What is the centrifugal barrel finishing machine?

About Centrifugal Barrel Finishing Machine

  • 1．What is the centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • Centrifugal barrel finishing machine, also called centrifugal disc finisher, is a type of high-efficiency tumbling and polishing machine. It operates like a Ferris wheel commonly found in parks. The four working barrels are installed on a wheel bracket that rotates radially around the center. As the bracket rotates, the barrels also perform radial centrifugal high-speed rotation. At the same time, the barrels also rotate. Therefore, there are two spin moves of the working barrels throughout the process.
    The working barrel is preloaded with product workpieces, tumbling media and water, the finishing compound liquid is filled with 60%-80% of the total volume. During the high-speed rotation of the barrel, the tumbling media and the workpiece collide and rub against each other, which plays a finishing and polishing role in deburring and descaling on the surface of the workpiece.
    Depending on the volume of the centrifugal working barrel, there are a variety of models to choose from, ranging from 30 liters to 300 liters, which can handle workpieces of different sizes.

    ShineTec's centrifugal barrel finishing machine

  • 2. What is the difference between centrifugal barrel finishing machine and other finishing machine?
  • 2.1 The centrifugal barrel finishing machine is a highly efficient grinding and polishing equipment. Because its operating speed is far faster than that of vibratory finishing and polishing machines and barrel tumbling finishing and polishing machines, the processing time of the same workpiece by the centrifugal barrel machine is generally within 30 minutes, while vibratory finisher may take several hours, and barrel tumbling finisher even takes ten a couple of hours. For centrifugal disc finisher, the processing time of a> is relatively close.

    2.2 The centrifugal barrel finishing machine is suitable for grinding and polishing some precision product parts with small dimensions and small surface burrs. Because the processing volume of the working barrel of commonly models is 7.5 liters to 20 liters, and the width of the barrel is about 280-450mm, products that exceed the length cannot be put into the barrel. Also, if the product is too heavy, it will have a great impact on the barrel wall during high-speed rotation, which can easily damage the PU lining, causing problems such as damage and shedding of the PU.

    2.3 Special molds can also be customized inside the working barrel to separate the inside of the barrel to form separate cavities. In this way, some larger workpieces can be ground and polished individually in independent cavities without fear of collision with each other.

    2.4 The centrifugal barrel finishing machine is also suitable for processing some product workpieces with complex irregular shapes. In addition, cross holes, dead corners, pipelines, and gaps in the workpiece can also be processed by using special abrasive media. Because the machine is rotating at high speed, the abrasive can reach these the holes on parts for polishing due to the centrifugal force. Of course, if the pores and pipelines are too long and too deep, there is nothing you can do, such as deep holes exceeding 200mm.

  • 3. How does ShineTec ensure the quality of centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • The steel used in our machines comes from well-known manufacturers in the industry such as Shanghai Baosteel. The PU glue raw materials poured into the working barrel are also purchased from the American Dow Company.
    Professional CAD design software, laser plasma cutting and other advanced processes are used to ensure the accuracy of parts.
    In the welding, PU pouring, assembly, painting and other processes, the products are produced by skilled workers with many years of front-line production experience, adhering to the spirit of craftsmanship to ensure product quality.

  • 4. How to choose a suitable centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • In response to the polishing needs of your workpiece, we will ask you to send samples for process testing in the early stage. If you are satisfied with the final results of our samples, we will then give you a professional process solution base on the actual conditions of your product, such as material, shape, size, and processing quantityband other factors. Selecting centrifugal barrel finishing machines with different processing capacities, or corresponding auxiliary equipment that can help improve efficiency, complete supporting functions, and finishing media that suit the requirements.
  • 5．What optional configurations are available for ShineTec’s centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • The standard configuration of the centrifugal barrel finishing machine provided by ShineTec has the following functions:
    Machine start and stop, fixed speed (400 rpm), timer function, and power-off safety function when opening the cover.
    When you purchase ShineTec’s centrifugal barrel finishing machine, we can provide you with the following optional configuration:

    5.1 The speed is adjustable. In addition, it is equipped with a frequency converter to adjust the machine’s speed. To meet the needs of some easily deformed and fragile product workpieces that require a gentle and slow polishing process.

    5.2 Integrated automatic screening device. It can be installed at the bottom of the machine, flip the barrel, and pour the abrasive media and workpiece into the separating screen to achieve automatic separation of the workpiece and abrasive.

