How Does Vibratory Deburring Work?

Vibratory deburring is a material finishing process that utilizes a variety of different media options to remove burrs, clean, smooth, and polish the surface of the material. Vibratory deburring is commonly done in a vibratory bowl or tub and can accommodate several material pieces at one time.

As the name suggests, vibratory deburring utilizes vibrations to tumble the media and parts together to accomplish deburring and finishing work. In the vibratory deburring process, an abrasive material is used as the media. Depending on your desired outcome and your part material, you can choose from various types of abrasive media.

Understanding Your Vibratory Media Options

Burr King offers a range of vibratory media options for your next deburring project. Whether you need to dry polish your parts or create a mirror finish, our team of experts is available to help you select the right media for your application.

At the Burr King Vibratory Test Lab, you can send in part samples and our skilled operators will perform tests with different media types so you can see and feel how different media interacts with your parts’ material. Burr King vibratory media is available in various different shapes, sizes, resin formulas, and aggressiveness, not just the base compound.

Our Vibratory Test Lab will help you find the best suited media option for your parts. With a complete Vibratory Test Lab report, you can have the assurance you need to order the correct media types the first time. Let us help you choose the right media for you.

Burr King offers vibratory media options including:

1. Ceramic

Ceramic is a popular vibratory media created by mixing clay or other related materials with abrasives. Ceramic media can be used on both ferrous and non-ferrous materials and, depending on the abrasive grade, create various finishes from light to aggressive cuts. It is available in cylinder wedge shape, tristar, angle-cut triangle, angle-cut cylinder, cone, pins, and spheres.

2. Plastic

Plastic media is an abrasive type of media most commonly used on non-ferrous materials like aluminum. It is commonly used to produce low micro-finishes or completely smooth finishes without any impressions, outcomes that are common with harder abrasive materials like ceramic.

3. Synthetic

Synthetic media is produced by blending urea formaldehyde resin and an abrasive material, such as aluminum oxide or silicon carbide. Because synthetics have a lower specific gravity, they are not efficient at removing material and are commonly used for finishing delicate parts.

Synthetic media is a good choice for those interested in environmentally friendly practices because it produces a clean, non-foaming residue; however, it does have a higher wear rate than other materials.

4. Duralum

Duralum media are hard and tough and come in “nugget” shapes. This media type is ideal for slag removal and mil scale from ferrous material parts and can also be used to remove heavy flash from plasma laser cut parts.

5. Burnishing

Burnishing media does not include any abrasive materials and is used for lapping, light deburring, and part cleaning. Burnishing is ideal for stainless steel, porcelain, and carbon steel parts.

6. Walnut Shell

Black Walnut shell is a soft abrasive media used to polish soft metals, fiberglass, wood, plastics, and stone. The media has a natural color and can also be used for deburring and deflashing for molding, castings, and electrical parts.

7. W5C50

W5C50 is a type of Black walnut shell that is impregnated with chromium oxide and is used for polishing harder, white metals including sterling, silver, and stainless steel. Walnut shell is green in color and is also an environmentally friendly media option because it can be reused.

8. WSR50

WSR50 is also a type of Black Walnut shell but is red in color. It is impregnated with rouge and is used for polishing yellow metals such as gold, brass, and copper.

9. Corn Cob

Corn cob is a smooth abrasive media that absorbs dirt and oils, and helps to dry parts during the tumbling and vibratory process. It has a natural color, is biodegradable, and is non-toxic.

10. Treated Cob

Treated corn cobs are cob kernels coated with aluminum oxide, making them ideal for polishing ferrous and nonferrous soft metals like aluminum.

The Burr King Team Is Committed to Assisting You

Vibratory finishing is an efficient process operators can use to deburr, polish, and finish multiple part pieces at the same time. There are various vibratory media options available, all with different features that can impact your part’s final appearance. The Burr King team is committed to assisting you to find the vibratory media options that meet your needs.

Want more information on what vibratory media you need? Contact us today!