ActOn Finishing Ltd

ActOn Finishing Offers Mirror Finishing Solutions to UK Manufacturing Market by Acquiring the DLyte PRO500

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 22/09/2023

ActOn Finishing is an established brand in the surface finishing UK market. With more than 50 years of experience in developing mass finishing, shot blasting and waste water treatment solutions for a wide range of industries, the surface-finishing manufacturer is looking to introduce more efficient machinery into its range every year. This year ActOn has introduced in its range the DLyte PRO500.

The DLyte PRO500, manufactured by GPAINNOVA, offers exceptional metal surface-finishing results with superior speed and efficiency replacing manual finishing. ActOn can now supply this machine or offer a subcontract finishing service.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, states: “We are very pleased with our latest addition to our test lab. We currently manufacture all surface finishing machines in the UK, and adding the DLyte PRO500 will complement our current offering as we look to grow the business. We are confident that through this collaboration we can offer an advanced process solution and help our customers overcome challenges in finishing their components."

Why DLyte PRO500?

The DLyte® PRO Series has been designed to include the largest compact dry electropolishing machines for industrial applications. Some of its main benefits include:

provides a solution to materials such as steel, cobalt-chrome, titanium, copper based, nickel-based and aluminium alloys.
the polishing action reaches every corner of the piece, so it can process inner cavities which cannot be accessed mechanically.
the DLyte PRO500 is equipped with 2, 4, and 8 perimeter spindles. This versatile configuration allows it to efficiently manage single or multiple workpieces per holder.This not only boosts its overall capacity and performance but also makes it exceptionally effective when dealing with substantial workpiece quantities.
achieves homogeneous polishing across the entire surface of the piece is the main advantage compared to mechanical polishing.
doesn’t generate grinding texture patterns, improving resistance to part wear and fracture resistance, improving the bearing ratio, an improving fatigue resistance.
achieves Ra’s under 0,09 micrometers.
offers controlled costs and predictable lead times.

DLyte PRO500 combines easy operation, advanced automation, and intelligent software to deliver superior finishing results. With real-time parameter optimisation based on conductivity and temperature control, it maintains electrolyte quality and extends its lifespan, ensuring consistent and repeatable performance between cycles.

The specialised work piece holders and fixtures are designed to optimise results for each piece's unique geometry and finishing requirements. The versatile holding systems ensure maximum capacity utilisation across various applications, making it the ideal solution for companies of each sector. Moreover, DLyte PRO500 connects to the DLyte HUB to access all services required for high-quality finishing. This allows users to monitor the process, receive real-time system status updates, track maintenance schedules, and download and update surface finishing programs.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, said: “We are continuously developing and adding new products to our range of finishing solutions and are certainly excited with the new DLyte PRO500 technology. ActOn are here to offer you a complete solution.”

To learn more about ActOn’s technology and surface finishing process, contact the team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk. You can also request a Free Trial here: https://actonfinishing.co.uk/free-trial/

How to achieve optimal results when surface finishing polymer 3D printed parts

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 16/06/2021

Selecting the most suitable surface finishing technology is critical to prove the viability of additive manufactured components from a cost and functional standpoint. In order to improve the appearance, surface roughness and mechanical properties of polymer 3D printed parts, post surface processing remains an important factor. To help you achieve this, our range of technologies are available as standalone machines or can be integrated as fully automatic systems.

Wondering what is involved in processing 3D printed polymers? We’ve outlined the three simple steps we follow at ActOn Finishing…

The residues from the 3D printed process can be removed using shot blast equipment. Our AM Blasting technology has been designed to remove residue from parts with complex geometries, in an efficient way. Depending on your requirements, you can choose from our AM Blasting Excel Series, AM Blasting Smart Series or AM blasting Solid Series.These all produce a smooth, reliable and repeatable finish each time.
Surface finishing with vibratory finishing technology allows you to get a smooth surface finish.The fastest technology for this industry is our CDF machine which is perfect for processing small and thin components, as well as larger parts with a length of up to 150mm.However, our Vibratory Finishing Troughs and Bowls are ideal for anyone looking to finish medium/high volumes.
For deburring, descaling, degreasing, cleaning, smoothing, radiusing, polishing and drying, our Automated Vibratory Finishing Systems are ideal. They’re suited for small batch works and delicate components, which can be used as either a batch or a continuous system.

Surface finishing polymer 3D printed parts: The results

Using a combination of process technologies, we strive to accomplish optimal results at ActOn Finishing. We recently developed a vibratory finishing solution to smooth 3D printed polypropylene parts, manufactured by Ricoh UK Products. The initial surface roughness of the parts ranged between 3.6 microns to 13 microns. We carried out two trials using our Vibratory Finishing machines. Using a highly abrasive ceramic media and a concentrated liquid compound, that acts like a cleaner and polisher, we finished the 3D printed parts in our Vibratory Bowl machine, for 20 hours. We then decided to also test the finishing process in an ActOn Trough Vibratory Finishing machine.

The Ra value started at 7.2 Microns and after the 4 hours process, in the Trough machine, this was reduced to 5.9 Microns and then to 3.681 Microns in 8 hours. There were no signs of contamination and the part looked good visually.

Find your perfect surface finishing process

We hope this has helped you to gather a better understanding about surface finishing for polymer 3D printed parts and how optimal results can be achieved. To find out further information or to organise your free processing trial, please fill in our form and an ActOn engineer will be in touch to recommend the best surface finishing process for you.

ActOn's Ultrasonic Cleaning Solutions Revolutionises the Automotive Industry

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 15/09/2023

Here at ActOn Finishing, we’re experts in all things ultrasonic cleaning, from how it works, its benefits to our various ultrasonic machines and processes. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look specifically at how ultrasonic cleaning can be used within the automotive industry for the best results.

What is ultrasonic cleaning?

Ultrasonic cleaning is a process that uses high frequency sound waves to agitate a liquid, with a cleaning effect. The ultrasonic waves create tiny bubbles in the liquid, which collapse violently and produce a scrubbing action that can remove dirt, grease, and other contaminants from surfaces. Read our blog for more information on ultrasonic cleaning machines and how they work.

Traditional cleaning methods in the automotive industry

More often than not, automotive ultrasonic cleaning is looked past as an option for those in the automotive industry, instead they opt for solvent cleaning or vapour degreasing, but what are these traditional cleaning methods?

Solvent cleaning uses various solvents such as methylene chloride or trichloroethylene to dissolve dirt and grease, and whilst effective it can be extremely harmful to the environment and dangerous to workers too.

Vapour degreasing uses a solvent vapour to remove dirt, grease, and other contaminants, and is considered more effective than solvent cleaning, but it is also more expensive and requires special equipment, which is its major downfall as a sustainable cleaning option.

The benefits of automotive ultrasonic cleaning

Undoubtedly, automotive ultrasonic cleaning is the best cleaning option for the automotive industry, with a number of advantages over traditional cleaning methods. Not only is automotive ultrasonic cleaning more effective at removing dirt, grease and other contaminants when compared to traditional methods, it’s also much gentler on parts, making it an ideal option for cleaning delicate components.

Unlike solvent cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning does not require harsh chemicals, making it a more environmentally-friendly option and less harmful to workers which is top priority. Due to the tiny bubbles in the liquid that are produced during the cleaning process, ultrasonic machines are able to clean hard to reach areas. Additionally, automotive ultrasonic cleaning is much faster than traditional cleaning methods, saving you valuable time and money.

Applications

ActOn’s range of ultrasonic cleaning machines includes the MOT Series, specifically designed for the automotive industry. This equipment is well suited for:

Degreasing, decarbonising and descaling engine components, such as cylinder heads, pumps and particle filter
Removing cinders, oils and grease and grinding engine blocks
Removing cinders and burned oils from turbochargers
Cleaning injectors from diesel engines, in just 10 to 15 minutes
Cleaning gearboxes with hard to reach geometries
Maintenance work in garages and repair shops
Cleaning radiators, cylinder heads, engine blocks, cleaning transmissions, hydraulic systems and working tools, such as shovels or chains for heavy machinery maintenance

Probably the main advantage of the MOT Series, is the fact that is reduces considerably the time spent on cleaning, obtaining the highest quality and avoiding the use of acids, brushes and grit blasting.

Ultrasonic cleaning is a valuable tool for automotive industries. If you’re looking for a way to clean your automotive parts more effectively, ultrasonic cleaning is a great option. At ActOn we have a range of ultrasonic cleaning machines and solutions for you to choose from. Get in touch with one of our expert team members today or get a quote to start your automotive ultrasonic cleaning journey.

ActOn Finishing Launches New Smarter Way to Clean Components

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 22/03/2023

ActOn Finishing is pleased to announce the launch of a new Ultrasonic Cleaning Series, designed to clean, descale and strip a large range of components, for industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy, electronics, food, graphics, jewellery, manufacturing, marine, mould cleaning, medical, optical and more.

ActOn Ultrasonic Cleaning Technology

The ActOn offering includes a Standard Series, a Laboratory Series, the Ultrasonic Machines built for the Automotive Industry and Customised Ultrasonic Systems.

The ultrasonic cleaning is a finishing process, which works on the principle of ultrasound waves (28 to 40 KHz) created in a liquid (usualy water or/ and chemical), to clean the parts. Components are placed in the ActOn ultrasonic tank, in a mix of water and/ or chemical. A generator and ultrasound emitter agitate the liquid mix and create the waves, resulting in small bubles. This action penetrates the particles from the component, such as dirt, rust, grease, oils or any other materials and removes them.

The main benefits of using the ActOn Ultrasonic Cleaning systems include:

These machines come in a wide range of sizes to suit your components
Cleans even areas which are difficult to reach.
Offers a fast process & 80% reduction of cleaning time.
Energy cost reduction.
Environmental friendly process.
Repeatable high quality results.

TT Standard Ultrasonic Series

The Ultrasonic Stadard Series has been designed to clean, descale and pickling a wide range of components. These machines come in different sizes (from 30 litres to 7998 litres capacity) and can be built with a lifting platform for loading and unloading the parts.

LT-PRO Laboratory Ultrasonic Series

The LT-PRO series includes a range of small sized ultrasonic machines, designed for cleaning dental implants, small electrical parts, jewellery, watches, laboratory equipment, medical and surgical instruments and glasses. These systems are particullary usefull as a previous step to sterilisation, in the medical and optical industries.

MOT Automotive Ultrasonic Series

The Ultrasonic MOT range includes machines with a capacity between 30 and 8000 litres and are built to clean oils, grease and carbon built-ups from automotive components such as turbocharger structures, carburetors, gearboxes, engine blocks, crankshafts, camshafts, con-rods, pistons and more. This equipment uses a working frequency of 40kHz (sweep system +2%) to efficiently process soft materials such as aluminium, brass or magnesium, without damaging the components.

Tailored Solutions

At ActOn Finishing we offer a range of Ultrasonic Systems custom made for the automotive, aerospace, food, electronics, electroplating, graphics, machining and turning, maintenance, marine, mold, nuclear and medical and pharmaceutical industries. These ultrasonic machines are offered in a wide range of sizes and include 3 types of systems:

One-Tank Special Equipment: these machines are offered with a capacity ranging from 75 litres to approx. 2000 litres. All models are custom made for industrial cleaning and specific processes:

Special Equipment Manual Multistage: designed for finishing processes which require different stages, such as rinsing, drying or different treatments in addition to cleaning. Depending on the component’s cleaning requirements these machines can be built with a number of tanks, with a wide range of capacities.

Multistage Automatic Smart Line: fully automated systems with a load capacity ranging from 20 to 100 Kg. This equipment is designed to meet the highest requirements for industrial cleaning.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, said the ActOn Ultrasonic Cleaning series fits perfectly with the firm’s existing range of surface finishing products. He states: “We are continuously developing and adding new products to our range of finishing solutions and are certainly excited with our new range of ultrasonic technology. ActOn are here to offer you a complete solution".

At ActOn Finishing, we offer a wide range of surface finishing machines, methods and finishing processes to suit your specific needs. For any advice on your process or machinery get in touch with us today.

ActOn Sand Blasting Equipment Improves Process Speed and Components’ Finish

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 25/07/2022

Sand blasting, also known as abrasive blasting, involves finishing components in a pressure blasting machine, by spraying the abrasive media under high pressure against the part’s surface. This process is especially used for smooth finishing applications. At ActOn we recently had the opportunity to supply a sand blasting machine to Special EFX, which has improved their components’ finish and process speed.

Special EFX Ltd are market leaders in designing and manufacturing bespoke awards and trophies for clients in UK and worldwide. To produce the matt, brushed, polished or a satin finishes they offer, they were using a sandblaster in-house. However they wanted to update their finishing equipment as they needed a shot blasting machine with a pressure fan that would give them a more constant flow.

Smooth Finish on Custom Awards & Trophies

After contacting different suppliers on the market, they decided to work with ActOn. Tony Darby, Production Manager Special EFX Ltd states: “customer service was very good, very friendly, helpful; they showed us around their facility in Coventry and that’s where we made the decision to go ahead with ActOn. We had spoken with other suppliers as well, but ActOn seemed like the people we wanted to work with.”

Further to carrying out trials for them, we decided that the best option to achieve a matt sandblasted finish prior to anodising was the ECO MP pressure blast cabinet. This sand blasting machine is a compact system built to achieve a rapid and efficient finish. Moreover, the ECO Blasting Systems have been designed to allow you to minimise your investment while enjoying the benefits of a good quality shot blasting machine.

The Sand Blasting Cabinet Features & Benefits

Speed at which customer can now shot blast the parts has increased
This sand blasting machine is a pressure fan machine which gives constant pressure and without any disruption in flow
No leakages whilst blasting.
The parts finish has improved and results are repeatable.
The ECO MP pressure blast cabinet offers permanent visibility due to optimal circulation of air and dust filtering.
This sand blasting cabinet has a solid construction and comfortable arm hole.

Results

The smooth finish required was achieved in a short period of time, while the client enjoys consistent and repeatable results every time, without the need of reworking or scraping the parts.

Tony Darby, Production Manager Special EFX Ltd states: “Aftercare was very good. Any problems we had, they are at the other end of the phone. They were helpful with the installation of the machine. I would recommend ActOn due to their professionalism of their team, the quality of the cabinets they provide and for the friendliness and helpfulness they provided during the purchase”

To learn more about ActOn’s shot blasting technology click here. For further information regarding the finishing process email our technical team.

ActOn High Energy Finishing Process Enables Client to Deburr 10,000 Parts/ Hour

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 14/11/2019

Recently we had the opportunity to work with a leading global supplier of technology metals as well as a manufacturer of complex assemblies and machined products, to improve on their existing mass finishing process to allow them to achieve a more repeatable finish and cope with a higher throughput of parts. The finishing process developed by us enabled our client to deburr 10,000 parts / hour.

The project background

We have been approached by our customer as they required a more effective way to degrease and remove sharpness on Molybdenum parts, before the plating stage. At the time of the initial contact, our customer was finishing 8,000 parts/ batch using a traditional barrel finishing machine and the full process took 9 hours. During the first 8 hours, parts were deburred and degreased and the last hour was used to separate the parts from media. This was not only extremely labour intensive but meant that with an increasing output, capacity was an issue.

A Fast and Cost Effective Finishing Process Using CHE Technology

Processing trials

ActOn carried out the finishing process trials from the beginning in the Centrifugal High Energy machine, as we knew that we needed a quicker process time, whilst also removing the need for a long separating time for separating parts and media.

Hence we carried out the trials in our CHE50 finishing machine, using an abrasive media and liquid finishing compound we manufacture for cleaning & degreasing of ferrous metals. The final finish was achieved in just 45 minutes and we managed to deburr and degrease 10,000 parts / batch. The unload and separation of parts took just a few minutes over an automated vibratory separator which the barrels of the machine unload onto after the finishing process. To ensure parts do not rust post processing, these are ran through a centrifugal drier to remove any moisture.

CHE Finishing Technology Used

As a result of the successful trial the customer decided to purchase the CHE50 finishing technology. The system is HMI/ PLC controlled and it includes 100 finishing recipes which makes the machine easy for the operator to use.

CHE50 machines are equipped with 4 hexagonal shaped barrels. Each of these barrels are loaded manually with parts, media and a water/compound mix as per the recipes set up in the system. The CHE50 also includes an integrated temperature monitoring system to ensure that any overheat within the barrels will result in the machine coming to a stop to prevent any damage to the barrel liners.

This finishing technology incorporates a direct drive mechanism which generates high g-forces resulting in shorter processing times in comparison with vibratory finishing. High Energy finishing can be 15-20 times faster and produces superior finishes. This process time advantage meant that the customer was able to process 10,000 parts in one hour, in comparison with 8,000 parts in 9 hours.

To make the finishing process even more efficient, we integrated in the High Energy system, a Vibratory Separation System. Upon completion of the process, parts, media and the mix of water and compound are discharged from the barrel into the vibratory separation system and separated via the screen.

The Result

Our finishing process enabled our customer to process 10,000 parts in 1 hour, in comparison with 8,000 parts in 9 hours.
The trials showed a 98% pass rate compared to an average of 93% using the previous finishing process.
The finishing process produces a repeatable and high quality finished product.

According to Adam Cook’s (Process/Continuous Improvement Engineer at H.C. Stark Ltd ) statement:

“Acton Finishing’s professional service and expertise in designing and installing our new HE Deburring process is critical to us delivering the high-quality product that our customer expect.”

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To check learn more about ActOn’s high energy finishing technology please click here.

Finishing Case Study: Achieving a Smooth and Polished Finish on a 3D Printed Inconel Part

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 07/03/2018

Project Background

ActOn has recently had the opportunity to develop a finishing process for an additive manufacturing company, that builds 3D parts for a wide array of engineering sectors.

The client enquired as to whether we could find a suitable process that would bring a high polished and smooth finish to one side of the component whilst leaving the other untouched.

The Problem

The entire component is built via additive manufacturing and it includes a 3D mesh. Hence whilst the front side appears smooth the back of the Inconel component would comprise of a very fine mesh with numerous gaps. Therefore, the mesh side of the part must be completely covered to an air tight tolerance during any mass finishing process. This ensures that no lodgement of media can contaminate the mesh side and no impingement occurs on the structural integrity of the wheel.

The aim

- Improve surface finish and polish the upper side of the part

- Make sure the mesh side of the component is untouched during the finishing process

What we did

We examined the component and determined that a masking solution should be developed to cover the mesh side. We designed the masking solution to be air tight in order to not move while the part was processed.

