Tumbling media comes in a variety of exciting shapes, and each form has a unique purpose.
Some are perfect for polishing, and others for heavy deburring.
For most people, picking the right shape for the right job might be a point of confusion.
It’s essential to know that each shape can produce different results.
In general, round media will work best on parts that are also round.
Similarly, media that has flat sides will work best on parts that also have flat surfaces.
In other words, the shape determines how many contacts there will be between the media and the parts.
To get the desired results, know that better contact means a more excellent and faster finish.
The shape of the media is also essential in preventing issues with lodging.
Simply put, the media should reach all areas on the parts, but without lodging itself in holes.
In that case, the shape and size of the media will play a significant role.
Steel media shapes
Steel media is perfect for deburring and polishing metal, ceramic, or plastic parts.
But the quality of the results will depend on the shape of the steel media.
Stainless steel tumbling media
Because of its corrosion resistance, ball cone steel media is excellent for wet tumbling.
That shape is also suitable for deburring and polishing edges.
What’s more, this media combines the benefits of both the cone and ball shapes.
Steel media can also come in a pin or diagonal shape.
Pins can be large or small and are useful in deburring steel, copper, or brass.
Similarly, steel balls stanoprime instructions for use analogues composition indications are often used for burnishing brass, for example.
It’s not uncommon in practice to mix different shapes of steel media to get the best results.
Ceramic media shapes
Ceramic media is useful when there’s a need for light or heavy deburring.
This type of media is fast-cutting and aggressive in removing rust or paint.
On top of that, its versatility stems from the many shapes and sizes it comes in.
In general, the shape of the ceramic media will define its cutting strength.
In other words, the abrasiveness will depend on the angles.
So, to get a good surface finish, picking the right shape is vital.
For example, cylindrical ceramic media is excellent for removing rust.
Triangles are perfect for cleaning or deburring.
However, other shapes, such as stars, balls, and spheres, are also quite common.
Even though ceramic media is used for polishing, it will leave a dull, matt finish in most cases.
Plastic media shapes
Plastic media has moderate cutting abilities and comes in many shapes and sizes.
In general, it is suitable for removing rust, paint, and coatings.
Most often, plastic media comes in the shape of a pyramid or cone.
Pyramid-shaped media is useful when fast cutting is necessary, while cone-shaped media is perfect for smoothing out metal surfaces after ceramic deburring.
On top of that, using plastic media of any shape will prevent lodging.
For example, nipple-shaped plastic media is mostly for light cutting.
It has a unique design that will easily clean holes and slots without getting lodged.