    5.3 Separated inside the work barrel. A special mold is used to form separate chambers in the barrel when the PU is poured, so that workpieces that are easily deformed and afraid of collision can be finished and polished individually.

    built-in separator of centrifugal barrel finishing machine
    centrifugal barrel with individual chamber
  • 6．What spare parts are available for centrifugal barrel finishing machines?
  • The spare parts for centrifugal barrel finishing machines are as follows:

    Bearings: Regularly adding lubricating oil can extend the service life.

    Transmission chain: Chains are used for transmission above 80 liters.

    Timing belt: The 30-60 liter model uses a synchronous belt for transmission, which can reduce the noise when the machine is running.

    Sprocket: There is wear when the machine runs at high speed, and lubricating oil needs to be added regularly.

    Centrifugal barrel: lined with PU glue. The grinding time should not exceed 30 minutes each time to avoid excessive temperature in the barrel and accelerate the aging and wear of the lining. If the workpiece finishing time takes more than 30 minutes, please purchase a rubber-lined barrel.

  • 7．How to order a centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • 7.1 Evaluate the quantity of workpieces to be processed and determine the working volume of the machine.

    7.2 Choose a removable barrel or one that is fixed in the machine. The detachable barrel needs to be removed from the machine every time when loading and unloading abrasive media and workpieces, and the cover must be opened before loading; the fixed barrel is installed in the machine, and the seal cover on the barrel is opened directly when loading. Press the control button to rotate the barrel to the position with the opening facing upwards and then load it in. If the barrel is rotated to the position with the opening facing downwards, it is the unloading process.

    7.3 Confirm whether you need to choose accessories with additional functions, such as automatic separating screens.

  • 8．Is there anything special about your centrifugal barrel finishing machine after-sales service?
  • We provide video demonstrations of the operation of centrifugal barrel finishing machines. You can also contact us at any time to communicate and get answers to questions you don’t understand.
    Our machines provide one-year free warranty service. If the accessories are damaged, they can be delivered to you immediately.

  • 9．What is the daily maintenance of the centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • You must check the condition of the machine before each start-up to ensure that the machine is in good condition.
    Check whether the lining of the centrifuge barrel is damaged and whether the sealing cover is sealed and water-proof. Otherwise, the water in the barrel will be thrown out and splash inside the machine during the operation of the machine, causing safety hazards.
    Check whether there is any noise during the operation of the machine. These noises may be caused by damaged bearings, sprockets, transmission chains and other components. Check to see if they are properly lubricated.
    Check the machine’s transmission chain every two weeks. Is the tightness appropriate? Are the tightening bolts normal?

  • 10．What kind of power supply does the centrifugal barrel finishing machine use?
  • The applicable power supply for our universal centrifugal barrel finishing machine is 380V/3-phase/50Hz.
    If you need some special electrical specifications, such as 220V-480V, 50-60Hz, you need to confirm with us in advance. These specifications need to be customized.

  • 11. What equipment and materials are included in the polishing solution of the centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • The use of centrifugal barrel finishing machines to process workpieces includes three parts:

    11.1 Polishing machine. The centrifugal barrel finisher consists of a wheel frame, a centrifugal barrel, a motor, and some mechanical components and transmission components.

    11.2 Tumbling media. Choosing the right abrasive media is a key factor in achieving good grinding results for your workpiece in a centrifugal barrel machine. Including the shape, size, cutting force grade of the abrasive, and whether it will block the holes of the workpiece, these aspects need to be considered.

    11.3 Finishing compound liquid. The finishing fluid, water, abrasive media and workpiece are mixed and added to the barrel. The water needs to cover the material surface by about 30mm, and the total volume does not exceed 80% of the volume of the barrel. Only a small amount of finishing liquid is needed. Generally, for a 30L centrifugal finisher, only about 25ml of finishing fluid is poured into each barrel.

    11.4 Notes. After loading, check the sealing condition of the barrel. After tightening the sealing cover, each barrel must be placed horizontally on the ground to see if there is any water leakage. All four centrifuge barrel must be loaded into the machine before the machine can be operated. If you only need to load two barrels, put the barrels in diagonal positions to allow the wheel rack to keep the weight balanced. Be careful not to install only one barrel or three barrels, or the two barrels are not in diagonal positions. Otherwise, the roulette frame will be easily damaged when it rotates at high speed in an unbalanced state. Before starting the machine, gently turn the wheel frame by hand to see if there is any abnormal sound. Only when everything is normal you can start the machine. The grinding and polishing time of a machine lined with PU should not exceed 30 minutes at a time to avoid high temperature damage to the lining.

    the roulette frame of centrifugal barrel finishing machine
  • 12．What industries can the centrifugal barrel finishing machine be used in?
  • Centrifugal barrel finishing machines can be used in many industries.
    The parts materials be processed can be metal, plastic, ceramic, alloy, etc. The finishing and polishing process can be completed efficiently in a short time. The following industries can be well applied:

    12.1 Automobile parts. Auto parts of metal or alloy products achieve satisfactory polishing results with the help of centrifugal barrel finishing machines. Such as piston heads, camshafts, gears, fasteners and other accessories.