We conducted a 3 stage trial:

- We carried out the first stage by deburring the wheel in the ActOn Centrifugal High Energy machine with an abrasive ceramic media and an acidic compound. This compound is great for removing scale, brightening and polishing ferrous metals.

- To smooth the surface we used a medium abrasive ceramic media and the same acidic compound. For a more effective process we finished the part in the same finishing machine.

- The last stage included polishing the surface in the High Energy machine using only pre-treated media. We have proved through extensive testing that the pre-treated media produces a bright mirror finish, in a reduced time, in the High Energy machine.

The result

- This process achieved a 90% loss in roughness average, as requested by the customer.

- The masking solution developed by us was successful and completely protected the rear side of the component.

- Furthermore the polished finish required on one of the surface was achieved in only 3 hours without affecting the other side of the wheel.

For any Mass Finishing enquiries please contact our team via email at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk or call us at +44 (0) 24 7646 6914

Dont forget to follow us on Twitter @ActOnFinishing for all the latest news about ActOn Finishing Ltd.

ActOn Finishing Develops Innovative Process for Deburring Sintered Automotive Components in Just 15 Minutes

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 20/02/2023

Leading Automotive Manufacturer Acquires Custom Made Disc Finishing System to Improve In-House Surface Finishing Process.

A leading global manufacturer and supplier of products for automotive, commercial, aerospace, marine, rail and off-road vehicles, has acquired the ActOn DT100 Surface Finishing System to improve on their existing surface finishing process. The British-built DT100 disc machine and Vibratory Dryer has been built as a replacement for an old system, which was used to deburr sintered rings. The finishing process developed by ActOn Finishing enabled the client to achieve a repeatable and high-quality result in just 15 minutes.

The project background

The customer needed to upgrade their existing system as it was inefficient, presented leakages and parts were getting stuck in the system. This resulted in components being damaged and final finishing results not being as per the industry standards.

One of the reasons why the Automotive Manufacturer has decided to collaborate with ActOn Finishing was the long standing relationship that was built between the two companies. ActOn has previously designed, developed and installed two other finishing systems, a VB10P vibratory finishing system and a CHE40 high energy system, both significantly improving the production output.

A fast and cost effective finishing process using the disc finishing technology

ActOn carried out the finishing process trials from the beginning in the Disc Finishing machine. This technology allows for finishing components in a shorter time, in comparison with vibratory finishing machines. To deburr and radius the sintered rings, a mix of medium abrasive ceramic media, liquid finishing compound and water were used. While the media size and shape were chosen carefully so that a uniform finish was achieved; the liquid compound was developed especially for the automotive industry for cleaning, degreasing of ferrous metals. To avoid any corrosion appearing after the wet process, a 1 lap process was carried out in the vibratory dryer. This drying media acts as an absorbent and removes any moisture from the parts, when heated in the dryer. The final finish was achieved in just 15 minutes.

As a result of the successful trial, the customer decided to purchase the DT100 surface finishing system. This technology is HMI/ PLC controlled and it includes finishing recipes which makes the machines easy for the operator to use. Moreover, being an automated process, there’s less need for manual intervention and the final finish is always as per the customer’s standards.

The design of the DT100 machine allows continuous output: while the finished batch of components are separated from media and loaded into the dryer, a new batch is being processed in the disc finishing machine. The process is fully automated and controlled from the point of parts being processed to the discharge of the parts. To make this process even more efficient and solve the issue of parts being stuck during the unloading stage, a wind cycle has been installed in the new disc finishing machine.

Furthermore, to treat the discharge of the processing liquid, which includes a mix of water, compound, abrasives from media and metal fines, ActOn recommended the installation of a Batch Centrifuge. A suitable treatment system can reduce the processing costs, is a responsible measure towards the environment, and facilitates recycling. The unit bought by the automotive manufacturer was designed to work in the most effective manner to treat the discharge water from the mass finishing process. The solids are captured in the basket of the centrifuge and then disposed of based on the local regulations.

The Result

• The surface finishing process enabled the customer to achieve a repeatable and highquality result in just 15 minutes.

• The sintered rings are deburred and radiused to industry standards.

• The new wind cycle technology solves the problem of parts getting stuck during the unload stage.

• There were no leakages during the finishing process.

• The system is also environmental friendly, as the effluent was treated and recycled.

To learn more about ActOn’s centrifugal disc finishing technology click here. For further information regarding the finishing process email our technical team.

ActOn Finishing partnerships with The MTC to develop mass finishing processes for additive manufactured parts

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 17/03/2017

ActOn Finishing is proud to announce that they can now assist companies from the additive manufacturing industry to surface finish additive manufactured (AM) parts through high energy technology.

The development of this technology has significantly reduced processing times of additive manufactured parts in comparison with traditional methods. Also it offers consistent and repeatable results. From reducing surface roughness, to deburring and polishing these are just a few of the applications that can be achieved via the high energy finishing process.

This step has been made in partnership with The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) based in Coventry. MTC develops and improves innovative manufacturing processes and technologies in an agile, low risk environment, in partnership with industry, academia and other institutions. They focus on delivering bespoke manufacturing system solutions for their customers, using some of the most advanced manufacturing equipment in the world.

The MTC have acquired the ActOn High Energy Polishing Machine CPM-10 model and ActOns consumables to undertake in-house work. The partnership also allows the engineers both from the MTC and ActOn to work together by utilising ActOns subcontract finishing facility to develop and optimise finishing processes on additive manufactured components.

Ruaridh Mitchinson, Research Engineer at the MTC comments:

The CPM-10 has provided invaluable insight into finishing both EBM and SLM AM parts. This has provided the MTC with a low cost means to efficiently and effectively conduct R&D into surface finishing of additive manufactured parts.

The MTC has the capability to manufacture metal additive manufactured components through either: Laser Sintering or Electron Beam Melting. After the manufacturing process some surface finishing can be required.

High energy machines are used to reduce surface roughness, deburr and polish parts. The action of these machines relies on the high g force and velocity at which the media chips come in contact with the processed components. In most cases, the results achieved via high energy finishing cannot be achieved in a standard vibratory process. This particularly applies on applications that include achieving a high surface finish, a mirror finish and the rapid removal of manufacturing defects.

Our high energy technology is known to be significantly faster than traditional finishing methods and produces superior finishes. It is one of the most efficient batch finishing methods. When processing large or fragile additive manufactured components, individual compartments within the barrel ensure parts are processed without the concerns of any contact. This method ensures zero risk of impingement.

The process involves using the correct machinery, media and compound. As the geometry of the additive manufactured parts can usually be intricate, our engineers have developed media in different shapes and sizes, thereby ensuring consistent finish. The media also comes in a variety of abrasive grades, starting from low abrasive to super finishing. Media hardness is also a critical aspect of the process parameter.

ActOn compounds comprise of abrasives, brighteners, lubricating agents, cushioning materials and cleaning agents. Some of the applications include cleaning, inhibiting rust and corrosion of parts, brightening, descaling and degreasing. Our compounds reduce media costs and process time. The finishing compounds for the process are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

To learn more about ActOn's finishing technology please visit www.acton-finishing.co.uk. For more information about The Manufacturing Technology Centre please visit www.the-mtc.org.

Medical Titanium Parts Mirror Finished With ActOn's Dry Tumbling Application

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 27/03/2020

To achieve a good surface finish and a mirror polish on a titanium part, via a dry tumbling application, it’s important to select the right finishing machine and consumables. A cost and time effective way to produce these results is by finishing the components in a high energy finishing machine with a pre-treated agro (organic) media.

Project Background

One of our clients, who is a major manufacturer in the medical industry, has approached us to find a mass finishing solution to mirror polish titanium components and achieve an Ra of 0.079 μm. At the start of this project, the customer was finishing the parts manually, which was proving to be a less effective way.

Dry Tumbling Application Using Pre-treated Agro Media

Before going into further details about the finishing process, it’s important to understand what dry tumbling is. This process allows you to deburr, grind, descale, de-flash, improve surface finish, radius or mirror polish components using only media, and no water or compound. Depending on the final finish and part material you can use a pre-treated agro media such as walnut shell or corn cob, wood media, ceramic or plastic media. In this case study, we will focus on dry tumbling using agro media.

Having worked on similar projects, with major manufacturers in the medical industry, we knew the fastest way to achieve the finish was by dry tumbling the titanium parts in the ActOn centrifugal high energy machine using a pre-treated walnut shell.

We finished the parts in the CHE technology as this is one of the fastest finishing machines on the market and it delivers superior results in a reduced processing time, in comparison with traditional tumbling. The process benefits include:

Significant reduction in surface roughness
Increased part cleanliness
Removal of surface defects
Non-part specific
No major tooling required
No requirement of fixturing
Consistent and repeatable results

The pre-treated walnut shells are hard and fibrous, and are known as ‘soft abrasive’. Also, this media imparts high lustre on components. Being extremely durable, walnut shells are used for the cleaning and polishing of heat-treated components, jewellery, surgical components, watches, etc. We decided to use the pre-treated walnut shells because it has been proven that in a centrifugal high energy machine this media can produce a much brighter finish than pre-treated corn cob.

Did you know that all our agro media comes in a bovine-free form, which is particularly suitable for industries such as the healthcare one? You can request a free trial today.

The result

We achieved, through the dry tumbling process, the mirror finish and an Ra of 0.079 μm, in just 30 minutes.
Client can now finish the parts in a cost and time effective way.
Using the CHE finishing machine the finishing results are now consistent in comparison with the manual finishing.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise for the Medical Industry please click here, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s high energy finishing technology please click here.

ActOn Abrasive Consumables: Everything You Need to Know

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 18/10/2017

ActOn offers a wide range of Abrasive Consumables for shot blasting and peening processes. Selecting the right blasting media is essential and depends upon the condition of the material before blasting and the finish required after blasting.

To achieve the required finish, it is important to consider the blasting media type, shape, size, density, and hardness. Our specialist with decades of experience in this field are always available to help you choose the right Abrasive Consumables for your process requirement.

ActOn Abrasive Consumables Range

Aluminium Oxide
Glass Beads
Metallic Blasting Media (Steel Shot, Steel Grit, Chilled Iron, Cut Wire Shot)
Plastic Blast Media
Silicon Carbides
Walnut Shell
Brown, Pink & White Alumina
Ceramic Beads

Applications

ActOn abrasive consumables are widely used in different industries such as defence, aerospace, automotive, general engineering, construction, rail and many more. Blasting media can be used to process both metals and softer materials such as plastics and wood.

ActOn abrasive media is suitable for various processes such as deburring, de-flashing, paint and coating removal, peening, heat treat and mill scale removal, weld splatter removal, mold cleaning, matte finishing, satin finishing, surface cleaning, blending of tool marks and much more.

Quality Standards

Using ActOn abrasive consumables you can achieve the desired Sa standards to ensure that the parts surface is cleaned to the required specification:

Light blast cleaning
Thorough blast cleaning
Very thorough blast cleaning
Blast cleaning to visual clean steel

For further technical information about ActOn Abrasive Consumables check our website or get in touch with a member of the ActOn technical team today: sales@acton-finishing.co.uk

ActOn Finishing 2023 In Review

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 22/12/2023

2023 is drawing to a close and we are excited for the future. To celebrate the year and thank you for all the support you have offered us, we wanted to share with you some of the highlights of this year.

New Finishing Machines Added to Our Range

We are happy to announce that in 2023 we have added to our range of surface finishing machines, 2 new series: the ultrasonic cleaning technology and the wet blasting cabinets.

Ultrasonic Systems

At the start of this year we have successfully launched a new range of Ultrasonic Cleaning Machines, which includes: a Standard Series, a Laboratory Series, the Ultrasonic Machines built for the Automotive Industry and the Customised Ultrasonic Systems. These systems are designed to clean, descale and strip a large range of pars, for industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy, electronics, food, graphics, jewellery, marine, mould cleaning, medical, optical and more.

AWB Wet Blasting Cabinets

In 2023 we also launched the AWB Wet Blasting Cabinets. These shot blasting machines are ergonomically designed for easy operation in sitting or standing position, for cleaning, descaling, deburring, roughening, oil or grease removal, die cleaning. The result is a very smooth finished part. Some of the key benefits include:

Rapid and efficient blasting.
Blasting process free of interruption
Comfortable arm holes.
Large viewing window.
British built high-quality wet blasting cabinet.

2023 A Year for Innovative Solutions for Medical Market

Working closely with our partners Seco Tools and GPAINNOVA, we have developed an innovative and effective surface finishing solution for femoral implants. The traditional finishing of a femoral implant is a 7-stage process including deburring, descaling, surface smoothing and final polishing. Using the CHEF Machine and DLyte, ActOn reduces it to just 3 stages:

Stage 1 – grinding
Stage 2 – smoothing
Stage 3 – polishing

“We’re reducing the percentage of operations and manual finishing done on the components,” says Sid Gulati. “The reduction in manual polishing means there is less use of belts and less tooling consumption.”

The Launch of Our USA Website

After establishing ourselves within the European and Indian market as a surface finishing leader, we are happy to announce that ActOn is expanding into the US market. Hence we have launched a new website especially designed for our USA clients and have started partnerships with local sales offices.

A Video Worth Checking

Even though we have published a range of informative videos about our finishing machines and process, we think the "CHEF Machines vs Conventional Finishing Technology Learn How to Achieve a Finish 10 Times Faster" is the one to check.

ActOn’s CHEF (Centrifugal High Energy Finishing) machines are possibly the most efficient of the finishing systems available in the industry. In many cases, the results achieved via CHE Finishing cannot be achieved in a standard finishing process. Particularly applications that include achieving a high surface finish requirement, a mirror finish and the removal of heavy manufacturing defects. These machines can be 10 times faster than vibratory finishing, producing superior finishes. In this video our colleague Ben explains in more detail how this system works and why you need to consider it instead of conventional finishing technology.

At the end of 2023 we would like to thank all our customers and stakeholders for they continued support they have offered, and we hope to continue working together in 2024.

Beyond Print – A Free & Innovative 3D Printing Event You Shouldn’t Miss

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 14/02/2024

We are happy to announce that ActOn Finishing will be an event partner along with Ricoh 3D during the Beyond Print Event, taking place on 29 February 2024. We will showcase our surface finishing technology for 3d printing industry and offer technical support to everyone attending the event.

Here’s what to expect from this 3d printing event

Come and be part of the Beyond Print event at Ricoh UK Products Ltd, the hub of Ricoh 3D, on February 29, 2024. This exclusive gathering is tailored for our valued customers and partners. Immerse yourself in a vibrant ecosystem of collaborators and partners, discovering ways to leverage their 3d printing and post-processing expertise and service offerings for your benefit.

Beyond Print will offer technical deep dives, demos and a mini industry marketplace, with topics including DfAM, Scanning, 3D Printing, Optimisation, Post-Processing, Machine Sales, Parts Manufacturing, Software & Systems and more. Register here.

ActOn 3D Printing Post-processing Solutions

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) is now an established technology for prototyping and production. Selecting the most suitable surface finishing technology is critical to prove the viability of components from a cost and functional standpoint. In an ideal world, surface finishing must be considered when designing components for AM to ensure the desired component and its characteristics can be achieved.

ActOn Finishing is at the forefront of revolutionising the additive manufacturing industry with its cutting-edge post-processing technology. Specialising in providing advanced solutions for refining 3D-printed components, we ensure a seamless transition from digital design to finished product. The state-of-the-art technologies we provide encompass a range of surface finishing processes, from deburring and polishing to surface texturing, resulting in enhanced aesthetics and performance of additively manufactured parts.

At ActOn we have worked closely with major manufacturers in the 3d printing industry to adapt and develop finishing solutions that meet their stringent requirements. Our expertise extends to a diverse array of materials, from metals to polymers, and a wide range of components.

With a commitment to delivering precision and quality, ActOn Finishing plays a pivotal role in elevating the overall standards of the additive manufacturing sector, offering comprehensive solutions for perfecting the final touches on 3D printed creations.

During the Beyond Print event you will have the opportunity to learn more about ActOn’s effective and fast post-processing solutions and participate in discussions about optimising your manufacturing process, as well as attend industry-specific seminars and presentations, where you will learn how to improve productivity, while maintaining product quality, without increasing the size of the shop floor. Moreover you will receive technical and educational content dedicated to real-world additive manufactured parts.

Beyond Print Partners and Speakers

Beside ActOn you will also have the opportunity to explore a diverse ecosystem of collaborators and partners from the additive manufacturing industry. Some of the confirmed partners include: AMFG, ToffeeX, Solid Applications Ltd, Measurement Solutions Limited, Laser Lines, Additive Manufacturing UK, AMT PostPro, Atomik AM and The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

As an attendee you will be able to:

Engage in conversations with these partners on overcoming challenges in the development and adoption of standards for additive manufacturing in the UK.
Explore strategies for advancing the skills agenda and amplifying additive manufacturing.
Listen to these insights and gain a glimpse into the envisioned future.
Find out more about how the Orthotic Research & Locomotor Assessment Unit (ORLAU) are using 3D printing to assist patient rehabilitation
Join the RICOH factory tour, including the first-ever official Metal Additive Manufacturing Customer Experience Centre formal demonstration

Event Schedule

Here’s what to expect from this 3d printing event:

08.30-09.30 – Arrival for partners/exhibitors
09.00-09.30 – Arrival for visitors
09.30-10.00 – Coffees/snacks/networking
10.00-10.15 – Introduction to Ricoh 3D and Beyond Print event
10.15-10.35 – AMUK strategy round-up and vision
10.35-11.15 – Dedicated partner presentations (x4)
11.15-11.30 – Break
11.30-11.40 – Introduction to Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing (CBAM)
11.40-12.20 – Dedicated partner presentations (x4)
12.20-13.30 – AM Marketplace (and free buffet lunch)
13.30-14.00 – Keynote address, Keith Miller, ORLAU / RJAH NHS
14.00-14.15 – Closing address
14.15-15.45 – Ricoh UK Products Ltd factory tour
15.45-16.00 – Depart

We look forward to your presence on February 29, 2024, at Ricoh UK Products Ltd, the headquarters of Ricoh 3D. Register here.

7 Essential Steps to Set Up a Vibratory Finishing Process

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 27/02/2018

Over the years ActOn team has worked with major manufacturers from different industries to adapt and develop Vibratory Finishing Solutions that meet their stringent requirements. Hence we understand the challenge of achieving a high quality finished component and setting up a repeatable vibratory finishing process.

