Vibratory Polishing Media is an important component in the vibratory finishing process. It smoothes sharp edges and grinds down burrs to give your products a polished and shiny finish. The shape, material, and size of this media depends on the parts that you want to polish.
Choosing the Right Media for Your Parts
The type of metal you're polishing is an important consideration when it comes to choosing a suitable media. If you're trying to polish more robust metals such as steel and titanium, you'll need robust media that can handle heavy amounts of stress. These types of media are made from ceramic or stainless steel.
Another factor to consider is the size of your parts and the finish you're looking to achieve. Smaller materials produce a smoother surface but take longer to process than larger ones. Larger media are effective at removing burrs and radiusing sharp edges.
Planar Contact & Linear Pattern
Planar contact is an excellent technique for achieving maximum abrasive contact with a part's surface. This contact pattern offers a higher percentage of contact efficiency and usually the fastest refinement times.
Similarly, linear patterns follow the same logic: 100% of the weight of the media is concentrated on an infinitesimally small contact area (Fig. 2).
These patterns are best for completing the majority of the surface improvement on your part. However, they can be difficult to achieve if your part is shaped or has an I.D. angle that impedes contact efficiency. For this reason, it is critical to select a media that complements both opposing surfaces relevant to achieving planar contact.
