Inovatec MachineryYour Best Choice Polishing Media Manufacturer in China

Polishing Media

Polishing media are versatile.

They can be used either in a vibratory tumbler bowl, rock tumbler, vibratory finishing machine, rotary barrel tumbler machine, centrifugal disc finishing machine, or centrifugal barrel finishing machine.

Generally, vibratory polishing media includes porcelain polishing media, zirconia ball, steel burnishing media, and walnut shell dry polishing media.

These types of polishing media have their applications and advantages.

• Zirconia beads are the highest specific gravity ceramic polishing ball. It is a very long-lasting and high flowing action. Because it never rusts, it can replace stainless steel media in some acid corrosive processes.
• Porcelain tumbling media is designed for high luster polishing and burnishing. It is an ideal vibratory tumbler media for brass case shining and cleaning. Besides, it is also used for cutlery cleaning and refurbishing.
• Steel burnishing media performs well for die castings, forging parts, pressed parts burnishing, and polishing. Steel burnishing media is available in all sizes and shapes. A mix of ball, ball-cone, diagonal, and pins can achieve the optimal finish, especially for jewelry parts.
• Walnut shell media is a dry polishing media. It mixes with polishing paste and causes friction between the medium and the workpieces. Therefore it creates a highly polished surface. Walnut shell burnishing is the final stage finishing that is frequently used in jewelry polishing.

Inovatec manufactures polishing media under the ISO9001 quality management system. No matter what grade of polishing media, Inovatec executes strict quality control from raw material inspection, in-process quality audit, and pre-shipment testing.

Over the past 20 years, we have continuously exported the highest standard polishing media to more than 50 countries. If you want to polish your parts, you can send your parts to us for free sample processing. You can take back our experience and technical solutions. Contact us today and get the quotation now!

Polishing Media – The Definitive Guide

Polishing is a process that must not be ignored in improving the surfaces of parts.

In this article, you will learn all about polishing media. You will learn:

• What polishing media is
• How to acquire polishing media that will benefit you fully
• How to effectively use polishing media

Keep reading to find out more about polishing media.

1. What Is “polishing Media”?

Polishing media is any agent that abrades parts and removes the unwanted parts.

Polishing media are hard pieces of elements that are used to improve the surfaces of parts.

Such unwanted parts result after modification of a piece, especially metals.

Examples of these unwanted parts are burrs and machine marks. They make parts unappealing to the eye.

There are several factors you need to consider when selecting your polishing media.

You have to consider first, the type of material you are polishing, the process (either wet or dry polishing), and the shape of the material parts.

Selecting the type of polishing media depends on your part material.

For more hardened metals such as steel and titanium, you are required to use an equally robust media.

Examples of robust media are stainless steel media and even ceramic media.

There are also lesser, more hardened metals that require a smaller amount of strength from media for surface improvement.

Also, there are other materials, such as plastic, that rarely require robust media for surface improvement.

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The best part of using more robust media is that they give a part of its sleek and shiny look. That makes it appealing to the eye.

These robust media remove machine marks and unwanted raised edges from parts.

They can be used with or without a compounding agent, depending on the process you want.

They also come in different shapes, sizes, and angles. Such media are mostly ceramic or stainless steel.

Similarly, softer media also do the same task. They remove unwanted raised edges and machine marks from parts.

Such media are mostly synthetic. They improve the surfaces of softer metals such as aluminum and brass.

They are widely used today, and they come in different shapes, sizes, and angles.

These dynamics in media cater to the different shapes, sizes, and angles of parts.

When polishing, you have to consider using the correct shape, size, and angle of media to reach the deepest pocket or cavity of a part.

One downside of using softer media is that they will not produce that sleek and shiny look on your parts.

Polishing using ceramic polishing media is completed by placing brass cases, media, and a compounding agent on an industrial vibratory tumbler bowl.

You can even decide to improve the surface of your parts by running them first with robust media such as stainless steel or ceramic tumbling media.

After the cycle is complete, you can rerun the parts using synthetic media.

That will ensure maximum polishing on the surface of your metal parts and even in the deepest pockets and cavities.

However, running the two processes may become quite expensive on your end.

Polishing using synthetic media makes the process lighter by 40%, compared to polishing using ceramic media.

When polishing using a compounding agent, make sure you use the correct quantity of the compounding agent. Why?

It becomes economical on your end to use the correct amount. Using an excessive amount will not help your media polish better.

It only wastes your compounding agent because it will overflow.

Also, when dry polishing your parts, make sure you use the correct amount of polishing powder or polishing paste.

After the polishing process is complete, clean your polishing media thoroughly for the next use.

Robust media can be reused for more extended periods. Their hardy nature gives them a longer lifespan.

Also, synthetic media are also good because they do not crack nor chip even under intense stress during the polishing process.

Cleaning your polishing media and disposing of the compounds used to clean them correctly help in preserving the environment.

Some parts may have some toxic or hazardous elements such as traces of Lead, which are harmful to life in general.

2. What Factors Should I Consider When Selecting Polishing Media?

When selecting polishing media, there are three primary factors that you need to consider:

1. The material your part is made of, an example being steel, aluminum, brass, etc.
2. The size, shape, and angle of your media
3. Whether the process will be wet or dry

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The material of the parts you want to polish greatly matters. It can mean the difference between the success or failure of your polishing process.

When polishing more hardened and heavy metals such as steel and titanium, consider using robust media such as ceramic or stainless steel.

Both ceramic and stainless steel media give parts the sleek and shiny look you desire.

They are able to withstand heavy amounts of stress when polishing more robust metal parts.

Consider using relatively weaker polishing media for tumbling metal parts that are soft.