To ensure our customers will be able to achieve repeatable & cost-effective finishing results, at their own facility, we have put together a Free eBook. "7 Essential Steps to Set Up a Vibratory Finishing Process" eBook includes all the resources you need to set up a successful finishing process.

What can you find inside the eBook

What is vibratory finishing and how will vibratory finishing help you optimise your operations
What component parameters to gather before starting the finishing trial.
How to determine which vibratory finishing machine to use
How to calculate the amount of parts you can process/ batch
How to set up the machine amplitude
How to select the right media and compound for your finishing process
What implies to run a vibratory finishing trial

Sid Gulati, Operations Director at ActOn Finishing comments:

"We believe that by sharing our knowledge with our customers we can help them better understand the finishing process which we guarantee in optimizing operations."

To download your free copy please click on the link below:

http://vibratoryfinishinglesson.acton-finishing.co.uk/

Discover how an ActOn Finishing free trial improves your process development

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 08/02/2021

To help you achieve an optimum finishing result inline with requirements, ActOn Finishing offers a free trial and technical consultation.

We’ve taken a closer look at the process of a free trial with ActOn Finishing, to discover how it can improve your process development, reduce costs and improve finishing quality.

Establishing a repeatable solution

Each trial and technical consultation at ActOn Finishing is customised to customer requirements. To begin, we’ll ask you to complete a form including any technical data related to the parts and finishing requirements. We’ll then need you to send the form back to us along with a sample part.

To understand the full picture, we’ll organise a consulting session with you before carrying out trials in our Research and Development facility. This will enable our engineers to ascertain process parameters and establish a repeatable solution.

Your sample part will be returned for inspection and approval - if necessary further trials can be carried out until we achieve the results you require.

Mass finishing parts to a high standard

Based on each customer’s requirements and the trial results, we can mass finish the parts at our subcontract facility in Coventry. A data card is made for each part which includes the process parameters, inspection criteria and any other notes to ensure repeatability in results.

Components are then processed and inspected as per the data card, with batch numbers assigned to parts for traceability, before parts are returned to the customer.

Alternatively following a free trial, we can design, manufacture and install the finishing system for you and provide the consumables required, based on the process we have developed.

We can also provide the process parameters and train staff to ensure the process will be reproduced at your own facility.

Developing processes for a range of requirements

Taking part in a free trial will help to identify the right process parameters, finishing system, consumables and water treatment solution needed for your part.

In ActOn Finishing’s Research and Development centre, we can develop processes for a range of requirements (including mass finishing, shot blasting, precision polishing and dry electropolishing) and offer a wide variety of finishing applications from deburring and descaling to smoothing, brightening and polishing. You can discover our full range of finishing applications here.

Our team will establish an improved process, resulting in shorter processing times, reduced costs (such as finishing costs, material costs and labour) as well as improving the final part finish.

Accelerating the process development for Rolls Royce Bristol

ActOn Finishing developed and installed a vibratory finishing system at Rolls Royce Bristol following a free trial and process development. This new mass finishing system enabled the client to improve the parts’ finishing quality and to increase productivity.

After installing ActOn’s system, the new process enabled Rolls Royce to:

Improve part cleanliness
Reduce process time from 60 minutes to 10 minutes
Process 3 times more volume at once
Reduce water consumption

Arrange your ActOn Finishing free trial and improve your process development

With five decades of experience in component finishing in Britain for a wide range of industries (including Additive Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive and Hospitality), your part will be in safe hands with ActOn Finishing.

The process development is free of charge and with our facility being based in the heart of England, we have easy access to all of our clients.

To find out further information or to organise your free trial, please fill in our form and an ActOn engineer will be in touch to recommend the best process.

Why surface finishing is important for medical device manufacturing in the UK?

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 30/10/2023

We understand that in the world of medical advancements, precision and quality are essential, especially when it comes to medical implants, and their surface finish. Here at ActOn Finishing, we’ve created an innovative surface finishing solution for the medical sector, offering a game-changing approach for medical implants. Let’s explore how we’ve helped expert medical device manufacturers in the UK by providing a unique finishing process that is transforming the industry.

Why is surface finishing important for medical implants?

Because we work closely with medical device manufacturers in the UK, we appreciate the need for advanced surface finishing to ensure medical implants work correctly. The reason why this is so important include:

Attachment and comfort: The surface finishing process is critical for medical implants, including femurs, tibias, and hip implants. If the finish of these components isn’t smooth enough, they may fail to attach properly to the bone, leading to discomfort and potential complications for the patient.

Avoiding loose pieces: Rough or uneven surfaces on implants can result in loose pieces breaking off into the patient’s body, posing significant health risks.

Optimising patient mobility: Surface irregularities can cause friction in the implant, leading to limitations in a patient’s mobility and overall quality of life.

Potential for replacement: When an implant doesn’t meet the required surface finish standards, it can lead to replacements, which increases costs and causes further discomfort for the patient.

What are the challenges in surface finishing for medical implants?

All medical device manufacturers in the UK will know that medical implants are typically made from hard-wearing materials such as cobalt chrome. These materials are challenging to work with due to casting defects and machining lines, and achieving a high level of repeatability at scale is both time-consuming and costly. It also takes up a considerable amount of resources, including labour, finishing materials, and water in the filtration process.

How ActOn can help

Here at ActOn we have introduced an innovative surface finishing solution for medical implants. Our patented Centrifugal High-Energy Finishing Machine (CHEF machine) is the secret weapon behind our success with medical device manufacturers in the UK. Here’s how our CHEF machine can help:

Swift and efficient: The CHEF machine can apply up to 16g of force, allowing for results 10x’s faster than traditional methods. It removes casting defects in cobalt chrome materials quickly, eliminating the need for expensive tooling to hold parts in place.

Environmentally friendly: Our innovative process uses 70% less water than traditional methods, contributing to a more sustainable approach to medical implant production.

Complete process: Partnering with Spanish company GPA Innova and their DLyte machine, we offer a comprehensive finishing process with a mirror-like finish.

Streamlining the process: Traditional femoral implant finishing involves a 7 stage process, whereas ours reduces it to just 3; Grinding, Smoothing and Polishing. Not only saving time and resources, but also providing a superior finish.

“The process started with an enquiry to remove machining lines on a tibial implant. It normally takes the manufacturer hours to do, but our machine did the same job in 25 to 30 minutes, saving water and tooling costs,” explains Sid Gulati, who has been managing director of this family-owned business since 2015.

How it works

The traditional finishing of a femoral implant is a seven-stage process including deburring, descaling, surface smoothing and final polishing. Using the CHEF Machine and DLyte, ActOn reduces it to just three stages:

Stage 1 – grinding: Removing most of the milling and machining lines.

Stage 2 – smoothing: Blending the surface and making it very smooth to prepare for polishing.

Stage 3 – polishing: Using the DLyte machine to achieve a mirror finish.

The CHEF Machine can take 12 parts per batch; the DLyte, 24. On a repeated basis the final Roughness Average is 0.04 μm, well within the targeted Ra of 0.07 μm, from an Ra start condition of 3.133 μm.

Our collaboration with Seco Tools

To ensure we help you become the No.1 medical device manufacturers in the UK and transform the medical implant industry, we’ve partnered with Seco Tools, acting as a bridge between our advanced finishing solutions and implant manufacturers. This collaboration improves the efficiency of our polishing process, by providing feedback to manufacturers on changes in the machining process that can reduce the need for finishing.

Key Takeaways

Surface finishing is crucial for medical implants to ensure proper attachment, patient comfort, and mobility
Our CHEF machine offers a faster, more efficient, and environmentally friendly solution for medical implant finishing
The streamlined process reduces manual polishing, saves time and resources, and results in a superior finish
Collaboration with Seco Tools enhances the efficiency of the polishing process, benefiting not only you, as medical device manufacturers in the UK, but patients

If you’d like to learn more about our unique and effective mass finishing of medical implants, contact our team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk. You can also request a Free Trial here: https://actonfinishing.co.uk/free-trial/

Case Study: Achieving a Bright Polished Finish on a Stainless Steel 3D Printed Lizard

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 01/10/2019

Processing a 3D printed part can be challenging when in comes to improving the component's appearance and smoothing the surface. These parts tend to have a textured surface and require improvement of surface roughness. At ActOn Finishing we have developed and optimised our mass finishing processes to be able to reduce the surface roughness, debur, achieve a smooth finish and polish 3D printed parts, in a significantly reduced processing time.

In this case study we discuss about how we developed a mass finishing process to polish a Stainless Steel 3D printed lizard, using ActOn Finishing Centrifugal Disc Finishing technology.

The Aim

To smooth the surface and achieve a bright polished finish on a Stainless Steel 3D printed lizard.

How We Processed the 3D Printed Lizard

We achieved this with our three-stage process, using the ActOn Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine, which combines grinding, smoothing and polishing. Due to the rough surface of the part, a high density ceramic media and LQ18 compound were used in the 1st stage.

The second stage was carried out using an abrasive plastic media and a finishing compound, which is a good cleaner, polisher. The aim of the second stage was to smooth the 3D printed lizard surface without affecting the dimensional integrity of the component. Careful consideration to the media shape and size was given to ensure all areas of the component were processed.

Lastly, the 3D printed lizard was processed using a porcelain media and a finishing compound, specially formulated for polishing and brightening of ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Result

The total process time took approx. 6 hours which was less than what the customer expected. The process delivered a superior bright polished finish while the dimensional integrity of the part was maintained.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Additive Manufacturing industry please visit the Industries page.

Guide to Selecting Mass Finishing Consumables - ActOn Finishing

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 30/08/2018

Over the years, we have been at the forefront of the industry, developing a range of specially formulated finishing consumables approved by the manufacturing industry. The key to achieving the optimum surface finish involves using the correct machinery, media and compounds. Combined correctly the media and compound allow you to achieve consistent and repeatable surface finish applications including, deburring, polishing, descaling, radiusing, burnishing, surface smoothing, cleaning and degreasing.

With such a wide range of media types and compounds, it can be overwhelming when it comes to choosing the right mix. Hence we have put together a Free eBook: "Guide to selecting Mass Finishing Consumables" , where we talk about:

choosing the best grade and type of mass finishing media
types of compounds available on the market
how to dose the compound in a mass finishing process
how to determine the right media and compound mix

Download your free copy from here.

To help you along the journey and make sure you keep on track, our specialists with decades of experience in this field are available to answer your specific questions in mass finishing. You can contact them via email at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk or call at +44 (0) 24 7646 6914.

Case Study: Prevent corrosion and remove sharp edges on mild steel parts

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 03/12/2019

In this blog article, we would like to discuss about how you can prevent corrosion and remove sharp edges on mild steel parts, by using vibratory finishing technology. Keep reading the below case study to learn about the ways in which you can reduce processing times, improve your current process and achieve the quality you desire with Mass Finishing techniques.

Project Background

The aim of this project was to develop a vibratory finishing process to remove the sharp edges, clean and inhibit the corrosion and achieve a uniform finish on these steel mild steel components.

How To Remove Sharp Edges and Prevent Corrosion

Further to the finishing trials we carried, our technical team have concluded that the best vibratory finishing machine to be used for these parts, was the vibratory finishing trough. As our client needs to process both larger and smaller parts in the same time, this finishing machine would allow him to finish components of different shapes and sizes. Furthermore, these machines have been built to suit various customer applications from deburring, descaling, radiusing and cleaning to polishing and surface improvement.

We achieved the final finish in a single stage process, which takes 45 minutes. Essential to this process were also the consumables we used. The abrasive ceramic media (manufactured by ActOn at our facility in PUNE, Malaysia) allowed us to remove the sharp edges and achieve a uniform surface finish. Our technical team chose a mix of sizes and shapes to ensure any lodgement of media can be avoided and the part finish will be consistent.

We also used LQ111S as a liquid finishing compound (manufactured at our facility in Coventry, UK), as it includes good cleaning properties and it inhibits the appearance of corrosion further to the finishing process.

Did you know that all our compounds are biodegradable and environmental friendly? Contact our technical team if you want to find out more about our range of mass finishing compounds.

Result

The process delivered a clean and smooth surface finish in a considerably reduced time, while the dimensional integrity of the part was maintained. All sharp edges have been removed and we prevent corrosion effect. A complete end-to-end solution.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To check learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for General Engineering and Manufacturing industries please visit the Industries page.

Case Study: Achieving a Mirror Polish on Stainless-Steel Jewellery

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 31/01/2020

We understand the importance of high quality, polished jewellery in the fashion industry. A high-quality mirror polish finish will surely increase the value of any piece of jewellery. It will contribute to a jeweller’s image & reputation and will give a sense of luxurious experience to his customers.

In this case study, we look at how you can achieve a mirror polish on stainless-steel pendants using the centrifugal disc finishing technology.

Project Background

Client approached ActOn team to develop a cost-effective process to achieve a mirror polish finish on stainless steel jewellery. The finishing process also implied barrelling 300 pieces per batch.

How we achieved the mirror polish on the stainless-steel jewellery

From the start of this project we ruled out vibratory finishing, as our client already did extensive trials using this technology and we also knew we had to offer a faster finishing process. Hence we carried out finishing trials in the ActOn Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine.

The Centrifugal Disc Machine is perfect for processing small and delicate components, such as these jewellery pieces, the probability of damaging these parts being very low. Moreover, the main advantages of Centrifugal Disc machines included:

the reduced processing times for most applications
being a faster alternative to the vibratory finishing machines
and it is a good value for money option as it implies a reduced capital investment.

Further to our trials we achieved the final finish in a 2-stage process:

To achieve a smooth surface free from burrs we finished the jewellery using our DTB series (perfect for heavy duty applications such as burnishing) and a mix of a medium abrasive plastic media, a polishing compound and water.
For the mirror polished effect the pendants were in high density polishing media, using LQ9 compound, a specially formulated brightening and polishing compound. This compound is one of our best-selling products for polishing processes and is used by jewellers, goldsmiths and mid-sized manufacturers in the fashion industry.

The result

Our finishing process enabled our customer to process 300 parts in approx. 3 hours. This has improved considerably the time our client was spending on polishing the pendants.
The process delivered a superior mirror polished finish while the dimensional integrity of the parts was maintained.
This finishing process can be replicated on other pieces of jewellery made by the client.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise for the fashion industry please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk .

3 Ways Subcontracting Helps Manufacturing when Coronavirus Impacts your Business

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 17/04/2020

With Coronavirus impacting business and forcing many employees to work from home, this can have a real effect on those in the manufacturing industry.

We’ve taken a closer look at three key ways using subcontractors such as ActOn Finishing, can help you not only save time and money during this difficult period, but also ensure you’re able to keep production going on.

1. Keep overheads low

In a time when you need to be flexible, using subcontractors will allow you to keep your overhead costs low as you won’t have to worry about staffing facilities, employee benefits or equipment maintenance.

Using subcontractors will also mean when life returns to normal following the pandemic, you’ll have those connections and facilities available to be able to cope with a sudden rise in demand once businesses reopen.

2. Experience specialised services

Another advantage of using a specialised subcontractor is you’ll have access to years of experience outside your immediate team. This also includes specialised equipment that can help provide a fast turnaround.

At ActOn Finishing, we pride ourselves on offering extreme care to detail for any subcontract work we carry out for our clients. With a dedicated subcontract facility, equipped with state-of-the-art finishing machinery, we’re able to provide speedy solutions when a client is unable to process the work themselves. our subcontract services include:

Vibratory Finishing and High Energy Services
Shot Blasting and Peening Services
Precision Polishing
Inspection

3. Bespoke research and development

Subcontracts are able to ensure your production is finished to a high standard, and at ActOn Finishing we even hand-finish parts that need extra care.

Don’t worry if you’re concerned your part is too unique or niche to be worked on by a subcontractor either. Many specialists, such as ActOn, are able to offer bespoke research and development to ensure their team are equipped with the right knowledge before starting any finishing work to achieve optimum results.

Your local finishing subcontractor

At ActOn Finishing, we have an exclusive facility, equipped to accommodate a wide range of finishing services in Coventry, the heart of the UK. We’re also proud to offer a Global Service, with an ActOn Finishing branch office in Pune, India and also in Kedah, Malaysia. From High Energy and Vibratory finishing to trained inspections and document controls, we’re here to help you during these unprecedented times.

To find out how we can reduce your business impact from Coronavirus, get in touch with us today.

Find out how you can win a spa day when visiting ActOn Finishing stand at MIM 2018 Exhibition

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 15/06/2018

This year, on 21^st of June, ActOn Finishing team will be exhibiting at Made in the Midlands Exhibition 2018, the UKs largest regional manufacturing and engineering exhibition. Up to 250 manufacturing and engineering companies will display their services from across the supply chain, including automotive, oil & gas, aerospace, retail, defence, medical. ActOn will also display the latest mass finishing technology, on stand 58, at Ricoh Arena, Coventry.

6 Reasons to visit stand 58 at Made in the Midlands 2018 Exhibition

- Learn about the latest Mass Finishing technology available and how it can be applied on your components

- Is your finishing process the most optimum and efficient? Use our free trial service to find out. You will have the opportunity to discuss with our team at Made in the Midlands exhibition about your finishing requirements and you can request your free processing trial.

- Find out about our Centrifugal High Energy machines, more than 15 to 20 times faster than traditional Vibratory Finishing machines

- Already have a machine? Our range of finishing consumables, including ceramic media, plastic media, shot blasting & peening media, agro and pre-treated media, burnishing media, liquid compounds & abrasive powders & pastes, can offer you superior processing results. From deburring, cleaning, de-greasing, smooth finishing, to polishing and super-finishing, you will be able to achieve these applications using ActOn Finishing consumables.

- Learn more about the range of subcontract services we offer, Vibratory, High Energy, Shot Blasting and Peening, Precision Polishing and Inspection services.

- Last but not the least we have prepared a competition for everyone who will visit our stand at Made in the Midlands exhibition. You can win Half Day Spa Pack at Hallmark Hotel The Welcombe, in Stratford-upon-Avon. This will include a choice of one 30 minute treatment, three and half hours use of the leisure facilities and complimentary use of towels, robe and slippers. Plus, you will receive a 5% discount voucher when spending £100 or more on one single transaction at ActOn Finishing.

All you have to do is:

- visit stand 58 at Made in the Midlands exhibition

- take a picture with one of our technical representatives

- tweet a few words about your experience at our stand, include the picture and use #actonatmimexpo2018 and #massfinishing hashtags

The winner will be selected randomly and we will announce who won on our blog, on Twitter and on LinkedIn on 25th of June.

