According to Tim Urano, Quality Manager at Wolfram Manufacturing, any additional cost for filtration related to the use of abrasive tools is so negligible it is “not really a consideration because filtration systems are already required to remove particulate from the coolant generated during the machining process itself.”
At his shop, that includes scale, grit and rust created by cutting through raw stock. Wolfram Manufacturing is also machining more 3D parts made of Inconel, which can release fine metal powder into the coolant that isn’t fully sintered.
As for abrasive tools, Urano says Wolfram Manufacturing has, “never ever experienced any problems caused by abrasives in our cutting fluids.”
For the past eight years, the machine shop has incorporated the Flex-Hone in all CNC machines for cross-hole deburring and surface finishing. The Flex-Hone from Los Angeles-based Brush Research Manufacturing (BRM). Characterized by the small, abrasive globules that are permanently mounted to flexible filaments, the product is a flexible, low cost tool utilized for sophisticated surfacing, deburring and edge-blending.
Removal of burrs and sharp edges in cross-drilled holes and other difficult-to-access areas such as undercuts, grooves, slots, or internal holes is critical. Failing to remove burrs can cause blockages or create turbulence in the flow of fluids, lubricants and gases through critical passages.
“On a given part, we might deploy two to three different size Flex-Hones, depending on the number of cross port intersections and different hole sizes,” explains Urano.
The Flex-Hones are added to the tool carousel and are used daily, usually several times an hour, on some of the shop’s highest volume parts.
“The volume of abrasives that could even possibly come off of the Flex-Hone is insignificant compared to the rest of the particulate that gets into the coolant,” explains Urano.
At Delta Machine in Gardena, Calif., automated crosshole deburring is also integrated into the CNC machining process.
“When you use the Flex-Hone for deburring, all you are doing is removing the burr. It doesn’t create much dust,” adds Delta Machine’s Garaczi. “So, for me, any grit or dust released is zero concern. It is not like we are grinding inside the machine with powder everywhere – this is not the same at all.”
