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Leading manufacturers are automating
surface finishing and deburring operations to reduce labor costs and speed
high-volume parts finishing. Instead of removing burrs off-line as a secondary
process, part manufacturers are performing both tasks on-line at the same time.
Automated deburring and surface finishing eliminates time-consuming manual operations,
improves production efficiency, and ensures part consistency.
Case Study: Orange
Vise
The March 2014 edition of Industrial Machinery Digest examines
how one machine parts manufacturer is automating operations with NamPower brush
tools from Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM). For Orange Vise, a California manufacturer
of CNC machine vises and quick-fixturing components, BRM's NamPower abrasive disc
brushes exceed expectations. "We started using NamPower brushes for deburring,"
says Orange Vise founder Eric Sun, "but quickly discovered they provided a
really nice surface finish."
Before Orange Vise began using NamPower abrasive
brushes, the CNC parts
manufacturer needed an employee to inspect each part and remove burrs by hand.
"It was time-intensive," Sun told Industrial Machinery Digest, "particularly
for work that was purely cosmetic." The company's CNC machine vises are made of
different metals, and required grinding on non-critical, unhardened surfaces to
create a uniform appearance over the entire workpiece.
Today, Orange Vise is using NamPower
technology to achieve a smooth, blended surface finish on machined
components. The Orange County manufacturer mounts NamPower abrasive disc
brushes in its Mori Seiki NHX4000 high-speed horizontal machining center.
NamPower brushes can also be used with robotic arms and transfer lines. BRM's abrasive
nylon brushes work well with non-ferrous metals, cast iron, mild steel and
ductile iron, stainless and alloy steels, titanium, and high-nickel alloys.
There are two types of NamPower abrasive disc brushes: dot and
turbine. The dot-style NamPower brushes that Orange Vise uses are ideal for
general-purpose deburring, surface finishing, and edge blending. Turbine-style brush
tools are recommended for medium and heavy deburring because they have a
heavier fill density.
NamPower Technology
NamPower abrasive disc brushes consist of
flexible nylon abrasive filaments that are bonded to a fiber-reinforced
thermoplastic base. With their unique combination of ceramic and
silicon carbide abrasives, these BRM industrial brushes are designed
to remove burrs and improve surface finish at the same time. As Industrial
Machinery Digest explains, "the silicon carbide acts as a buffer to the cutting
action" of the coarser, but extremely durable ceramic abrasive.
The industrial brush tool's nylon abrasive
filaments work like flexible files, wiping across edges and surfaces while
conforming closely to part contours. NamPower
nylon abrasive brushes are also long-lasting and "self-sharpening",
as the magazine explains. With their linear construction, sharp new abrasive
grains come into contact with the work surface. The result is a consistent
deburring action throughout the length of the bristles, from the first part to
the last. According to Industrial Digest, there are reports of the NamPower
brushes lasting for over 100,000 parts.
BRM's NamPower technology also features lightweight
tool holders that help to reduce vibration, improve performance, and extend
brush life. Made with a carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic material that's
bonded to a hardened and ground steel shank, these NamPower accessories are both
rigid and well-balanced. They're also designed especially for use with NamPower's
unique flow-through coolant system.
Unlike other abrasive disc brushes, NamPower deburring
tools allow fluid to flow from the brush center instead of supplying
lubrication only from the outside. As BRM's How to
Automate Deburring and Surface Finishing video explains,
the result is better cutting action and longer tool life. BRM's flow-through
coolant technology also allows NamPower brushes to run at greater cut depths
while reducing heat generation and eliminating filament smearing.
Author's Note: This CR4
blog entry originally appeared in the BRM
Flex-Hone Blog.
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