If we have tempted you to visit the ActOn Finishing stand and Made in the Midlands Exhibition 2018, then register for your free ticked here.

ActOn Finishing Joins Medical ITI 2022 Event to Show Its Support to Medical Manufacturing Industry

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 07/06/2022

We are happy to announce that ActOn Finishing will be a technical event partner along with SECO and GPPAINOVA during ⁣the Medical Inspiration Through Innovation (ITI) virtual event, taking place ⁣on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. We will showcase our surface finishing technology for medical manufacturing industry and ⁣offer technical support to everyone attending the event.

ITI 2022 - a Virtual Event Created for the Medical Manufacturing Industry

Medical ITI 2022 is a virtual event created for the medical manufacturing industry, by a group of 7 technical partners who are looking to share their knowledge in how to improve productivity, while maintaining product quality, without increasing the size of the shop floor. The event will take place on Wednesday, 22^nd of June 2022 in English and Mandarin and you can register to participate here.

During the event you will have the opportunity to watch medical implant machining demonstrations and participate in discussions about optimising your medical manufacturing process, as well as attend industry-specific seminars and presentations. Moreover you will receive technical and educational content dedicated to real-world medical parts, such as the knee and hip implants.

ActOn at Medical ITO Event

In our pursuit to support the implant manufacturing industry, ActOn has researched and developed unique finishing processes which result in a high standard of finish at optimal processing costs and time. Using ActOn's High Energy CHE technology and specially developed finishing media, we can remove cast and machining defects efficiently resulting in reduction in manual content and increase in right first time.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, states:

"we are really excited to be part of the ITI event and share our knowledge and expertise along with rest of the event partners. In order to achieve an optimum finish, the pre and post processes have to be analysed together. With this partnership and event platform, we are hoping that manufacturers will have the right guidance to achieve a complete solution."

The Event Agenda

9:15 AM - 9:30 AM GMT +1 / 11:15 AM - 11:30 AM - Welcome to Inspiration through Innovation

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM GMT +1 / 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM - Seminar - Innovations in Medical Manufacturing

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM GMT +1 / 12:00 PM - 12:15 PM - Demonstration - Holistic manufacturing strategies for medical components

10:15 AM - 11:45 AM GMT +1 / 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM - Live Q&A and Discussions

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM GMT +1 / 1:45 PM - 2:00 PM - Event Wrap-up

ActOn's CFD Series - Discover the easy way to dry components

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 14/07/2017

ActOn Finishing Ltd is proud to announce the immediate commercial availability of the CFD Series the latest addition to the companys line of dryers. The CFD Series is a Centrifugal Drier best suited for drying large volumes of small components where the agro media cannot be used due to the risk of lodgement.

How it Works?

The centrifugal drier machine works with the circulation of open loop hot air. The processed parts are placed in a bowl which is rotated with an electrical motor and a belt. While the stainless steel bowl is turning the humidity and liquids are discharged from the bowl centrifugally.

The heater assembled to the top of the cover is used to heat the air inside. The generated heated air dries the parts in a circular movement. Stopping the motion when the parts are completely dried is carried out through a brake pedal. The finished parts are stain free and protected against corrosion.

Key Features and Benefits

Basket hole diameter: 1.5mm
Optional heater fan
A lifting device can be included for the drier basket
Can be customised to include the options of washing, removal of oil or coating
British built, high-quality product
Efficient in operation
Quiet in operation due to lid
Operator friendly controls
Low maintenance

For more technical information download the CFD Technical Flyer or contact ActOn's sales team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk.

ActOn Finishing helps automotive company to simplify finishing process of axle holder

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 16/08/2017

ActOn Finishing develops a single step finishing solution for axle holder which benefits the end-user by eliminating manual finishing and producing a repeatable and quality finish.

ActOn Finishing was approached by one of its customers to develop a finishing solution for axle holder. The customer manufactures forge automotive parts for the motorcycle industry. They were manual polishing the components and were looking to implement vibratory finishing in their process. However, at the time they had no experience with mass finishing techniques and they needed some guidance.

The aim

-To achieve a descaled, deburred and bright finish
-The customer has very high manufacturing volumes and there is a required throughput to be achieved. Hence we had to determine the most efficient finishing solution for axle holder to be processed.

What we did

ActOn team started by working out the weekly volumes and determined that the finishing process should be no longer than 15 minutes. As a normal vibratory bowl may not achieve the required finish within the time frame, the team decided the most appropriate finishing technology to use is the High Energy finishing machine. Furthermore it has been identified that by using divider plates in the High Energy finishing machine barrels, 12 parts can be processed per load without any impingement.

ActOn also developed a unique finishing process, using a single type of media and compound. As the axle holder is manufactured out of Aluminium a medium abrasive ceramic media was used for descaling and deburring. The media size and shape was carefully chosen to avoid any lodgement while managing to finish even hard to reach areas of the part.

Beside using the correct machinery and media the compound was integral for the success of the finishing process. The technical team chose a compound that acts as a concentrated cleaner and a good polisher. Furthermore the compound has other functions such as:

-Suspending the dirt and media residues and flushing them from the system
-Keeping the components and media clean, which brings stability to the process
-Acts as a lubricant, thus extending the media life

The result

The process resulted in complete scale removal and a deburred and bright finish all in a single step process, thus achieving the throughput.

Benefits

-Achieving the required finish in a reduced processing time.
-Avoiding any part impingement by using the divider plates.
-Producing a repeatable and quality finished product.
-Simplify the finishing process by developing a single step process and using one type of media and compound.
-Customizing the finishing process as per customers needs

To learn more about ActOns finishing technology for Automotive industry please visit http://acton-finishing.co.uk. For further information regarding the finishing process contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk.

TVB Vibratory Finishing Machine – Minimised investment and extra benefits for OEMs and Subcontractors

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 26/04/2017

ActOn Finishing Ltd is proud to announce the immediate commercial availability of the TVB vibratory finishing machine the latest addition to the companys line of vibratory finishing systems. The aim of the TVB series was to design a compact, modern and versatile finishing machine to allow OEMs and subcontractors to minimise their investment whilst enjoying the extra benefits and features of our High-End vibratory finishing machines.

Fast.Efficient.Affordable.

Manual finishing processes can be labour intensive, including rework high part rejects rates and inconsistent results. OEMs and Subcontractors usually implement mass finishing techniques in their processes for the economic advantages and the consistent results achieved. Hence we found that it is important to offer companies a locally manufactured and affordable alternative for light to medium duty deburring, descaling, cleaning, radiusing and polishing applications.

Key Benefits

- 40% faster processing times than current models in the market

- Designed and manufactured as a modular arrangement

- Optimised design to reduce material wastage and manufacturing time whilst maintaining our high quality

- 45% reduction in power consumption

- Designed and manufactured in UK

Key Features

- Integrated dosing

- Customisable chute

- Undersized media separation (standard feature)

- Start/ Stop DOL

- Available in 3 phase or 1 phase

- Easy access for flyweights adjustment and maintenance

- Modular arrangement, separation system can be added at any time to suit the requirements of the customer.

Payam Nathani, Engineering Manager at ActOn Finishing comments:

We are pleased to add this machine to our range, as it allows us to provide cost effective solutions to OEMs and Subcontractors. We have set a high standard when designing, manufacturing and testing the TVB Series and we are highly committed to continuously developing our machinery range. We have created a product which delivers faster processing results than current models in the market and provides our customers the best solution for efficient and economical production.

To find out more about this product please visit our website where you can download the technical information flyer or contact our sales team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk.

3 Reasons Why You Should Consider Waste Water Treatment

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 05/05/2020

Wondering why water treatment - and especially waste water treatment - is so important? We take a closer look at the benefits to both your business and the environment in having a water treatment system in place.

When undertaking wet mass finishing, it generates a discharge of the processing liquid, made up of the metal fines, abrasives, compound and in some instances oil due to the condition of the parts. There are various ways you can dispose of this liquid, but at ActOn Finishing we’ve always recommended investing in a suitable waste water treatment system for three key reasons.

1. It’s environmentally friendly

Having a waste water treatment system in place in your manufacturing business is a responsible, eco-friendly measure. It allows you to recycle processed water and compound in an environmentally friendly way that helps reduce water pollution.

2. It’s cost effective

Recycling waste water saves you money as using one turnkey system reduces maintenance costs and energy consumption. With the right system in place, the treated effluent can be automatically either recirculated or discharged straight to the drain, protecting you against any potential fines for contamination.

3. They’re easy to use

Most water treatment systems (including the ones available from ActOn Finishing) are user-friendly and need minimum supervision to run due to having auto functionality. They also need low maintenance with easy to access chambers for cleaning.

At ActOn Finishing, we develop and supply a variety of water treatment products such as the Batch and Automatic Centrifuge, Paper Band Filter, Settlement Tanks With or Without Pumps and consumables for effluent treatment. Moreover all our effluent treatment systems are proudly manufactured in Britain. Our treatment solutions can be tailored to meet your requirements and with years of industry expertise, our knowledgeable team can advise on the best system for your business to use.

Find out more details explore our water treatment systems or get in touch to see how we could help your business.

A Preview of ActOn at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2024

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 05/02/2024

We are happy to announce that ActOn team will be present at the Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2024 between the 6th and 8th of February, which will take plat at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2024 stands as an important event for everyone engaged in design, engineering production, and procurement. It provides a comprehensive showcase of cutting-edge production hardware, components, consumables, and technology across diverse industries such as Aerospace, Defence, Automotive, Electronics, Industrial Machinery, Packaging/Handling/Logistics, Energy, Marine, Medical, Mechanical Engineering, and Metal Processing. Attendees have the invaluable opportunity to network and establish connections with the foremost figures in the manufacturing industry. This year is the 4th consecutive year when ActOn will be present at the show, at stand G170, where our technical representatives will be present to address any inquiries regarding your surface finishing needs.

What to expect from ActOn at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2024

You can be the first to find out about our new Wet Blasting Technology range.
We will showcase our Ultrasonic Cleaning Range.
Learn about the latest Surface Finishing Technology available and how it can be applied on your components. You will be able to check at our stand, VB1S system and the DI12 suction blasting machine.
Discover our Centrifugal High Energy machines, more than 20 times faster than traditional Vibratory Finishing machines.
Already have a finishing machine? Then we recommend checking our range of finishing consumables.
We have prepared a range of parts which we have finished over the past year and you can check these at our stand at Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show 2024. We believe that by seeing the actual results you can get in our surface finishing machines is a good way to visualise what you can obtain at your site.
If you lack the expertise, necessary capacity, or readiness to invest in surface finishing equipment but require a finishing solution, ActOn provides specialised services. Our team is ready to engage in discussions with you to determine the optimal Finishing Subcontract Solutions for your specific needs. Opting for our subcontract services brings several advantages, including:

- Quick turnaround time based on the delivery time of components from customer.
- Controlled subcontract processes to ensure constant high quality finishing on all components.
- Transport option available to facilitate a quick turnaround time.
- Free Trial and technical consultation to ensure finishing result is as per customer’s requirement.

… still not convinced? Here are a few more reasons why you should join us

We take pride in being the foremost authority in the United Kingdom for designing and developing surface finishing machinery, consumables, and subcontract surface finishing solutions. At ActOn Finishing, our offerings encompass solutions for vibratory finishing, high-energy finishing, shot blasting and wheel blasting, electropolishing, ultrasonic cleaning and waste water treatment. Our versatile equipment is well-suited for various applications, including but not limited to deburring, descaling, polishing, cleaning, mirror finishing, radiusing, smoothing, drying, and more.

“We are the only manufacturers in the UK of this type of equipment and we very much focus on process development, which is tailored to our customer needs. Moreover, all materials and machinery are subjected to extensive testing at our laboratory, ensuring the efficiency of our process is continually improving.”, says Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn.

Register for your FREE Tickets now and don’t miss out on the opportunity to support the British manufacturing sector!

Case Study: Surface Finishing an Inconel 3D Printed Part

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 13/12/2019

More and more companies choose additive manufacturing as an option to manufacture components and for prototyping. This technology has enabled a large number of industries to improve their production output as 3d printing is a relatively quick way to produce parts. Nonetheless, after parts have been printed, most of these require to undergo a surface finishing process to get a nice smooth end product finish.

In this case study, we look at how you can achieve a smooth and polished surface finish on an Inconel 3d printed part in a short time.

Project Background

Client approached ActOn Finishing team to develop a process to allow him to achieve a smooth and polished finish on an Inconel 3d printed part. The part’s surface roughness average before being processed was 7.72 µm.

How we surfaced finished the Inconel 3D Printed Part

Due to the previous studies, we conducted on Inconel 3d printed parts, we decided that the most effective way was to finish the component was in the Centrifugal High Energy finishing machine. Some of the advantages of this machine includes:

Shorter processing times, in comparison with traditional finishing methods;
We built this technology particularly for applications like achieving a high surface finish requirement, a mirror finish and the removal of heavy manufacturing defects;
The results are always consistent and repeatable

Further to our trials we achieved the final finish in a 2-stage process:

To smooth the surface of the Inconel 3d printed part we used a mix of highly abrasive ceramic media, a concentrated cleaner and polisher compound and water.
For the polished effect the component was finished in high density polishing media, using LQ9 compound, a specially formulated brightening and polishing compound. This compound is one of our best-selling products for polishing processes and is used by companies from a wide range of industries.

The result

This process achieved a 94% loss in roughness average, as requested by the customer (see table below for specific data). Furthermore, the smooth and polished finish required was achieved in only 5 and a half hours without affecting the part’s geometry.

Part Identifier	Roughness Average Before Process (µm)	Roughness Average After Process (µm)	Total Ra Loss (µm)	%Ra Loss
Inconel 3D printed part	7.72	0.84	6.88	94

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To check learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Additive Manufacturing industry please visit the Industries page.

The Mass Finishing Process – Your Top 8 Questions Answered

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 13/07/2021

Do you need to understand the Mass Finishing process and how it can benefit your business? At ActOn Finishing, we believe that sharing our knowledge with our customers can help you better understand what we do, and how we can add value to your operations.

We’ve taken the 8 most asked questions relating to Mass Finishing, to tell you exactly what you need to know, including how to incorporate Mass Finishing into your operations and how to use Mass Finishing to obtain optimum results.

1. What is Mass Finishing?

Mass Finishing is a process that automates the mechanical and chemical finishing of various shaped parts, allowing large numbers of parts to be finished simultaneously.

2. How does it work?

Mass Finishing works by placing a combination of media, parts and compound into a finishing machine. The vibrations cause the contents to move in a circular motion and media to grind against the part to achieve the desired finish. This process can be wet or dry, and can run with or without media.

3. What can I achieve through Mass Finishing?

Mass finishing techniques are usually implemented in the manufacturing processes for economic advantages and the consistent results achieved. Our Mass Finishing solutions also improve these current processes, achieving the repeatability and quality desired by manufacturers.

Achieved outcomes vary, based on the type of application. Our comprehensive list includes:

Deburring
Descaling
Removing heat treat scale, coatings, grease and oil
Cutting down / blending of cast / forged surfaces and split lines
Radiusing
Removing cutting /machine lines / tool marks
Removal of surface defects
Cleaning and degreasing
Smoothing
Polishing
Brightening
Mirror Finishing
Drying
Corrosion Protection
Surface Finishing

4. What finishing process can’t be achieved?

There are a few exceptions to what can be done when it comes to the Mass Finishing process. These are:

Small internal bores/blind holes cannot be deburred or polished
Material removed from selective areas (unless protected by mask)
Heavy burr removal (parent material) – this would be rounded only

5. What type of Mass Finishing process can I use?

We have four Mass Finishing processes, depending on your desired outcome:

Continuous Systems – parts enter at one end and are continually discharged at the exit in the finished stage
Batch Systems – parts are processed by batch. Once one batch is processed, it is removed and the next batch is run
Sequenced Systems – running parts through multiple processes to produce the desired finish
Single part systems – large parts are processed individually

6. Can I finish any component?

Our Mass Finishing technology is extremely versatile, which means you can process components:

Of any size and shape
Made of ferrous materials such as carbon steel, hardened steel, iron and stainless steel
Made of non-ferrous materials such as aluminium, brass, ceramic, magnesium, plastic, titanium and zinc

We have also developed finishing solutions that apply to various industries such as Aerospace, Additive Manufacturing, Automotive, Coin Blanking, Fashion, Forgings and Castings, General Engineering, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Medical.

7. What technology do I need to finish my parts?

To achieve the required surface finish, it is important to use the correct finishing machinery, media and compound.

Finishing machine:

Media:

Ceramic and Plastic Media
Agro and Pre-treated Media
Special Media

Compound:

Liquid Compound
Powders and Pastes
Special Compounds

8. What are the advantages of using Mass Finishing?

There are many advantages to using Mass Finishing process:

Reduced processing times in comparison with manual finishing
Lower cost per part
Producing repeatable and quality finish on all products
Environmentally friendly
Finishing solutions can be customised to suit user applications
Parts of any shape, size and material can be mass finished

We hope our article has given you a better understanding of the Mass Finishing process and, if you would like to learn more about Mass Finishing technology and the solutions we offer, our friendly team is on hand to answer all your questions. Just call +44 (0) 24 7646 6914 or take a further look at our website.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Water Blaster Completes Range

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 15/08/2013

Quality Blasting expands its range of blasting processes with the installation of a Vapormatt Aquablasting Machine.

Located in the non-ferrous metal unit on site and housed in its own bespoke room, the Vapormatt has attracted customers in the Defence Industry.

We now have a really broad range of blasting processes to offer our customers. Weve always been strong in room blasting, tumbling and hand cabinet work but now we can fine blast delicate items. It is the icing on the cake, says MD, Alan Bass.

Quality Blasting also has 3 blast rooms specialising in grit, glass bead and stainless steel media, 5 hand cabinets for blasting a range of materials from plastics to woods and metals and 2 large tumblers for processing large quantities of profiles.

Introducing the New Range of Shot Blasting Machines from ActOn Finishing

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 18/06/2019

We are excited to announce the launch of our new range of Shot Blasting Machines. Whether you require to c, remove corrosion, mill scale, paint or rust, achieve a smooth finish, deflash, polish or strengthen the metal we will offer you full support every step of the way.

Our new range of shot blasting machines include:

Portable Abrasive Blasting Series

We have built this machine to be a high-quality and robust product. These user friendly and economical abrasive blasting machines are hydraulic tested to 250 PSI and can be supplied with or without remote control and dead man handle.

