Dry Deburring

Deburring machines come in wet and dry varieties. Obertec Limited offers both types of machinery and both methods of finishing processes. Dry machines may be less expensive, but they do require some kind of dust collector, either dry (basically a big vacuum cleaner) or wet (which forces all grinding debris into a wet tank to cool and capture the debris, reducing the risk of fire or explosion).

Dry machines work well for grinding certain parts of similar material, all carbon steel, for instance. But wet deburring machines are an absolute must when grinding different metals, such as aluminum, which can produce combustible dust. If combustible dust is left in a dry dust collection system when steel is run, the sparks created from the steel can ignite the remaining dust, causing a fire or explosion. A wet system, on the other hand, creates no metal dust and so usually does not present such hazards.

Wet machines typically have ancillary equipment, such as a filter and a drying unit. The filter separates the grinding debris from the coolant and recirculates the coolant to spray where the grinding is taking place. The drying unit can include squeegee rolls that push the coolant off of a deburred and grained part, as well as a blower that removes the remaining liquid.

Various abrasive media may be integrated into an automated deburring system. Most have at least one wide-belt abrasive that rotates on a drum, and many have additional barrel brushes that span the width of the work area, as shown in the configuration at the top. Several specialty abrasive heads, including rotating brushes and discs (bottom) also are available. The abrasive choice depends on application requirements.

In most applications, wet deburring machines can prolong the life of abrasive media. With the right coolant, abrasive media can last even longer. Using water-soluble coolants,usually 95 percent water mixed with 5 percent coolant chemical, may almost double abrasive life versus using water alone.

If you have:

• Flat parts that stick together
• Parts sensitive to water
• Thin parts prone to bending

Send your sample parts to our processing lab for a free assessment.

Call Clive 905 366-8285 or email cliveg@obertec.com