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How do tumbling media remove burrs and smooth rough edges on manufactured parts?
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abrasive
Worker using an angle grinder to smooth a piece of metal.
Tumbling media remove burrs and smooth rough edges through a process of mechanical abrasion within a rotating barrel or vibrating tub. In this mass-finishing operation, manufactured parts are mixed with loose or preshaped abrasive pieces.
As the mixture slides within the container, the abrasive material acts upon the parts, grinding away unwanted burrs and refining the surface texture. This process effectively replaces labor-intensive hand-deburring, which is particularly significant for industries like the aircraft industry where manual finishing is costly. Using a vibrating tub instead of a rotating barrel can further increase the productivity of this finishing process.12