Wet Blasting Cabinets

The wet pressure jet exerted by the Wet Blasting Cabinets can be used for deburring, cleaning, polishing, degreasing & removing oil, preparing the surface before plating or strip coatings from parts. These machines offer the same results one would get when using abrasive shot blasting media. One of the main advantages of these wet blasting systems is the reduced time in which parts are blasted. This is due to the high volume conveying flow.

Suction Blast Cabinets

Designed as a compact and affordable alternative to pressure cabinets. These machines can shot blast continuously without the need to stop the process for refilling with media.

The Suction Blast Cabinets use a mix of abrasives and air, and are great for removing coatings, rust, corrosion, etching, and producing a smooth uniform finish.

Pressure Blast Cabinets

Designed to deliver abrasives at higher velocities than suction systems, being ideal to maximise production rates. In comparison with suction systems, Pressure Blast Cabinets can be four times faster, for most of the applications.

ActOn Pressure Blast Cabinets are typically used for more demanding processes such as removing tight mill scale, harder coatings and corrosion or finishing hard-to-reach surfaces. Moreover, these machines are great for applications which require a high production output.

Key Benefits of our Shot Blasting Range

Efficient in operation
Operator friendly controls
Low maintenance
Available with manual / auto functionality
Manufactured to offer a simpler way to use the multiple nozzles (applies to the Suction Blast Cabinets range)
Easy to move around as it is mounted on wheels (applies to the Portable Abrasive Blasting range)
blasting duration for each process takes between 5 to 45 minutes, depending on the Portable Abrasive Blasting machine model (applies to the Portable Abrasive Blasting range)
To clean components in a quick manner, glass beads can be used as blasting media (applies to the Wet Blasting Cabinets range)
As the wet blasting process, doesn’t produce any dust, it offers a bright and clean finish, making it a good finishing option for aerospace and medical industry (applies to the Wet Blasting Cabinets range)

At ActOn Finishing we offer a complete package to achieve the required surface finish. Hence we will first focus on developing a finishing process that suits your requirements in order to be able to propose the right shot blasting machine and abrasive consumables.

Our expertise extends further with ActOn offering training should customers want to learn more about shot blasting operations. In addition, subcontract services are available for customers who prefer to utilise ActOn’s specialist skill to do the finishing in house, whether that is vibratory finishing services, high energy, shot blasting or precision polishing.

To learn more about ActOn Shot Blasting range and how you can experience the benefits for yourself, get in touch with a member of the ActOn Finishing technical team today.

Air dryer or Maizorb dryer? A practical guide from ActOn Finishing, to help you choose.

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 23/05/2018

At the end of a wet mass finishing process some components need to be dried, to avoid staining and corrosion. The question is how do you know if you need a Heated Air Dryer or a Maizorb Dryer? To help you we have put together a guide, where we explain how to choose the dryer perfect for your finishing application.

Choosing the correct dryer depends on the finishing applications and part specification. Some components are too big to be dried in a portable drier, while others cant be dried using agro media due to the risk of media lodgment, a heated air dyer being a better solution in this case.

For an easier way to determine which drier is best for your finishing needs, we have divided these machines in 2 categories:

- By drying requirements
- By size of batches/ parts to be processed

Dryers by drying requirements

Components can be processed using a Maizorb dryer and via a Heated Air dryer. ActOn Finishing manufactures both types of dryers which can be used as part of a batch process or as a continuous process. These can be easily integrated with the ActOn vibratory finishing machines, for a complete finishing solution for your components.

Maizorb dryers

This range of machines normally use an agro media, such as Maizorb (corn cob) to dry the parts. At ActOn Finishing we offer a wide range of Maizorb dryers, including:

- VBD Series (vibratory finishing dryers)
- The new VBD-P range
- HD3000 series
- The new portable dryer HT2D
- RD Series

Heated air dryer

The geometry of some parts does not allow for these to be dried using agro media. Hence a heated air dryer could be the solution to avoid media lodgement in parts holes or slots. At ActOn Finishing we offer the following Heated Air Dryers:

- CFD Series (centrifugal dryer)
- CD series

Dryers by sizes of batches/ parts to be processed

Now that you know what drying requirements you have and what dryer fits these requirements, you have to consider the batch size you will process. Depending on the amount of parts you need to finish / week or / month you can choose between:

- Dryers that can process small to medium batches of parts such as ActOn Finishing HD3000 Series, the HT2D drier or the CD Series
- Dryers that allows you to process medium to large batches of parts such as the VBD Series, VBD-P Series, RD Series and the CD drier.

Also, you should consider the size of the part to be dried before choosing the drier. While a small drier such as the HD3000 Series, the HT2D drier or the CD Series will allow you to process small and delicate components; the VBD Series, VBD-P Series, RD Series and the CD drier are perfect for medium to large parts.

For further technical specifications and information on ActOn dryers' benefits and features read our latest article.

If you would like to test which of these driers best suit your requirements, contact us at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk and we will carry out a free trial for you.

ActOn Finishing plans to support the UK’s manufacturing sector by launching new surface finishing technology in 2020

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 01/06/2020

Surface finishing applications provider ActOn Finishing is expanding its range of products and services with a series of product launches in 2020, to support the UK’s manufacturing sector.

As the UK’s leading expert in the design and development of machinery, consumables & subcontract surface finishing solutions, ActOn remains the only manufacturer of such equipment in the UK. This includes solutions for vibratory finishing, high energy finishing, shot blasting & waste water treatment. All the equipment is suitable for a range of applications such as deburring, descaling, polishing, cleaning, mirror finishing, radiusing, smoothing and drying.

ActOn’s first product launch of the year came in March, when we announced that ActOn is launching a new partnership with a high-profile Spanish industrial company, GPAINNOVA. The partnership has enabled ActOn to supply the DLyte surface finishing technology to the manufacturing sector, including the healthcare, aerospace, automotive, 3D printing and motorsport industries.

The DLyte machine combines grinding and polishing in a one-step process to produce a smooth, shiny and superior surface finish on metal parts. You can find out more about the DLyte technology here: https://bit.ly/2XnrQve

A new automated vibratory finishing system is set to be launched in June. The SPU-1 technology is an economical finishing option ideally suited for small batch works and delicate components and it is perfect for deburring, descaling, cleaning, smoothing, radiusing, polishing and drying.

In addition, we will showcase at the Back in Britain expo our CHE finishing range a technology which can be 15-20 times faster and produces superior finishes.

ActOn Finishing Launches Wheel Blasting Range in UK in Partnership with Cogeim Europe

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 24/08/2021

We are excited to announce that ActOn Finishing is launching a new partnership with a high-profile Italian industrial company, Cogeim Europe, as part of our growth plans. The partnership will enable ActOn to supply the wheel blasting technology to the manufacturing sector in UK.

These machines are designed by Cogeim Europe, to guarantee reliable operation and a long service life. The wheel blasting technology will offer the possibility to achieve a wide range of finishing applications, including descaling, removal of corrosion or rust, paint stripping, de-flashing, achieving a smooth finish, shot peening, polishing and surface preparation prior to coating.

Wheel Blasting Technology

The ActOn offering includes a wide range of wheel blast machines to meet our customers’ requirements. These blast equipment is designed for blasters who require rapid, repeatable and efficient blasting results, a process free of interruption and a shot blasting machine with a solid construction. More over all components are assembled, according to ISO-certification, to create a compact turn-key unit.

The new wheel blast range includes:

Spinner Hanger Blast Machine designed to shot blast components of all sizes and / or fragile parts. Some of the most common applications include: paint stripping, descaling, de-sanding castings, deburring and cleaning aluminium pressure diecastings, shot peening, removal of rust and blast cleaning
Tumble Rubber / Steel Belt Blast Machines, ideal to shot blast batches of small or medium parts and fragile components. Any type of material can be processed in these machines, from forged and heat-treated components, to steel, aluminium and brass parts and fragile plastic parts.
Wire Mesh Belt Blast Machine, built for a continuous shot blasting process of aluminium and steel parts. These machines are also perfect for processing components slots and wholes which are difficult to reach, such as gears, diecastings, castings, gearboxes or forged parts.
Continuous Feed Overhead Rail Blast Machine, used for treatment of components hanged on a hook which run on a O-ring motorised overhead rail. This shot blasting equipment is widely used by steel, cast iron and aluminium foundries for the surface cleaning of metallic products.
Roller Conveyor Shot Blasting Machines, designed to process metal sheets or plates, profiles and metallic structures and any other long or/ and flat component, in a continuous feed process.
Continuous Feed Tube & Bar Blast Machines, built to be a continuous feed shot blasting machine for pipes, bottles, cylindrical parts, round bars, torsion bars, gas cylinders and drill rods. Can be easily integrated into existing production lines
Rotary Table Blast Machine, a compact range, which requires minimum space, suitable for shot blasting small and medium parts. It is a self-contained piece of equipment suitable for applications such as paint stripping, corrosion, rust and heat scale removal, deburing, de-flashing, cleaning and surface texturing
And the Tunnel Concrete Shot Blasting Machine, designed for surface treatment of marble, granite, natural stone, concrete and aggregate blocks to obtain a bush-hammered, flame treated, antique appearance finishing.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, said that this range of Wheel Blasting Machines fits perfectly with the firm’s existing range of shot blasting and mass finishing products. He states: “We are continuously developing and adding new products to our range of finishing solutions and are certainly excited with our new range of wheel blast technology. ActOn are here to offer you a complete solution.

A Complete Blasting Experience

With five decades of experience and knowledge in the finishing industry, we are here to answer any questions you may have in surface finishing. From finding the right size and shape of blasting media, to developing the right finishing process for your components and building a unique wheel blasting system tailored for your parts, we will be able to provide you with the right answers and solutions. On top of that, we provide on-going support through an expert after-sales service, which helps to guide our customers through every step of their journey.

To find out more about our wheel blasting technology available from ActOn Finishing, download our brochure or you can also call us at ⁣+44 (0) 24 7646 6914 or send us an email at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk

Case Study: Surface Finishing & Polishing 3D Printed Decorative Parts

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 01/08/2019

Most 3D printed components require surface finishing for a nice smooth end product finish. To achieve this, the additive manufactured parts should go through a 3-stage finishing process including a deburring stage, reducing the surface roughness and a polishing stage. In this case study we would like to discuss about the challenges we faced when we had to smooth the surface and mirror finish a fragile Titanium 3D printed decorative part.

Project Background

Our client approached ActOn team as he required a finishing process to smooth the surface and mirror polish a 3D printed decorative part. While the initial surface roughness was 15µm, the actual main issues faced by our client were:

the intricate geometry of the part which made it difficult for him to finish the part
the part fragility as it was easily breakable if the 3d printed part was subject to excessive force.

Solution Developed for the 3D Printed Decorative Part

As we had the experience of finishing 3d printed parts we decided to run a trial in the Centrifugal High Energy finishing machine using abrasive media and polishing compound.

Through the tests carried out we decided that the best way to finish these parts without causing any damage was by using ActOn Finishing DT (centrifugal disc finishing machine) and CPM (centrifugal high energy finishing machine) series finishing machines. Both machines are typically used for processing small components. Also, these can be aggressive enough to improve the surface finish of the 3d printed part, yet precise enough to process the most delicate piece.

The final finishing process has been achieved in 3 stages:

In the first stage the part is processed in the DT finishing machine using an abrasive ceramic media and a light descaling and polishing compound.
In the second stage, we prepared the surface for mirror polishing in the DT finishing machine using plastic media and a polishing compound.
Finally, we mirror finished the 3d printed part in the CPM machine using a polishing media and compound.

The result

The process delivered a smooth and mirror polished surface, reducing the part’s Ra from 15µm to 0.18µm in a considerably reduced time, whilst maintaining the dimensional integrity of the part.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Additive Manufacturing industry please visit the Industries page.

ActOn Finishing Announces Partnership with Finishtech in France

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 23/09/2021

ActOn has been redefining surface finishing in the UK since 1965 providing customers with the most optimum and advanced finishing solutions.

After establishing itself within the UK market as surface finishing leader, we are happy to announce that ActOn is expanding into the French market by partnering with Finishtech, a mass finishing specialist in France.

In pursuit of its vision to be recognized in international markets as a leading manufacturer and complete surface finishing solutions provider, ActOn Finishing has partnered with Finishtech to provide ActOn’s expertise within the European Market.

Our partner Finishtech has successfully represented ActOn in the French market for the past three years leading to successful installations of a range of machinery and the adoption of ActOn consumables across industries such as Automotive, General Engineering and the Luxury market.

ActOn Vibratory Bowl - Best-Selling Machine in France

One of our best-selling machines in the French market is the vibratory bowl. Our customers value this machine both for its simplicity as well as its efficiency. We manufacture vibratory finishing bowls in classic designs and sizes to meet a wide range of applications such as deburring, descaling, radiusing, parts’ cleaning, polishing, burnishing and surface improvement.

Some of our other finishing technology that has been well received by the French market includes:

the ActOn wheel polisher
our centrifugal high energy machine
the disc finishing machine
ActOn shot blasting equipment
ceramic media and compound.

A Shared Satisfaction and Trust Between ActOn Finishing and Finishtech

"We are very pleased with this partnership, which has rapidly led to a great success. Our collaboration has allowed for technical and professional enrichment due amongst others to the numerous deals we have been able to seal together. The quality and efficiency of ActOn Finishing’s products were quickly recognized and adopted by French customers, who have the reputation for being picky and demanding. This cooperation will strengthen our business development year after year which will certainly be even more successful in the years to come. A success that will eventually undoubtedly lead us to the European leadership.” (Younesse Mazouj – Finishtech’s director)

To find out further information about the finishing technology we offer in France, please click here. If you are looking to speak to one of our French technical reps, please call 06.06.54.75.36 or send an email to contact@finishtech.fr.

Backing Britain Live 2020 - ActOn Finishing Opening Hours

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 14/08/2020

At ActOn Finishing we feel that participating at Backing Britain is an opportunity to build a stronger network with the British manufacturing sector, while supporting each other during this difficult times. We are excited to have the opportunity to share with everyone some key product launches which we believe will support the manufacturing sector.

Backing Britain Live 2020 - ActOn Finishing Opening Hours

We invite you to check out our stand and to chat with ActOn's technical representatives about your surface finishing requirements. Our opening hours are as it follows:

Mondays: 09:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm,
Tuesdays: 09:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm,
Wednesdays: 09:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm,
Thursdays: 09:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm,
and Fridays: 09:00am to 11:00am and 2:00pm to 4:00pm.

If you haven't booked your tickets yet, click here https://bit.ly/3kJsUmG.

ActOn Finishing Develops a Cost Effective Finishing Solution to Smooth Finish Dental Implants

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 12/12/2018

One of ActOn’s latest projects included developing a Surface Finishing process for a well known medical implants manufacturer. The requirement was to develop a cost effective solution, to mirror polish and obtain a smooth finish on Dental Partials.

In this case study we will look at how you can mass finish between 20 and 120 dental implants per batch and how to obtain the same results every time.

The aim

The main focus of this project was to obtain a smooth and mirror finishing on the Dental Partials. Also the customer was keen on finding the surface finishing technology that would be affordable and efficient in comparison with manual finishing. Moreover as there is a required throughput of 20 parts/ day, we had to determine the most optimum mass finishing process for the part.

What we did

As we have previously worked on a similar project, we knew that the most efficient technology for surface finishing and polishing the dental prosthesis was the CPM10 Centrifugal High Energy finishing machine. Through testing we also determined that each barrel of the CPM10 could handle between 5 and 6 implants. As this machine has 4 barrels, a total of 20 to 24 parts could be processed simultaneously.

The CPM10 is built with the latest high energy technology and it has a direct drive system with counter rotating turrets and barrels. Typically used for small components, it can be aggressive enough to handle your toughest burr, yet precise enough to process the most delicate piece.

Using the CHE technology we have achieved the mirror finish in a three-stage process, which combines cutting down, brightening and mirror polishing the dental partials. In the first stage we have processed the parts using ActOn abrasive ceramic media and a liquid compound, which is a good cleaner, polisher and corrosion inhibitor. In this stage the scratches made by the stone were removed and the rubber wheels and point were eliminated.

To complete the surface finishing and brightening process, we then mass finished the prosthesis in a low abrasive plastic media and the same polishing compound. This stage also enabled to eliminate the stripping acid solutions.

The final finishing stage was carried out to bring the casting to a mirror finish and to eliminate the compounds as well as the mounted felt wheels. This was easily achieved by processing the dental partials in ActOn’s pretreated walnut shell. The main benefit of using the pretreated walnut shell in a Centrifugal High Energy Machine, is that this imparts high luster on components. It has been proven that on certain materials, pretreated walnut produces a much brighter finish than pretreated Maizorb (Corn Cob).

Benefits of the surface finishing & mirror polishing processes

We helped our client to move from manual finishing to a more efficient way of finishing the parts
The client can now achieve the required daily throughput by using the CPM10 finishing machine.
The average process time of a batch is between 2 to 3 hours, making this an efficient and cost effective process.
If there is a requirement for processing larger quantities of dental partials, the trial showed that the CHE30 finishing machine can process between 75 and 90 parts / batch, while the CHE40 can accommodate between 100 and 120 parts / batch

To learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Medical Implants and Instruments please visit the Industries page. To discuss your mass finishing project contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk

Why You Need to Include 3D Printing Post Processing Into Your Manufacturing Process?

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 28/10/2021

In order to improve the appearance, surface roughness and mechanical properties of additive manufactured parts, 3d printing post processing remains an important factor.

Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) is now an established technology for prototyping and mass production. However metal parts that have been produced through additive manufacturing tend to have a surface with an average Roughness (Ra) ranging anywhere from 10 to 30 microns. The values of Ra may increase at support locations and may decrease depending on the geometry profile.

In order to improve the appearance, surface roughness and mechanical properties of additive manufactured parts, 3d printing post processing remains an important factor. Selecting the most suitable surface finishing technology is critical to prove the viability of components from a cost and functional standpoint. In an ideal world, surface finishing must be considered when designing components for AM to ensure the desired component and its characteristics can be achieved.

Innovative 3D Printing Post Processing Solutions from ActOn

3D printed parts require post processing to remove powder and support structures, achieve a smooth surface and a polished finish. At ActOn Finishing we have developed cost effective technology and a series of automated mass finishing processes to surface finish additive manufactured components in a short time.

