Working With Walnut Shell Media And Finishing Machines

Finishing media is used in the procedure of finishing of parts. When the parts are loaded into the finishing machines – tumbling machines and vibratory machines – along with the media, they rub with each other. The media has an abrasive property which results in deburring, smoothing, polishing and cleaning of the parts. Finishing compounds may be used throughout the finishing process to improve the efficiency of the finishing media. Finishing media can be broadly classified into two categories. One is natural media like corn cob media and walnut shell media. The other category is artificial media like plastic deburring media and ceramic finishing media.

Corn cob media is made by grinding the hard wooden ring of the corn’s cob. It is prepared into an abrasive grit that can flow smoothly. Because it is natural, the corn cob media is environment friendly. This media is suitable for use with both tumbling and vibratory machines. It has great absorbent properties which makes it ideal to clean and dry parts. Corn cob grit can absorb oils, grease, dirt and moisture without causing a scratch or damaging the surface of the parts in any manner. It is excellent for use as a burnishing agent and is used for burnishing of metals in tumbling machines. Metals such as brass and bronze which are soft in nature get the desired finish with this media.

The corn cob media grit comes from coarse variety to super fine variety to suit a variety of parts, based on their weight and nature. This media is tough and does not break down easily; It can be reused again and again and it cost effective. It reduces the cycle time of finishing operations. It is clean and can be incinerated and poses no health or environment danger. It has a soft abrasive action and can be carefully used on frail components to defend micro finishes. It is successful on both metallic and plastic parts.

Walnut shell media is an additional admired natural finishing media. It is equipped by grinding walnut shells that are tough and fibrous into grit – the grit sizes could be large or small based on the necessities. The nature of the parts plus the perforation size of the screen that is used to divide the parts from the media after the finishing process is over establish the grit size. Walnut shell media is also used in blasting machines apart from tumbling and vibratory machines. They are ideal to de-flash plastic parts and polishing and smoothing of metals like aluminium, bronze and brass.

Walnut shell media also comes in practical in oil drilling to avoid clogging during circulation and to impart anti-skid properties to paint which is used about swimming pools and walk ways. This media is angular and multi faceted. It lasts long and is reusable. Being natural, it is non toxic and environmentally protected. It is a soft abrasive that can maintain the primer coat while removing the top coat of paint from parts. It serves to improve the cycle time of the tumbling or vibratory finishing process.