Deburring is a Constant Need Among Manufacturers

When Henry Ford introduced his Model T to the world it only came in black. Nevertheless, this was huge and the advancement from horse-drawn carriages to motor-driven automobile rocked the world of many people. After World War II, General Motors further upped the ownership game by debuting a new model every season. The idea of replacing or upgrading a car was unheard of at the time, let alone a family owning more than one car. Fast forward many decades later and now electric and hybrid vehicles are more common offerings.

But even through all the advances, one element has still been constant. Safety and process improvements are ongoing and deburring and its related technologies play a key role. Within the increasingly mechanized automobile industry, reliable process improvements are critical. These large and small parts are moving quickly and those working on the line must also move quickly.

This is not an environment where hand deburring is welcomed. Deburring processes must be mechanical, consistent and easy to reproduce. Parts must be in top condition as they are used both in-house and outsourced to third parties. Small manufacturers are often key to this, creating and refining a range of individual parts for larger distribution.

Within the automotive industry, powdered metal parts play a significant role and overall finished product quality is important. Beyond product quality, the deburring of powdered metal parts also concerns individual part aesthetics, safety in terms of edges and fittings as well as the functionality of the parts.

To ensure consistency, manufacturers employing deburring processes often use deburring on both sides and on all edges of a part. Smooth edges ensure there’s no interference in how parts fit together. They also minimize scratches on mating surfaces and plating build-up at the edges and lessen edge craters and other elements caused by a non-smooth edge.

Parts manufacturers who want to create and maintain quality products understand the necessity of removing burrs and rough spots on seams and edges. This is often obtained by deburring using a nylon disc brush with or without mechanical flipping. Robotic loading allows for simultaneous brushing on the upper and lower edges via large-diameter radial brushes that approach the spindle-clamped part on two axes. Self-contained models may also feature the use of coolant.

CDMC recommends the use of high-quality parts and variable-speed brush motors used in a safe production environment to improve the process and accommodate a range of parts. Following these steps will allow manufacturers of all sizes to increase outputs and reap the benefits of deburring for the automotive industry.

Contact CDMC today to learn why deburring is a valuable and vital part of creating a safe, flexible and efficient ecosystem. We’ll show you why having a deburring application in place can make your product and your system safer and your employees more efficient.