For a powder-based metal additive manufacturing process, first step often involves removing the powder residue left from the 3D printing process. The AM Blasting technology is perfect to remove powder, even from parts with complex geometries, in an efficient way. The AM DI depowdering system is developed for manually cleaning of powder bed printed parts and it is suitable for blasting of individual, large parts.

Next step in the 3d printing post processing includes surface finishing and polishing the 3D printed components. For this stage we recommend the ActOn CHEF technology. The CHEF Machines are the fastest finishing machines on the market to reduce surface roughness, deburr and polish 3D printed parts. In many cases, the results achieved via CHEF systems cannot be achieved in a standard vibratory process, particularly applications that include achieving a high level of surface finish or a high rate of defect removal. Moreover, the CHEF machines can be 10 times faster than traditional finishing methods and produce superior finishes. It is one of the most efficient batch finishing methods.

The action of these machines relies on the high force and speed at which the media chips come into contact with the processed components. The forces can be as great as 15-20 times the force of gravity, depending on the rotational speed and the turret size of the centrifugal machine.

ActOn’s Cost-Effective Surface Finishing Process for SLM 3D Printed Parts

At ActOn we worked closely with The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to develop an optimum 3d printing post processing solution which benefits the industry by reducing processing times and producing a repeatable and quality AM component.

The AM parts have been built using SLM or EBM processes, from materials like Ti6Al4V. Hence these required intensive manual finishing, to remove support structures and to smooth down rough surfaces. Our objectives included:

Identifying a cost-effective finishing process for the external surface of the part
Develop a finishing process for the internal surface of the part.

We started by carrying out trials where it has been determined that the most efficient equipment is ActOn’s CHEF machine to achieve sub 1μm RA surface finishes. Then The MTC has acquired an ActOn CPM-10 model and ActOn’s consumables to undertake in-house development. Further trials have been conducted by both teams to determine the optimum machine parameter settings to process additive manufactured materials like Ti6Al4V.

The result

We achieved a Ra of sub 1μm in 5 hours, 80% faster than traditional finishing.
Achieved a Ra between 2μm to 3μm in approx. 30 minutes.
46% cost savings on the finishing process.
From reducing surface roughness, to deburring and polishing these are just a few of the applications that have been achieved via the high energy finishing process.
The project provided further information regarding surface finish parameters, component weight loss, media weight loss, effectiveness of using media with different abrasive grades and hardness.

Ruaridh Mitchinson, Research Engineer at The MTC comments:

“The CPM-10 has provided invaluable insight into finishing both EBM and SLM AM parts. This has provided the MTC with a low cost means to efficiently and effectively conduct R&D into surface finishing of additive manufactured parts.”

We hope this has helped you to gather a better understanding about surface finishing for metal 3D printed parts and how optimal results can be achieved. To find out further information or to organise your free processing trial, please contact our technical team.

Fast and Reliable, ActOn Centrifugal Disc Finishing Machine is Here

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 13/09/2017

ActOn Finishing is proud to announce the launch of the Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine, designed to be fast, reliable and easy to operate.

The Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine is perfect for processing small and thin components as well as larger parts with a length of 150mm. These machines are recommended for processing small to medium batches of parts. One of the main advantages of Centrifugal Disc machines is the reduced processing times for most applications.

How it works?

The spinning motion of the Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine is given by the disc situated at the bottom of an open barrel. The rotating disc makes the media, compound and parts to move in a rolling motion, resulting in effective finishing process in the shortest time. To achieve the desired finishing results it is important to set up the machine RPM, the compound and water mix flow and to use the correct media.

Key benefits

Efficient in operation
Faster than vibratory finishing machines
Operator friendly controls
Low maintenance
Manual/ auto functionality
Good value for money as it implies a reduced capital investment
DTB series for heavy duty applications such as steel ball burnishing

Finishing Applications

Deburring
Degreasing and Oil Removal
Cleaning
Descaling
Radiusing
Smoothing
Polishing
ActoGrind

Learn more about ActOn Centrifugal Disc Finishing machine and how you can experience the benefits for yourself on ActOn Finishing website or get in touch with a member of the ActOn technical team today: sales@acton-finishing.co.uk.

ActOn Finishing Partners with GPAINNOVA as UK Distributor for DLyte Technology

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 10/03/2020

We are excited to announce that ActOn is launching a new partnership with a high-profile Spanish industrial company, GPAINNOVA, as part of our growth plans. The partnership will enable ActOn to supply the DLyte surface finishing technology to the manufacturing sector, including the healthcare, aerospace, automotive, 3D printing and motorsport industries. It is part of our growth plans to expand the business, which also has a ceramic media manufacturing facility in Malaysia, offering additional services to both new and existing clients.

DLyte Technology

The DLyte machine combines grinding and polishing in a one-step process to produce smooth and shiny finished parts. It is used for metal parts which require high performance or superior finishes, including steel and stainless-steel, cobalt chrome, titanium, nickel and other common metal alloys. DLyte technology is the first dry electropolishing system of its kind, and the collaboration is set to have a huge impact the British manufacturing sector by reducing the polishing process time by around 75%. The new polishing concept will also dramatically improve the corrosion, oxidation resistance, lifespan and friction of a part.

Sid Gulati, operations director at ActOn Finishing, said the DLyte fits perfectly with the firm’s existing range of mass finishing products. He states: “We are very pleased to launch our partnership with leading Spanish engineering firm GPAINNOVA. We currently manufacture all surface finishing machines in the UK, and distributing the DLyte will complement our current offering as we look to grow the business. We are confident that through this collaboration we can offer an advanced process solution and help our customers overcome challenges in finishing their components. We look forward to distributing the finishing machine, and have already added the DLyte 100I to our test lab so our clients can try out the new technology."

Some of the main benefits of the DLyte technology include:

The finishing machine can polish complex parts without programming, producing a high-quality finish without leaving grinding patterns and micro-scratches.
It provides fully automatic polishing to a mirror finish in one step, and reaches every corner of the piece which cannot be accessed mechanically.
Grinding and polishing of metal parts is an important process step for removing the defects in components, following the initial manufacturing process.
It is especially important for high-precision engineering applications such as those within the medical, automotive and aeronautics industries, where surface quality is essential.
DLyte is suitable for finishing anything from surgical instruments, industrial moulds and blades to engine parts, fuel injectors and guide vanes.
Achieves an Ra under 0,09 micrometres
Offers controlled costs and predictable lead times

Jaume Miras, chief strategy officer at GPAINNOVA, said that ActOn Finishing fits perfectly with the firm’s sales partnership expansion strategy for mass finishing products. He states: “We are very pleased to increase our presence in the British market with an experienced and leading expert in surface finishing as ActOn Finishing.”

To learn more about the DLyte Surface Finishing technology and how you can experience the benefits for yourself check the DLyte technology on our website, or get in touch with a member of the ActOn Finishing technical team today: sales@acton-finishing.co.uk.

Case Study: Tumbling Brass Stampings with Polishing Media to Achieve a Clean and Polished Finish

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 14/04/2020

The traditional way to clean and polish brass stampings involves tumbling these parts in a vibratory finishing machine, using agro media (such as walnut shell or corn cob). At ActOn Finishing we developed a more efficient process for tumbling brass stampings using ceramic media. This is a much faster process and it produces repeatable high-quality finishing results, even when the components are heavily tarnished.

Why you should switch to a wet tumbling process?

When cleaning and polishing brass stampings with corn cob or walnut shell in a vibratory tumbler, you can face a range of issues. From long processing times (sometimes up to 8 hours, depending on the part initial condition) to having to carry out rework and not achieving a consistent polished finish.

In comparison with a dry tumbling process, a wet finishing application using ceramic media has a number of advantages:

Reduces processing times (even to a 40 minutes’ process)
Produces a consistent finish, hence there is no need to carry out rework and you avoid high part rejects rates.
There is a low probability of damaging delicate or large parts due to the circular motion of components and media.
Vibratory finishing allows tumbling brass stampings with corners, holes, cavities and slots.
Using a wet process, you can clean and polish more effectively the outside and inside of a brass stamping

How tumbling brass stampings with ceramic polishing media will help you to achieve a clean and polished finish?

The recipe to achieve a clean and polished finish involves using the correct machinery, media and compound. Hence you need to start by choosing the most appropriate vibratory finishing machine for your requirements. This depends on the amount of parts you want to process per batch and the size of the components. You can check our range of vibratory tumblers which are appropriate for this finishing process.

For this finishing process, we recommend tumbling the brass stampings in a vibratory finishing bowl with a separation system. This will enable you to quickly separate the media from the parts at the end of the finishing process.

A polishing media and an acidic compound will help in removing the scale and brightening the surface. ActOn recommends our LQ18 compound for this application, as this is designed to remove metal oxides and produce a bright polished finish.

To ensure the brass stampings do not stain after the wet finishing process we recommend drying the parts using an agro media and a vibratory dryer.

The result

The vibratory finishing process delivers the required finish in a considerably reduced time (approx. 40 min, depending on the part’s initial condition)
The dimensional integrity of the part is maintained.
Wet tumbling brass stampings using a vibratory finishing machine will ensure results are consistent.
Though the initial investment for machinery can be slightly higher, you can enjoy lower operating costs.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our mass finishing expertise please click here, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s vibratory finishing technology please click here.

ActOn Finishing releases "7 Most Asked Questions About Mass Finishing" ebook

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 05/07/2017

"If you are looking to include Mass Finishing into your operations or you are using a Mass Finishing process but you haven't managed to obtain the most optimum results, we recommend reading our ebook"

Acton Finishing Ltd has released the first ebook which responds to the 7 most asked questions about Mass Finishing. Through this ebook we are trying to share our knowledge and help everyone to better understand the finishing processes. We believe this will enable everyone to optimise their operations leading to the most optimum finishing results.

The ebook offers information on what can and can't be achieved through Mass Finishing, types of processes, types of components that can be finished through this technology, advantages of using Mass Finishing technology and much more.

To download your free copy please click on the link below:

http://massfinishinglesson.acton-finishing.co.uk/

Turnover Drive at ActOn Finishing Stourbridge

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 05/12/2017

The new general manager of our Stourbridge Shot Blasting and Peening facility, Andy Tarr, is looking to propel the turnover to new heights and expand the factory space in the near future.

ActOn Finishing Stourbridge, formerly known as Quality Blasting, was formed in Birmingham during the war to blast shells for the defence industry and has evolved to its current Stourbridge base where it has around 80 regional clients undertaking a variety of domestic and commercial finishing jobs.

Further to ActOn Ventures acquiring Quality Blasting at the start of this year, the company continued to trade under ActOn Finishing Stourbridge name and Andy is now planning to boost its turnover past the £1m mark.

Tarr said: "This is a business that has been trading at a stable level for some time, but there is so much potential for it to develop further.

We are currently trading out of two 5,000 sq ft units but we have an additional 5,000 square units of space, which we are looking to capitalise on.

So often our customers only currently come to us for one service before they have to find somebody else for their next stage of the finishing process, and that is something we are striving to change"

"We have a team of 11 that are currently managing around 30 jobs a week, and a lot of work has gone into improving our efficiency levels so that well be ready to tackle and increase in orders."

Sid Gulati, managing director at ActOn Ventures, said:

"Quality Blasting is a well-run business that has built up a solid reputation in the industry, so when the opportunity arose to purchase the firm, we knew it was the ideal investment to expand into a new area and grow."

For more information regarding the finishing services provided by ActOn Finishing Stourbridge please check ActOn Finishing website. or email ActOn Finishing Stourbridge team at stourbridge@acton-finishing.co.uk

6 Reasons Why You Should Use Dry Electropolishing to Surface Finish Medical Implants and Instruments

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 10/12/2020

In a demanding sector, like the healthcare one, the dry electropolishing process is key to achieving the surface finish required for implants and medical instruments. The DLyte system has been designed by to meet the safety regulations imposed by the industry and has proven the Biocompatibility of the products processed with DLyte Systems.

DLyte Electropolishing vs Mechanical Surface Finishing

In a mechanical surface finishing process, parts would go through different steps to be deburred, surface roughness to be improved and mirror polished. The process would also require different medias and compounds and in some instances, different machines in order to achieve the final result. Moreover, liquid electropolishing can reduce the surface roughness of a non-electropolished surface by only 50%.

In the same time, DLyte is a fully automated dry electropolishing system which will enable you to mirror polish medical implants and instruments in just one step. This machine uses Dry Lyte, a new patented technology by GPAINNOVA, for surface finishing metals by ion transport using free solid bodies.

Here a few more reasons why you should consider dry electropolishing to surface finish medical implants and instruments:

1. Implant’s initial shape is not affected during the process

DLyte uses a non-abrasive surface finishing process, which reduces the roughness while maintaining the part’s geometry and respecting tolerances.

2. Parts’ resistance to corrosion is significantly improved

Implants’ and medical instruments’ life spam is influenced by corrosion. In a liquid electropolishing process, parts need to go through a surface treatment, after the polishing process, to comply with the corrosion resistance requirements of the medical device industry. In comparison, DLyte is able to improve the surface roughness, improve corrosion resistance and mirror polish the components in a shorter time.

3. Proved biocompatibility

As we stated previously, the healthcare industry requires clinically proven processes and products which guarantee their compliance with the most demanding safety regulations. Based on studies* conducted with the DLyte system, the dry electropolishing process meets the acceptance criteria:

The viability has been superior than 70% in all concentrations tested compared to the blank control.
The extract at 50% of the test sample has shown greater or equal viability than the extract at 100%.
The mean value of blanks has not differed by more than 15% of the average value of all blanks.

*Study conducted by GPAINNOVA, based on the standard specifications UNE-EN-ISO 10993-5:2009.

4. Dry electropolishing is perfect for fragile medical implants and instruments

During the surface finishing process, fragile components, such as needles and stents, can be damaged by the mechanical energy on an aggressive process. Nonetheless, DLyte has a more controllable process and works better at micro and macroscopic level.

5. Saves you time and lowers your production costs

Labour costs and material costs will be significantly reduced when you switch from a multi-step process to a one step process. Moreover, as the process is repeatable, you don’t have to carry out any rework on parts. Here’s an example of how much you can potentially save when you choose the DLyte system (based on surface finishing 500 knee implants/ day)

6. It’s an environmentally friendly option

In comparison with the mechanical surface finishing process, where you need to ensure the disposal of sludge and waste water treatment is done via specialised equipment, the disposal of the dry electrolyte used in the DLyte system is handled by standard services.

Knee Implant Case Study

Mechanical process steps and results

A knee implant would go through several mechanical surface finishing steps after the manufacturing process, to be in compliance with the healthcare industry regulations. These steps include:

Machining of the box with CNC grinding machine, to achieve a specific shape. At the end of this process the implant has a RA of 1.0 mm
Grinding using different grinding belts
Polishing
Manual buffing (which can be inconsistent, time consuming and costly)

Dlyte electropolishing process

The final mirror polish finish is achieved in a 1 step dry process, where no water recycling is required. The implant is clamped in a specific designed holder, which is dragged in a circular motion through a process drum, which contains Dry electrolyte media.

The motion generates multiple contacts between the knee implant and the media. The power unit also applies electricity with a specific parameter. This ensures that the part is deburred, smoothed and mirror finished in the shortest time and a cost-effective way.

Process results

Surface roughness is < 0.02 mm
Based on tests carried on additive fatigue of Ti6AI4V implants, DLyte reduces over 45% of roughness in the first hour of process and 70% after 5 hours.
No grinding lines or patterns on the implant’s surface
Process time is significantly reduced (between 15 to 60 minutes, depending on part’s initial conditions)
Part’s resistance to corrosion is improved

If you want to learn how to remove defects and achieve the surface finish you require for your medical implants and instruments, using the DLyte electropolishing system, you can download our brochure or contact ActOn Finishing. Our team of experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have.

5 Vibratory Finishing Machine Troubleshooting and How to Solve These in an Efficient Way

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 20/10/2020

There are several problems you may encounter during the process of using your vibratory finishing machine.

From components sticking together to parts getting damaged or odour from wastewater circulation systems, it can be a frustrating process if you don’t know how to fix these problems.

To help ensure your vibratory finishing process runs as smoothly as possible, we’ve gathered together common vibratory machine troubleshooting and preventive measures you can take to target these.

Troubleshooting and Identifying Problems

1. Processing problems

Here are some problems you might encounter during the vibratory finishing process and their most common causes. A combination of processing problems and other factors can play together in mass finishing. For each part and application, several different processes can give the required result for your vibratory finishing machine.

Problem	Most Common Cause	Other Possible Cause
Mass doesn’t move properly	Wrong weight setting*	Too much water; Media filling height too low; Wrong RPM; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Work bowl does not start to vibrate	Wrong weight setting	Media filling height too low; Wrong RPM; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Parts float on top of the media	Wrong weight setting	Too little water; Wrong RPM; Media is too large
Parts are damaged or bent	Media is too large	Too little water; Wrong RPM; Wrong weight setting; Too many parts in machine
Parts’ surface gets impinged	Too many parts in machine	Media filling height too low; Wrong RPM; Wrong weight setting; Wrong media composition; Media is too large; Wrong compound; Too little compound
Parts’ surface is too rough	Wrong composition/grade of media being used	Wrong RPM; Wrong weight setting; Media is too large; Wrong compound; Too little compound
Components stick together	Wrong compound	Too little water; Media is too large; Too little compound; Parts are oily
Not enough metal removal	Wrong composition/grade of media being used	Too much water; Media filling height too low; Wrong RPM; Wrong weight setting; Wrong compound; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Parts become dark	Too little compound	Wrong compound; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Parts are not clean	Wrong compound	Too little water; Too little compound; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Parts are stained	Too little water	Wrong compound; Too little compound; Media glazed over; Parts are oily
Parts corrode	Too little compound	Too much water; Wrong compound
Too much foam	Use of wrong liquid compound	Excessive use of liquid compound to water ratio

*Weight settings

As well as being able to adjust the throw of the motor/s by changing the degree settings of the motor/s, additional weights can be added or removed to control the amplitude, providing ultimate control over your process. Please seek advice of a vibro expert (ActOn Service Department are able to offer this service) or thoroughly read the user manual and isolate your machine before trying to make any change yourself.

2. Foam problems

Some foam is desired in vibratory finishing applications, ball burnishing only works with a lot of foam and a cleaning or deburring application needs only a little foam. This indicates enough water and compound are being used to carry the metal fines, media sludge, spent oil and any dirt to the drains.

Too much foam is normally a sign of an out of control process, the most common cause is the use of the wrong liquid compound or the excessive use of liquid compound to water ratio. Nonetheless this issue can be fixed by adjusting the process to the correct levels and/or by adding a small quantity of ActOn Antifoam to the process chamber during the course of the finishing cycle.

