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Q&As since 1989


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Right Surface Roughness Parameter

I am running a deburring-through-polishing improvement program (faster, better, cheaper) at my company, on our tumbling, centrifugal, vibrofinishing and wheel-polishing machines. At this point I am struggling to determine the correct surface roughness parameter that would produce consistent results, for a given finish. I've tried R, P, W types of parameter, different specs, but all seem to give a numerical result that varies widely with a minor change of the position of the part. Any suggestion?

Giovanni M. Ciriani
Italy - Altavilla VI
2002

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I believe your problem is the same one almost everyone else faces when it comes to surface finishing and that is that there are just too many variables. Yes, it would be nice to have a formula that says if I do this the results will be X. When you have more than 2 or 3 elements, you run the risk of shades of gray. So when you have part materials, size, and shape as well as media materials, size, and shape, then how the energy force or pressure is applied and processing time of the equipment are just too many factors to come up with a hard and fast rules type explanation. Therefore, I suggest you drop back and kick the ball to the opponent or customer and ask him to define the limits of what he wants or thinks he can accept.

AF Kenton
retired business owner - Hatboro, Pennsylvania
2002

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Se può interessare, il Politecnico di Milano dispone di un laboratorio tecnologico dedicato alle problematiche di trattamento delle superfici (anche trattamenti in massa), e un corso di laurea sui trattamenti delle superfici. Alcuni studenti del corso potrebbero sviluppare la ricerca - o parti della ricerca - che sta conducendo (sull'analisi di alcuni dei parametri che lei sta indagando si stanno assegnando I primi argomenti per I laurendi 2003. Il laboratorio, infatti, è dotato di macchine di tipo industriale per l'effettuazione di ricerce applicate).

Massimo V. Malavolti
- Vimercate, Milano, Italy
2003

Ed. note: Sorry, but we can no longer print inquires and responses except in English.