average size for the fi nest material is about 10 µm. The coarsest material would have particle size of 250–300 µm; while the majority of what we work with is in the 25–50 µm range,” said Weightman. A pressurized system, MicroBlasting uses a modulated feed mechanism to feed the abrasive into a mixing chamber where a small amount of abrasives is mixed with compressed air and then propelled out of a precision nozzle. The typical abrasive feed rate is 1 gram per minute to 50 grams per min- ute. “We work with both manual and automated equipment. Our manual systems typically incor- porate one of our AccuFlow micro-abrasive blasters with a ProCenter Plus. The ProCenter
Microabrasive blasting textures the thread surfaces of this titanium dental iplant for improved osseointegration.
Plus combines a workstation, air dryer and downdraft dust collector into a single free-standing unit. This all-in-one provides good ergonomics for working on small to mid-size parts while extracting the consumed abrasive. Some of the most challenging applications MicroBlasting can handle include re- moving the oxide layer from medical devices, for example, without affecting the base material underneath. “Titanium alloys have a certain amount of ductility. Aluminum oxide hits the surface, quickly shattering and removing any of the more brittle areas that are caused by laser cutting without damaging any of the material underneath. One of the unique properties of MicroBlasting is that being similar to an erosion pro- cess all of the features are going to be slightly rounded which is especially ef- fective for fl uid fl ow where sharp edges and corners could generate turbulence,” said Weightman. “In aerospace, we work quite a bit with turbine blades, removing coating material that needs to be selectively removed without damag- ing the overall part and without masking. In semiconductor production, Micro- Blasting can selectively remove layers of materials, eroding down into a wafer to a specifi c depth or removing an epoxy material from the surface of a wafer to expose given features.”
Comco Inc. ?
818-841-5500 /
www.comcoinc.com Guyson Corp.
518-587-7894 /
www.guyson.com
J.W. Done Corp. 510-784-0667 /
www.jwdone.com
Sunnen Products Co. 314-781-2100 /
www.sunnen.com
October 2015 |
AdvancedManufacturing.org 71
Buy online today.
www.birchwoodtechnologies.com
Water Saving Finishing Solutions
TRU TEMP®
in-house black oxide on iron
F and contains no pollutants. Compliant for RoHS and Mil spec.
MICROLOK®
and steel components. Nothing like it. Safe, simple, 30-minute process operates at 200o
MZN a fine-grained zinc
phosphating solution for iron and steel components. Sealed with a rust preventative for excellent corrosion resistance & provides anti-galling protection & break-in lubricity. Compliant for MIL-DTL 16232G, Type Z.
Rinse discharge and water treatment options. Birchwood Technologies has options to greatly reduce water consumption even in locations with water restrictions. Call to discuss a proposal.
Photo courtesy Comco Inc.
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