3. Media problems

Glazed over media is one of the most common processing problems that operators face. Every company owner, director, manager and employee are encouraged to save money for their company, but be warned, don’t follow your urge to reduce water flow and liquid compound without thinking through the consequences.

In the pursuit of saving a few pennies here and there, this can easily become an expensive mistake due to much longer processed times (more liquid company, water and electric), damaged or rusty components and ultimately this tinkering will lead to you having to replace your vibratory machine/chamber with a complete refill of new fill of media chips.

If your media appears glazed over with a shiny film and feels tactile to the touch, then it has lost its cutting affect. This means you’ll need to refill with new media, which is certainly not as cheap as making sure the water and liquid compounds are set at the correct levels and not altered.

Some reasons for glazed media:

Not enough water (media and metal wear is not flushed out)
Not enough or not the correct compound
Oily or greasy parts
Hard, dense media with closed structure (recirculation of water system)

Effects of glazed media:

Dirty parts
Long process times (additional water, compound and electric costs)
No media wear
No material removal

4. Water hardness

The water hardness has a significant impact on the process, as it affects the compound properties. Soft water can cause foam problems whilst hard water requires more compound to reach the same effect.

5. Waste water odour problem

Waste water circulation systems that are not well maintained can develop severe bacteria growth and odour problems. Once a system is contaminated the only remedy is a complete cleaning of the system.

Preventive Maintenance

To help ensure your vibratory finishing machine continues to work properly, there are several preventative maintenance procedures you can carry out. These include:

ActOn Finishing vibro machines offer sealed motors with long-life bearing. However, the vast majority of vibro motors used by other manufactures require greasing of the bearings on a regular basis to try and prolong their life (i.e. 5 shots from the grease gun every 1000 hours)
Check all bolts and fixings to ensure they are tight
Clean machine drain bung to prevent ‘hardening’ of waste solids
Check machine for water build-up due to poor drainage
Ensure all water and compound connections are secure
Clean compound pump with warm water when machine is not being used for one-week or longer
Check amplitude reading is as per process sheet

When the process time extends, you can also carry out the following preventive maintenance checks:

Check parts loading quantities have not been exceeded
Check media condition (size, abrasion, level, cleanliness)
Check amplitude reading
Check water flow rate and compound flow rate
Check weights have not moved
Check bowl lining has not been eroded down to the steel structure
In the event of moving the machine, ensure media roll is in the centre of the process chamber (if not, reverse electrical phases)

Getting the most out of your vibratory finishing machine

For further information on vibratory machinery troubleshooting we recommend thoroughly reading your user manual or contacting ActOn Finishing Technical Representatives, where our team of vibratory experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have.

ActOn Pre-tumbled Media is Guaranteed to Improve your Surface Finishing Process

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 07/10/2021

In any surface finishing process, media selection is critical as consumables are an essential tool to enable you to achieve your desired results.

Whether you’re new to the mass finishing process or tweaking existing characteristics like workpieces or process timeframes, understanding how pre-tumbled media can improve your finishing process is key in achieving the surface finish you need for your parts.

What is pre-tumbled media?

Simply put, pre-tumbled media is the means to achieving the desired surface finishing.

Certain media must be pre-tumbled in the finishing machine after being manufactured. The sharp edges of the media are broken and smooth edges are created during this stage of the manufacturing process. This prepares the media for finishing operations such as smoothing the part surface and polishing.

In contrast to abrasive media, which is ideal for heavy-duty tasks like deburring or grinding, pre-tumbled media ensures that parts are not scratched or damaged and that the final finish is smooth.

When is pre-tumbled media needed?

When you want your parts to have a smooth or polished appearance. Pre-tumbled media is generally used for finishing activities that require a very smooth surface finish with high-gloss polish.

In addition to the desired finish, the stage of the process may influence the need for pre-tumbled media. This is due to it being a necessity for new processes when you need to reload your vibratory finishing equipment with a new batch of media.

The only exception to this is if you’re only adding a new batch of media to an existing batch, which is already pre-tumbled. At this stage, there’s no need to pre-tumble it because it will wear out throughout the finishing process.

How to pre-tumbled media?

Pre-tumbled media is obtained by placing it in a vibratory finishing machine and running it with a solution of water and compound for a few hours. However, before pre-tumbling the media, we always recommend running tests to determine the best parameters for your processes, such as the media, compound, water, and finishing process length for example.

Our team of professionals at ActOn Finishing will always conduct tests to assist you in selecting the appropriate media for your components.

How does pre-tumbled media improve the finishing process?

Pre-tumbled media has several advantages in the finishing process, including improving the surface final finish, and avoiding any scratches and damages that might appear on the component’s surface. Moreover you will enjoy consistent results and there will be no need to rework high part rejects.

If your finishing procedure requires pre-tumbled media, we can provide you with this service, allowing you to save time and concentrate solely on the finishing procedure.

We hope this article has given you a deeper understanding of pre-tumbled media and how this can benefit your finishing process. If you would like to discover more or have any related queries, then get in touch with our friendly team and we’ll be happy to help.

ActOn Shot Blasting Systems - Designed for Rapid, Repeatable and Efficient Blasting Results

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 31/03/2021

At ActOn Finishing we offer shot blasting systems, including portable abrasive blast machines, suction blast, pressure blast and wet blast cabinets and a range of automated systems. These machines are designed to guarantee reliable operation and a long service life. ActOn shot blasting cabinets offer the possibility to achieve a wide range of finishing applications.

ActOn Shot Blasting Systems

The ActOn offering includes a range of portable, economical, premium and automated shot blasting systems. These blast cabinets are designed for blasters who require rapid, repeatable and efficient blasting results, a process free of interruption and a shot blasting machine with a solid construction. More over all components are assembled, according to ISO-certification, to create a compact turn-key unit.

The new range of shot blasting equipment will include the ECO Shot Blasting Machines, Premium Blasting Cabinets, Portable Series & Automated Shot Blasting equipment and a special range for the additive manufacturing market.

The ECO Series

The ECO Blasting Series includes an economical range of Suction Blast and Pressure Blast machines. These machines have been designed to allow you to minimise your investment while enjoying the benefits of a good quality shot blasting machine. Both the ECO MI Series (Suction Blast) and the ECO MP Series (Pressure Blast) are built to achieve a rapid and efficient finish.

The Premium Series

The Premium Blasting Series includes a range of DI Suction Blast, NP Wet Blast and DP Pressure Blast machines. These machines have been designed for blasters with high requirements when it comes to blasting results, user convenience, safety and environment.

The DI Suction Blasting cabinets are equipped with a cyclone, which guarantees that the abrasive is cleaned perfectly. This results into less wear and better visibility. The suction blast pistol ensures, in combination with the mixing chamber, a constant optimum mix of pressurised air and abrasive, to offer an effective and efficient blasting process.

The NP Wet Blasting cabinets are equipped with a special pump that achieves a constant flow of blast media and water to the blast nozzle.

The media and water is mixed with pressurised air to add extra power and speed to the mix. The result is a very smooth finished component. The water and abrasive are collected in a funnel, and the pump provides an agitation so that the abrasive continues to “float”. NP Wet Blasting cabinets are perfect for applications such as cleaning, descaling, deburring, roughening, oil or grease removal, die cleaning as dimensions are not affected, or to achieve a smoother surface.

The DP Pressure Blasting cabinets are equipped with a cyclone, which guarantees that the abrasive is cleaned perfectly. This results in less wear and better visibility. The pressure pot is equipped with a dosage cylinder which always ensures the right mix of abrasive and pressurised air. Also, the dosage cylinder controls a constant flow of an abrasive, even at the start of the blast process. This results in an effective and efficient blast process.

Portable Abrasive Blast Systems

These machines are our smallest industrial blast machines which offer the perfect balance between productivity & portability. The Portable Abrasive Blast Systems are user friendly, an economical shot blasting machine option & perfect for surface preparation.

The Automated Shot Blasting Systems

The main advantages of the ActOn automated blasting systems are the reduced manual handling and consistent high-quality finishing results. The automated systems are operator friendly, and can be custom built to suit your needs. We will offer you full support every step of the way.

This range includes: Satellite Blasting Cabinets, Drum Blasting Cabinets, Transit Blasting Cabinets, Turntable Blasting Cabinets, Shot Peen Blast Installations, Internal Blasting Cabinets and Rollers and Tubes Blasting Cabinets.

Sid Gulati, Managing Director at ActOn Finishing, said the ActOn Blasting Cabinets fit perfectly with the firm’s existing range of mass finishing products. He states: “We are continuously developing and adding new products to our range of finishing solutions and are certainly excited with our new range of shot blast technology. ActOn are here to offer you a complete solution."

To find out more about our shot blasting technology available from ActOn Finishing, download our brochure or you can also call us at ⁣+44 (0) 24 7646 6914 or send us an email at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

ActOn Finishing Grant Access Enables a Five-Figure Makeover Towards Modernising the Test Laboratory

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 02/06/2020

We are happy to announce that ActOn Finishing, UK’s leading surface finishing technology provider in the healthcare, aerospace, automotive and motorsport sectors, has transformed its test laboratory after receiving support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub.

We were referred to Coventry City Council, to the Coventry & Warwickshire Business Support Programme, and we applied for a grant of £7,500 towards modernising the laboratory which is used to demonstrate products to new and existing clients.

The Growth Hub also helped ActOn Finishing apply for £9,000 from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme, which is also being delivered by Coventry City Council, to replace halogen bulbs throughout its premises with LED lighting. The support provided, together with the grants, are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The grant funding has resulted in the conversion of all lighting throughout the site to LED lighting to improve the visual aspects within many of our production processes, leading to around 32 tonnes of Co2 emission savings per year and reduced energy costs.

Sid Gulati, operations director at ActOn Finishing, said the investment by the company and grants had helped to modernise the ActOn Finishing premises. He states:

“We have been developing new automatic machines to reduce manual handling and we will now be able to showcase these – very mindful of social distancing rules – in our test laboratory which was work long overdue. We use this area to demonstrate and develop new processes which is key to winning new business.

The grant has also meant we have been able to improve our sales office by installing a new floor, painting the walls and adding new branding which better reflects our standing within a specialised industry.

We have also been conscious of our carbon footprint and have replaced hundreds and hundreds of halogen bulbs with LED lighting throughout our site.

The Growth Hub has been extremely supportive and pointed us in the right direction to apply for grants which we hadn’t realised we would qualify for.”

At ActOn Finishing we have also been giving back to the community by donating 50 face masks for free to the Bilton Coronavirus Support Group which works closely with Rugby Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire Vision to help self-isolating residents with grocery collections and prescriptions.

Sid said: “Warwickshire County Council recommended us to the Bilton community group and we were only too happy to help. The group is doing fantastic work for its local community to help people at a time when they need it the most.”

Ben Smith, trustee at the Bilton Coronavirus Support Group, stated:

“During the lockdown we have been reaching out for multiple avenues of support, in particular sourcing PPE for our volunteers. Our funds at this time are minimal but it was important for us to get costings to understand what funding we may need. The CWLEP Growth Hub, who we registered with, put us in touch with a few suppliers including ActOn Finishing. Sid Gulati, their Operations Director, was quick to come back and provide a generous offer of 50 KN95 face masks for our volunteers completely free of charge.

Within a couple of days, I was able to collect them and distribute to our volunteers in the Rugby area which certainly helped to provide that feeling of an extra bit of safety mid-lockdown. We really appreciate ActOn Finishing's quick offer of generosity to the local community.”

Justine Chadwick, account manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said ActOn Finishing is growing year-on-year and the developments would assist with their expansion plans.

“The business is among the UK’s experts in surface finish technology and their customers are based throughout the world", she said. “The grants, along with the company’s investment, will help to create a more professional image, as well as helping them to reduce their energy bills alongside lowering their carbon footprint. The grant funding is an easy process for businesses to apply for since we help with the application process. It is great that they have also donated the face masks to the Bilton Coronavirus Support Group which was recently set-up to provide a much-needed service during Covid-19 in the Rugby area.”

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council, said:

“The grants, along with the company’s investment, have helped to create a more professional image, as well as aiding them to reduce their energy bills alongside lowering their carbon footprint. The grant funding is an easy process for businesses to apply for as the team help with the full application process, so I would encourage local organisations to apply for the grant funded programmes that are being provided by the Council.”

Case Study: How to Polish Alloy Wheels to a Bright Finish

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 06/02/2020

If you want to keep automotive wheels looking like new or if you are a manufacturer who needs to polish alloy wheels to a bright finish, then we recommend reading this case study.

Most of the online tutorials show you how to manual polish wheels. This includes in general going through many steps such as cleaning the rims, prepping and sanding the surface, buffing the rims with different wheels, manually polishing and in some cases coating.

As the automotive industry is rapidly evolving towards more efficient vehicles where automotive components have to be durable and fuel economic, we have developed automotive surface finishing solutions which benefit the industry by reducing processing times and producing a repeatable and quality product. One of these automotive finishing applications we have developed includes achieving a polish finish on alloy wheels.

Project Background

We have been recently approached by one of our customers to develop an efficient process to polish alloy wheels to a bright finish. Our client also needed to replicate the finishing application in-house.

How to Polish Alloy Wheels to Mirror Finish – Step by Step

At ActOn Finishing we have developed, in partnership with major manufacturers in the automotive industry, a high quality, repeatable finishing solution to polish alloy wheels in just a few hours.

For this application, we have also designed the AWP188 wheel polishing machine – suitable for achieving a highly polished finish on both automotive and motor bike wheels. Some of the key benefits and features of this machine includes:

Design includes system to clamp wheels with different sizes (up to 24’’/ 610mm). Both forged and casted wheels can be processed in the AWP188.
Reliable and repeatable finish each time.
Low maintenance.
Cost and time saving in comparison with manual polishing wheels.
Compact design
Durable machine due to design, good quality materials and workman ship knowledge
Proudly manufactured in Britain

Hence we carried out finishing trials in the ActOn AWP188 and we polish the alloy wheels in a 3-stage process:

Step 1: Cut down

Wheels go through the grinding process using an aggressive plastic media and LQ16 which is a concentrated cleaner and polishing compound. Depending on the initial condition of the surface the process time can take up to 10hours. For this project we only needed 5 hours to cut down the wheel.

Step 2: Smoothing

After the surface has been cut down it needs to be smoothened and prepared for the polishing stage. This is achieved using a medium abrasive media and LQ16 compound.

Step 3: Polishing

The final stage includes polishing the wheels with ceramic polishing media and LQ9. This media is great for achieving a bright highly polished finish while LQ9 has been formulated for polishing both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

The result

The process delivered bright polish alloy wheels in a considerably reduced time, and the dimensional integrity of the part was maintained. A complete end-to-end solution.
Our customer has purchased the AWP188 finishing machine and consumables, which allows him to replicate the finishing process in-house.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To check learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Automotive and Motorsport industry please visit the Industries page.

Introducing the NF Sand Blasting Cabinet from ActOn Finishing

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 29/01/2024

In the ever-evolving landscape of surface finishing, ActOn Finishing has once again taken a bold step forward by launching a new range of sand blasting cabinets, the NF series. With a reputation for delivering cutting-edge solutions, ActOn Finishing brings a new era of precision, efficiency, and versatility to the UK market. In this article, we will explore the significance of ActOn Finishing's NF Sand blasting Cabinets and the impact it will make in the thriving industrial and manufacturing sectors across the UK.

About the NF Sand Blasting Cabinet

As the demand for high-quality surface finishing solutions continues to grow, ActOn Finishing recognises the need for innovative and reliable equipment. The introduction of NF Sand Blasting Cabinet to the UK market is a strategic move aimed at meeting the diverse requirements of industries such as automotive, aerospace, metal fabrication, and more.

The NF Series includes two models: NF-MI9 and NF-MP9. While the NF-MI9 cabinet has been designed for suction blasting, the NF-MP9 cabinet is perfect for pressure blasting applications.

The versatile design permits both standing and sitting sandblasting, contingent on the model chosen. Additionally, the height is adjustable to cater to individuals of varying statures.

If needed, the media recovery unit can be detached from the enclosure. This configuration enables the placement of this component behind a partition. The notable advantage lies in the separation of the cyclone filling and dustbin emptying processes, taking place in a distinct room. This arrangement contributes to a healthier and cleaner work environment.

Key Benefits and Features

The NF Sand Blasting Cabinets are designed with meticulous attention to detail, allowing users to achieve the desired surface finish with unparalleled accuracy. Whether you are working on delicate components or rugged surfaces, the cabinets offer precise control over the blasting process. Some of the key benefits and features of this series include:

Ergonomic working height.
Cabinet is assembled into one compact unit.
Cabinet and the filter unit are equipped with wheels for easy repositioning.
Doors with safety switches.
Both doors are designed with a sandwich construction for a sturdy construction and perfect sealing.
With separate media system with filter.
Cyclone ensures perfect blast media cleaning and a constant operating mixture.
Ventilator with high extraction rate installed for a good view in the blast room.
Fully automatic cleaning of filters.
Blast process stops immediately after the foot pedal is released.
PLC controlled.
HEPA filter with an emission of <0,1 mg/m available.
Maximum load 150 kg.
Includes 20 recipes
Perfect for small parts.
Easy load and unload.
ATEX certified for processes class II 3/-D T125˚
Easy to use and low maintenance costs.
Reliable and repeatable finish each time.

For more technical information on these highly efficient sandblasting machines check ActOn's website, or get in touch with us if you have any queries, we’d be more than happy to help.

ActOn Finishing Introduces the Portable Media Screening Unit

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 28/03/2019

An efficient solution to help you separate the undersized finishing media

Over a period of time the finishing media starts to wear, which can cause the undersized media to lodge in holes, slots, bores and blind holes of components. This can result in damaging the geometry of the part. To avoid these risks, we have designed the Portable Media Screening Unit to enable our customers to separate the undersized media by moving the screening unit near the machine or underneath the machine door.

The way it works

The Portable Media Screening Unit is a standalone unit. It includes a large undersized finishing media grid and an independent drive system. This unit can be moved next to each finishing machine and can be positioned underneath the machine door

The operator loads the finishing media onto the separator, and starts the process. This allows the media to spread. The finishing media then passes through the open gate and onto the separation screen where it is separated into 2 chambers and then collected by the operator.

