Before we can dive into the details of the deburring process, it is important to understand what a burr is and how it affects the quality of your metal parts.<\/p>\n
In the context of metal manufacturing, a burr refers to the formation of rough edges or ridges on the metal piece. The reason behind it lies in the manufacturing process and the tools involved in its production. It is especially common with cutting operations on sheet metal<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Clearly, the formation of burr should be avoided whenever possible. But as a “side-product” of many manufacturing methods, it is often unavoidable. In those instances, deburring is necessary.<\/p>\n
Burr commonly occurs when producing sheet metal parts using different manufacturing methods. Those include machining and cutting processes.<\/p>\n
Some of the most common burr-leaving machining processes are:<\/p>\n
Cutting processes used with sheet metal that leave burrs include:<\/p>\n
It is important to note that there are factors that relate to burr formation. Therefore, not every one of those cutting methods leaves a burr. At least not always.<\/p>\n
These factors are related to many things. The most important is probably the awareness and skills of the machine operator handling the parts and configuring the machinery. Also, a lot comes down to the material thickness and grade. Some materials are a lot easier to cut while leaving a satisfactory result without the need for post-processing.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, it is possible to remove burrs to achieve a smooth surface. And there are many different deburring methods to choose from. Each of them comes with advantages and disadvantages.<\/p>\n
Looking deeper into the subject, it is clear that there is a plethora of deburring options available. The Deburring and Edge Finishing Handbook by Laroux K Gillespie<\/a> tells us that there are more than 80 different processes currently in use in metal manufacturing.<\/p>\n
With that said, we list the main methods for deburring metal parts for a smooth finish.<\/p>\n
This is the oldest and most basic method to eliminate burr. It requires a skilful craftsman to guarantee the best results. Therefore, it is a method that takes a lot of time and effort.<\/p>\n
As a time-consuming technique, manual deburring is nowadays mostly used in small shops with a low production rate. Cleaning large batches is not cost-effective but having the required skills in the workshop may come in handy.<\/p>\n
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Common tools used to apply this method<\/a> include deburring knives, files, sandpapers and other polishing tools.<\/p>\n
Cons:<\/p>\n
This method uses a punching machine to eliminate the burr. It requires different types of dies to achieve what is called punch mould work, including rough blanking dies, fine blanking dies, and sizing dies.<\/p>\n
Pros:<\/p>\n