    12.2 Aerospace. The relevant components require high surface quality. The precision of finishing is the most important measurement index. Our centrifugal barrel polishing machine can perform precise surface micro-cutting and grinding without affecting the overall dimensions of the product, making the surface roughness reach a very high level. In addition, by increasing the density of the product surface, the surface strength of the product can also be improved, which can be obtained at very low cost using our centrifugal barrel polishing machines.

    12.3 Medical devices. Medical devices have complex shapes and precise dimensions. There are extremely high requirements for the finishing and polishing of products. Many products are made of stainless steel, cobalt-chromium alloy, and titanium alloy, such as dental supplies. Our centrifugal barrel polishing machine can perform fine finishing on the rough grinding process and meet the requirements efficiently in a short time.

    12.4 General-purpose machined parts, workpieces, etc. If you don’t know where to find a machine that can quickly and automatically finish and polish, then our centrifugal barrel finishing machine may be your best choice.

  • 13．Can the running speed of the centrifugal barrel finishing machine be adjusted?
  • Yes, ShineTec’s centrifugal barrel polishing machines can provide adjustable speed configurations, allowing the machine to run at the speed you require. Lower operating speeds result in better surface quality.
    Of course, you can also increase the machine’s operating speed for faster finishing efficiency.

  • 14．What are the benefits of using a centrifugal barrel finishing machine to polish parts?
  • There are many benefits to using a centrifugal barrel finishing machine:

    14.1 Faster finishing speed. This is a high-efficiency automatic grinding and polishing machine. The efficiency of manual polishing cannot be compared at all. Moreover, it is more efficient than vibratory finishing machines, centrifugal disc finishing machines and barrel tumbling finishing machines.

    14.2 It is especially suitable for deburring, descaling, polishing, brightening and other surface treatments on inner surfaces such as cross holes, dead corners, pipe walls and gaps on workpieces with complex shapes. You can choose to use some finer abrasive media to penetrate deep into these parts for grinding and polishing under the action of centrifugal force caused by high-speed rotation.

  • 15．Are there any disadvantages to centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • The processing capacity of centrifugal barrel finishing machines is smaller than other types of finishing machines. The processing volumes of commonly models are generally 30L, 60L, and 80L, so the amount loaded at one time is relatively small.
    Compared with vibratory finisher and centrifugal disc finisher, the centrifuge barrel is always in a sealed state during operation. The surface condition of the product cannot be observed at any time. The sealing cover can only be opened after the end and the workpiece is poured out before inspection.
    Loading and unloading materials takes more time than other models. Each barrel needs to open the sealing cover and pour it all out before it can be reloaded, which takes a lot of time.

  • 16．Does the centrifugal barrel finishing machine require specially trained technicians to operate it?
  • Unnecessary. The operation of this machine is very simple. Just put the abrasive media, workpiece, water and appropriate amount of chemical finishing liquid into the barrel. The machine has a timing function. After starting the machine, the worker can leave to handle other matters. When the set time is up, the machine will automatically shut down. All that is needed is to unload the material and take out the workpiece to complete the finishing and polishing process. Therefore no special technical training is required for employees.
  • 17．What surface treatments can the centrifugal barrel finishing machine perform?
  • 17.1 Deburring, deflashing, chamfering. Defects caused during workpiece processing that may cause harm to users can be automatically removed in batches.

    17.2 Derusting and descaling. Surface problems such as turning lines and mold lines can also be removed.

    17.3 Improve surface finish and increase brightness. Make the product surface smoother and brighter.

    17.4 Cleaning and degreasing. It can automatically remove dust, dirt, sludge and other phenomena adsorbed on the surface of the workpiece.

  • 18．What are the tumbling media suitable for centrifugal barrel finishing machine?
  • Depending on the shape, material, specifications and sizes of your parts, you need to choose different types of abrasive media. Abrasives that can be used in the machine are: tumbling deburring media, tumbling porcelain media, high-density porcelain media, polyester media, white corundum finishing media, 3P precise finishing media, walnut shell mirror polishing media , corncob drying media,etc.
    Improper selection of abrasives during the finishing process will affect grinding efficiency and may even cause damage to the workpiece.