Key Features & Benefits of the Portable Media Screening Unit

Allows to separate the media straight from the finishing machine.
It screens 25kg of media every 90 seconds
unit dimensions in mm / inch (L x W x H): 1794 x 833 x 1135 / 71 x 33 x 45
motor power: 0.31 kW, 3 phase, 50 Hz
Time efficient - using this system our clients have managed to reduce the downtime by 3 hours, depending on the finishing media condition
The portable media screens are made out of steel and the sizes of holes and slots can be manufactured depending on the customer requirements
Standard control panel with on/ off controls
Easy to move around as it is mounted on castor wheels.
British high-quality product
Durable product due to design, good quality materials & workmanship knowledge
Easy to operate
Low maintenance

To learn more about ActOn Portable Finishing Media Screening Unit and how you can experience the benefits for yourself, get in touch with a member of the ActOn Finishing technical team today.

ActOn Finishing System Enables Rolls Royce Bristol to Process 3 Times More Volume in a Shorter Time

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 03/08/2020

A new vibratory finishing system designed and manufactured by ActOn Finishing, has been installed at Rolls Royce Bristol. This new mass finishing system is enabling the client to improve the parts’ finishing quality and to increase productivity.

During the shelling process, there is a buildup of ceramic slurry on the various equipment used such as matting, rubber caps, handles, plates and cruciforms. ActOn Finishing were contacted by Rolls Royce Bristol to look at improving the cleaning process to ensure a faster process time and more consistent results.

Finishing Solution Developed for Rolls Royce Bristol

After carrying out live trials at our facility, it was proven that the Vibratory Finishing machine was the right solution to clean parts quickly and consistently. Due to space restrictions, a Vibratory Trough was chosen which had the added flexibility of processing parts of various sizes.

The system has several advantages such as:

Easy to maintain;
Compact footprint;
Quiet in operation;
Small and large parts can be processed.

Pictures below show the level of cleanliness achieved after the cleaning process in the ActOn TU8 machine.

The new solution by ActOn gave Rolls Royce the following benefits:

Improved cleanliness
Process time reduction from 60 minutes to 10 minutes
3 times more volume that can be processed at once
Reduced water consumption

Henry Illsley (Shell Process Engineer, Rolls Royce Bristol) states:

“ActOn were quick to develop a solution for the shell cleaning system. The machine has improved our throughput significantly and we are pleased with the quality of machine that they have manufactured and installed. We look forward to working with ActOn on future collaborative projects.”

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise for the Aerospace Industry please click here, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s vibratory finishing technology please click here.

ActOn Finishing plans to support the UK’s manufacturing sector at Backing Britain 2020 Virtual Exhibition

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 05/08/2020

We are happy to announce that ActOn Finishing will be exhibiting at Backing Britain Live 2020 Virtual Exhibition, between 17th of August and 28th of August 2020.

Backing Britain Live 2020 is a two-week FREE virtual manufacturing summit, run by the £120bn Made in Group, comprising 600 manufacturers made up of both Made in the Midlands and Made in Yorkshire, exclusively aimed at the manufacturing and engineering sector. The event has been created to help manufacturers and businesses alike to build relationships, share best practice and network with like-minded individuals, crucial in times of uncertainty.

Why you should visit ActOn Finishing stand at Backing Britain?

DLyte Electropolishing Technology – this machine combines grinding and polishing in a one-step process to produce a smooth, shiny and superior surface finish on metal parts. You can find out more about the DLyte technology here: https://bit.ly/2XnrQve
SPU-1 Vibratory Finishing System – an economical finishing option ideally suited for small batch works and delicate components and it is perfect for deburring, descaling, cleaning, smoothing, radiusing, polishing and drying.

… still not convinced? Here are a few more reasons why you should join us:

As the UK’s leading expert in the design and development of surface finishing machinery, consumables & subcontract surface finishing solutions, we remain the only manufacturer of such equipment in the UK. This includes solutions for vibratory finishing, high energy finishing, shot blasting & waste water treatment. All the equipment is suitable for a range of applications such as deburring, descaling, polishing, cleaning, mirror finishing, radiusing, smoothing and drying.

Register for your FREE Tickets now and don’t miss out on the opportunity to support the British manufacturing sector!

Case Study: Choosing the Right Media Shape & Size to Polish an Intricate 3D Printed Ornament

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 29/11/2019

Recently we have been approached by one of our customers to find a finishing process to remove the lines resulted from the 3d printing process and to polish an intricate 3d printed ornament.

Project Background

As the part has some very intricate details one of the main issues we encountered was that if we over processed the components the details would be removed. Also, due to the manufacturing method certain internal areas were difficult to process. Hence the media shape and size was essential to achieve a polish and smooth finish.

How We Achieved a Polish Finish on the 3D printed Ornament

Due to previous experience, we had with similar 3d printed parts, we carried out the trials in our centrifugal disc finishing machine. This finishing machine is perfect for processing small and thin parts, one of its main advantages being the reduced processing time.

As the part design included some intricate details we carried out different trials to determine the correct media. The final finish was achieved in a 4 stages process, using a mix of abrasive ceramic and plastic media to remove the printing lines, smooth the surface and deburr the part and a high-density porcelain media to achieve the polished finish.

When choosing the shape and size of the media we considered the geometry of the part - hence any lodgement of media was avoided and the part finish was consistent.

Did you know that we manufacture our ceramic media at our facility in Kedah, Malaysia? You can check our range of ceramic media here ceramicmedia.co.uk.

To remove the lines and smooth the surface of the 3d printed ornament, we used alongside the media a liquid finishing compound which acts as a concentrated cleaner and polisher. For the polishing stage, we switched the compound for one of our best-selling compounds, the LQ9. This is a specially formulated polishing and brightening compound which can be used to process ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Result

The total process time took approx. 6 hours which was less than what the customer expected. The process delivered a superior polished finish while the dimensional integrity of the part was maintained.

If you would like to find out more information regarding our finishing expertise please check www.acton-finishing.co.uk, or contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk . To learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Additive Manufacturing industry please visit the Industries page.

ActOn Finishing is Exhibiting at Backing Britain 3.0

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 20/04/2022

We are happy to announce that ActOn Finishing team will be exhibiting at Backing Britain 3.0 this month. The brand new innovative exhibition format is set to welcome thousands of visitors to the 3D virtual environment, which will continue to run for the entire year after the event takes place after 26th-28th April. It will also see three in-person events connecting 300+ manufacturers with talks from industry leaders and celebrity guests.

About Made in Group and Backing Britain 3.0

The aim of the Backing Britain Expo from The Made in Group is to connect hundreds of manufacturers across the region in an immersive, interactive, and environmentally friendly way. Over the last 18 months or so, businesses have had to propel themselves into the digital, whether it be working from home or diversifying their business processes. Digital isn't going anywhere, and forward-thinking businesses need to get up to speed now so they aren't left behind in the future. This is why we are excited to be part of Backing Britain 3.0.

The Made in Group is a trade association championing British manufacturing through networking opportunities, online exposure, topical discussions with industry leaders, and recruitment in manufacturing - helping close the UK skills gap.

Backing Britain 3.0 is a virtual exhibition where delegates will be able to visit interactive stands online - viewing company information, chatting live to exhibitors, and immersing themselves in 3D virtual factory tours.

ActOn Finishing at Backing Britain 3.0

Along with numerous other manufacturing members of the Made in Group, ActOn Finishing is embracing the change the pandemic has brought. With digital revealing itself to be deeper and more embedded than ever before, the employment of 3D factory tours to sell to the B2B market is set to put businesses ahead.

ActOn Finishing is UK's leading expert in designing and developing the state-of-the art machinery and finishing solutions. With more than 50 years on the market we offer a complete end to end solution for mass finishing on various components and varied material types. Some of the industries we cater include Aerospace, Additive Manufacturing, Automotive, Coin Blanking, Fashion, General Engineering, Hospitality and Medical. Our product range includes:

Vibratory Finishing Machines
High Energy Machines
Shot Blasting Cabinets
Wheel Blasting Machines
DLyte Technology
Fully Automated Systems
Waste Water Treatment
Ceramic & Plastic Media
Liquid Compounds
Powders & Pastes

On top of that, we provide on-going support through an expert subcontract and after-sales service, which helps to guide our customers through every step of their journey. We hire a number of highly trained staff, including engineers, who are on-call for all of your requirements such as: vibratory, high energy & shot blasting subcontract services, precision polishing and inspection subcontract services, installation and training, machinery maintenance and repairs, spare parts service, polyurethane lining service or professional advice.

This year ActOn Finishing team is set to offer full support to the manufacturing industry through the Backing Britain 3.0 is a virtual exhibition. You will find at our stand all the latest information about surface finishing technology and processes and you will be able to chat with our team about your mass finishing enquiries.

We have also prepared some of our most comprehensive case studies, which you can check in our Application Magazine. These will cover examples from industries such as aerospace, additive manufacturing, automotive, general engineering and medical. Find out how ActOn technology benefited the industry by reducing processing times and producing a repeatable and quality product. No need of fixturing, no part impingements, no part dimensional changes, just using the right finishing machine and consumables.

Our team is more than happy to discuss any of your finishing requirements or issues. They will be available to answer your specific questions in surface finishing and they will offer you guidance tailored for your finishing needs. You can start your ActOn experience by requesting you free processing trial. Our sales team will guide you on how to apply for your free trial.

Why is surface finishing for medical implants and instruments so important?

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 09/12/2021

Many manufacturing projects benefit from the use of surface finishing. Surface finishing for medical implants, in particular, is critical to the manufacturing process since it determines how a part's surfaces are prepared for usage.

Surface finishing has always been viewed as a process by-product rather than a design feature in metal additive manufacturing, particularly in the healthcare sector.

This article will delve into the importance of surface finishing for medical implants and instruments to create an understanding of the finishing requirements within the medical industry.

Why is surface finishing for medical implants important?

There are many crucial factors that play a role in the process of surface finishing for medical implants to ensure a successful process.

Surface finishing essentially increases resistance to corrosion and ensures parts perform at the level required by the medical industry which is of utmost importance.

A wide range of materials can be processed, from high-strength metal alloys, polymers, and 3D printed components to forged and casted parts.

It’s important to have a clinically proven finishing process that complies with the safety regulations imposed by this industry. Through surface finishing techniques, you can achieve a deburred, smooth, and mirror polished finish that benefits manufacturing by reducing processing times and produces a repeatable, quality product.

The benefits of using surface finishing techniques

There are several benefits to using specific surface finishing techniques to produce efficient medical implants and instruments.

Manual finishing processes are known to be labour intensive, with the disadvantages of rework, high rejection rates and inconsistent results. Mass finishing, however, allows you to process high volumes, reducing processing times and offering repeatable and consistent results, every time.

This technique of surface finishing medical implants ensures that the component’s geometry is integral, therefore, saving you time and lowering your production costs as a result.

Industry standards for medical implants and instruments

The healthcare industry has stringent standards when it comes to manufacturing medical implants. These requirements can make a difference in the success of a surgery and the welfare of a patient.

Some of these standards include:

Biocompatible processes - The healthcare industry requires clinically proven processes and products which guarantee their compliance with the most demanding safety regulations. To ensure low risk of bacteria contamination, a smooth finish is most effective.

Corrosion resistance - The lifespan of an implant or instrument can be influenced by corrosion. Through mass finishing techniques, parts can be protected from corrosion by; using compounds in the wet process which include corrosion inhibitors and by drying the parts in ActOn’s dryer and agro-media. It’s important to know that all of our agro media comes in a treated, bovine-free form and is well accepted by the industry.

Cosmetic appearance and functionality - Reducing the parts roughness, achieving a smooth finish and a mirror polished finish are mandatory in the healthcare industry. A surgeon can’t operate with a scalpel which has burrs, and a patient will most likely suffer health issues if a femur implant is not polished to industry standards.

The functionality and cosmetic appearance of these components can be achieved in an efficient manner via mass finishing. For example: While the CHEF series is perfect for removing machining lines and polishing titanium bone plates, femur, and tibia implants, stainless steel eye clips can be deburred in a vibratory finishing trough and dental partials can be mirror finished in the DLyte machine.

For a successful surface finishing for medical implants, we recommend that you determine the correct machine, media, and compound. At ActOn we have worked with highly skilled manufacturers and our engineers have understood the numerous challenges faced in the industry to develop suitable processes.

What materials and components can be surface finished?

Often medical instruments and implants are made out of high-strength metal alloys such as titanium, stainless steel, cobalt chrome and tungsten carbide. The main reason for this being that these components must be durable in an environment where they are exposed to corrosion such as constant cleaning of instruments. They need to have resistance against scratching and pitting, with the ability to perform for a long period of time. Nonetheless, there are medical instruments and implants such as dental implants, which are manufactured out of lower-grade metals and polymers.

Our High Energy machines are perfect for a range of surface finishing for medical implants and instruments as all of the above materials can be processed via these finishing techniques. These can be aggressive enough to handle your toughest burr, yet precise enough to process the most delicate piece without the need for any fixturing.

The DLyte series is designed to surface finish fragile medical components like needles and stents, as it has a controllable process and works better at a micro and macroscopic level.

For additive manufactured polymer parts, the AM Blasting series is perfect for removing the residue after the 3D printing process, even from parts with complex geometries. To achieve a smooth finish, vibratory finishing is perhaps the most commonly used mass finishing method. The gentle action in the machine allows for processing fragile parts, whilst still being able to achieve a good reduction in surface finishing.

We hope this article has given you a deeper understanding of surface finishing for medical implants and the importance of it within the medical industry. If you would like to discover more or have any related queries, then get in touch with our friendly team and we’ll be happy to help.

Ricoh Products UK Harnesses ActOn Vibratory Finishing Systems for SLS Parts

ActOn Finishing Ltd — 21/09/2018

Processing of 3D printed parts, manufactured via Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), to improve the surface appearance and smoothing can be challenging. These parts tend to have a textured surface and require improvement of surface roughness. We are proud to announce that ActOn Finishing can now assist companies from the additive manufacturing industry to surface finish 3D printed polymer parts, through Vibratory Finishing technology.

The implementation of this mass finishing solution offers a reduced cost per part, consistent results and a short ROI often 6-12 months as compared to other solutions available in the market. More importantly, we have proved that we can improve, through vibratory finishing, the Ra value to 3 Micron, leaving the surface of the parts smooth.

Project Background

Recently we have been contacted by Ricoh UK Products, who we have met at Made in the Midlands Exhibition 2018, to develop a Vibratory Finishing solution to smooth 3D printed polypropylene parts they manufactured, via Selective Laser Sintering. Ricoh is a global provider of technology that transforms business processes and information management to help organisations be more agile, productive and profitable. Amongst other business services and products, Ricoh also manufactures 3D Printers and offers additive manufacturing services.

As they manufacture Selective Laser Sintering parts in different shapes and sizes, they were interested in purchasing a Vibratory Finishing system that can accommodate these parts and which would help them achieve a smooth surface finish to offer added value to their customers.

“We were aware that the technology was already being used in the industry to smooth 3D printed parts manufactured in Nylon, however, we did not want to simply accept that the established method would be suitable for our polypropylene material,” commented Richard Minifie, Senior AM Engineer, Ricoh UK Products Ltd. “We began to look for a technical partner who would conduct tests across a range of technologies and various media types to provide conclusive data that would allow us to identify the most suitable smoothing process before purchasing the technology. ActOn Finishing were open and honest with us at every stage, stating that they had not previously investigated the smoothing process for 3D Printed Polymer parts, but that it was an area that they were keen to explore and gain knowledge in.”

Processing Trials

Ricoh didn’t have a specific Ra value requirement, but chose the preferred finish and time frame based on the requirements of its customers. The parts provided by Ricoh included VW bumper components, wing mirrors, and rotary atomiser parts, the initial roughness surfaces of which ranged between 3.6 and 13 microns.

We initially processed the components in its Centrifugal High Energy (CHE) machine for an hour. The trial was carried using a highly abrasive ceramic media and a concentrated liquid compound, which acts like a cleaner and polisher. We achieved a surface roughness between 1 and 3 microns, but parts were slightly damaged.

Thus, a medium abrasive plastic was used instead of a highly abrasive one. Again, there was damage, so we ruled out the use of CHE technology. At this point, we decided to turn to the Vibratory Finishing machines. Harnessing the same ceramic media and liquid compound as the first trial, the 3D printed components were processed in ActOn’s Vibratory Bowl machine for 20 hours, and finally achieved parts that showed no damage, and with a Ra value of between 0.5 and 3 microns, looked good. Larger parts were then also tested on ActOn’s Trough Vibratory Finishing machine, which also proved successful. The rotary atomiser head, for example, started at 7.2 microns, and after 4 hours in the Trough machine was reduced to 5.9 microns, and a further four hours, down again to 3.7 microns, with no visible drawbacks.

Damaging on thinner wall sections of parts was noticed during finishing processes between 8 and 20 hours, so Ricoh was advised not to exceed 8 hours and use a mix of sizes of the abrasive ceramic media, the concentrated liquid compound for cleaning and polishing, and water. We also advised Ricoh to use divider plates to separate larger pars and smaller parts into two different chambers.

Benefits of the Vibratory Finishing Process

In a 4 hour Vibratory Finishing process most of the Selective Laser Sintering parts are smoothly finished
The process reduces the faceting caused by the printing process and could also be a method for reducing the orange peel
The mass finishing solution we have developed helps our customer to achieve an Ra value of approx. 3 Micron. This is visually a good result, parts being smooth to touch
The solution offered by ActOn is cost effective as client can use only one finishing machine to process 3D printed parts of different shapes and sizes.
The ROI for this project was 34 weeks

In Richard Minifie’s (senior AM engineer, at Ricoh UK Product Limited) statement, he concluded that:

"We worked together to devise a series of tests and these were conducted by ActOn Finishing using a range of technologies employing different media types and a range of run times, to establish the optimised equipment and process to support our application. This was done quickly and professionally with regular updates along the way.

ActOn Finishing’s openness and willingness to conduct trials to establish the most suitable technology and process, was exactly what Ricoh required from a technical partner. As engineers, we like to capture lots of data to prove processes and learn through experimentation. During this collaborative project, we were able to share knowledge with ActOn Finishing to quickly establish a smoothing process for SLS printed parts. This open style learning approach is really important to Ricoh, because the knowledge developed provides value on both sides, which in turn increases the chances of future collaborative projects."

To learn more about ActOn’s finishing technology for Additive Manufacturing industry please visit the Industries page. To discuss your mass finishing project contact our technical team at sales@acton-finishing.co.uk