that rely on out-of-date, time-consuming and labor-intensive methods. It is still not unusual to see precision parts and critical hardware being manually handled and edge and surface finishing operations being performed with abrasive hand tools, or manually-controlled power tools that utilize coated abrasives or abrasive filaments. This situation often arises from insufficient planning and a lack of understanding on what will be required to render the manufactured part or component acceptable for consumer use or end-user application. At the root of the problem is a manufacturing and design engineering culture that considers its work done when the part comes off the machining center or the fabricating machine. Too often, part edge and surface condition is simply someone else's problem. In many cases not much thought is given to the problem until production is in full swing and parts start to fail quality assurance standards because they have burrs or undesirable surface conditions that not only affect function and performance but send costs through the roof.