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The Science Behind Mass Finishing

Posted by Michael Wegener on

The Science Behind Mass Finishing

For those of you who work with or around vibratory finishing machines, you’ve likely wondered how they operate and what led to their creation in the first place. While they seem overly complex, they’re actually quite simple. So, without further ado, here’s the science behind mass finishing and how it works.

The Humble Beginnings of Finishing

For as long as we as humans have been altering metal for personal use, we’ve found ways to finish it and make it look shiny and new. Back in the day, after a blacksmith crafted a sword, they would take it to the grindstone to sharpen it and finish the sides and edges. The more time they spent on the sword, the better it would look.

Over the years, more methods came about, and polishing metal became an everyday thing. However, it wasn’t until modern times that finishing metal could be done on a large scale.

Why It Is Done at Scale

Considering all the metal we use these days, there’s no way standard blacksmiths would ever be able to keep up with the demand. That means the invention of vibratory finishing machines, such as the ones we sell on our website, were a long time coming. Obviously, doing a process like this at scale means the fine-tuning and perfection of blacksmithing isn’t truly possible. Still, over time, the process of mass finishing has become extremely thorough.

How It Actually Works

The reason for mass finishing machines’ increasing success is due to the customization of the process. Companies can use different types of media that have varying levels of abrasiveness to achieve precise results. Procedures such as deburring, edge breaking, and surface smoothing are all possible with the same machine.

They work well due to the vibration. The constant shaking allows the media to rub all angles of the metal pieces at a rate that’s humanly impossible. Plus, it’s a smooth enough process that it doesn’t break fragile components.

While absolute perfection might not ever be possible through this method, the science behind mass finishing is still quite interesting. It's come a long way since the days of blacksmithing, and we're sure more advancements are just around the corner. It'll be fascinating to see what comes next in this industry.


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