Softer metals include brass and aluminum. These metals are best polished with more malleable media.

Softer media are mostly synthetic. They are widely used nowadays and can easily be acquired.

Also, plastic parts can be polished. You can also use synthetic media to polish plastic parts.

Secondly, you need to consider the size, shape, and angle of your media.

These three factors all depend on the shape of your parts. Do they have deep pockets? Are they inclined at a certain angle?

There are various shapes of media that include wedges, cones, pyramids, cylinders, triangles, etc.

These different shapes are all aimed at making sure every inch of your metal part is polished.

There are intricate parts that will require different shapes, sizes, and angles.

The good thing, however, is that you can improve the surface of your parts while using different shapes, sizes, and angles of media at the same time.

It will help you polish your parts in the same cycle, therefore saving time and energy used to run the machine.

There are some advantages of using synthetic media over more robust polishing media.

The primary advantage is that synthetic media is widely used nowadays. It is lighter than ceramic media by 40%.

This means that when polishing using plastic tumbling media (synthetic), you will save energy, time, and still achieve your polishing objective.

However, polishing using synthetic media will not give you that shiny and sleek look on your parts.

Thirdly, you need to consider the process itself. Ask yourself:

Do I want a wet or dry polish? For dry polishing, a polishing powder or paste is used.

The powder or paste works by increasing friction in the mix during the process.

Friction is vital as it removes unwanted parts such as burrs and machine marks.

For wet polishing, make sure you use the correct amount of polishing compounding agent.

It becomes economical on your end to use the correct amount. Using an excessive amount will not help your media polish better as it will overflow.

Also, softer metals can be tumbled using robust media.

An example, brass casings can be polished using a compounding agent in a vibratory tumbler.

3. Is Acquiring Polishing Media for My Parts Costly?

Acquiring polishing media for your parts is not costly because the process is widely carried out nowadays.

You can acquire these parts online and have them shipped over to you. Inovatec Machinery offers a wide range of polishing media.

These polishing media will be shipped off to you according to the shape and size that you require.

4. Can I Reuse My Polishing Media?

Yes. It is possible to either recycle or reuse your polishing media. However, this decision is quite tricky.

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When polishing metal parts, hazardous or toxic chemicals attach themselves to your polishing media.

Now, you need to put into consideration some factors (outlined here below) before reusing or recycling your polishing media.

First, you have to understand that your polishing media is not a one-off material; that is, it can be used several times before you replace it.

People seldom replace polishing media after using it once.

You can determine whether your media requires replacement based on how well it polishes.

If it does not polish well like it did when it was new, there is a high probability that it needs replacement.

Polishing media fail to clean thoroughly after a series of reusing and recycling. This is because they lose their abrasive quality.

You also have to consider how to dispose of your already-used polishing media. Treating it like regular trash may harm the environment.

There is also biodegradable polishing media. Examples include walnut shell grit and corn cob tumbling media.

These two are highly absorbent of impurities like oils. They can also be used to dry metal parts.

These organic media are biodegradable.

They are popularly used to remove marks and polish jewelry.

Disposing of already-used polishing media is also a process on its own that requires you to be extremely careful.

You need to be cautious because your media may become toxic after polishing some materials.

You will first need to get all your media contained either in a containment basket or a plastic containment bag.

Then, you can choose to place all the useless media in a waste bag or basket. You need to be highly alert that no dust particle drops.

You need to dispose of media containing metal parts and paints as hazardous material.

Paints may contain Lead, which is a poisonous metal.

These hazardous materials are still toxic, even when they are in a solid physical state.

Bottom line:

You can indeed reuse and recycle polishing media.

The lifespan of the media depends on its material and the materials used to make the parts it polishes.

Your polishing media is not a one-off material. It can be reused and recycled.

You need to dispose of polishing media correctly once it loses its abrasive quality. It may be hazardous to the environment.

5. How Long Can Polishing Media Last Before It Loses Its Abrasive Quality?

It is possible to either recycle or reuse your polishing media. However, the decision to reuse or recycle media is quite tricky.

The lifespan of any polishing media depends on two primary factors:

1. The primary material the media is made of, an example being, ceramic, steel, etc.
2. What type of parts it polishes

The lifespan of robust media such as stainless steel and ceramic media is longer when handled correctly.

Synthetic media also lasts longer, depending on the material of the parts it polishes.

Check this out:

When polishing metal parts, hazardous or toxic chemicals attach themselves to your polishing media.

Now, you need to put into consideration some factors (outlined here below) before reusing or recycling your polishing media.

You first have to understand that your polishing media is not a one-off material; that is, it can be used severally before you replace it.

People seldom replace polishing media after using it once.

You can determine whether your media requires replacement based on how well it polishes.

If it does not polish well like it did when it was new, there is a high probability that it needs replacement.

Similarly, organic media such as walnut shell grit and corn cob grit also have a lifespan of their own.

They are not as robust as ceramic, stainless steel, and synthetic media.

Corn cob media can polish metal parts, especially jewelry, for about 10 to 15 runs. Thereafter, they will require replacement.

You can use corn cob media for cleaning brass parts.

As for walnut shell grit, it can polish metal parts, especially jewelry, for 15 to 20 runs before being replaced.

6. Must I Use a Compounding Agent When Polishing My Metal Parts?

No. It is not a must for you to use compounding agents when polishing your metal parts.

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There are two types of polishing processes, that is, wet polishing and dry polishing.

For dry polishing, you will be required to polish your metal parts using polishing media and polishing powder or a polishing paste.

During dry polishing, you have to be careful because your metal parts can get damaged easily.

You have to use the correct amount of polishing powder or paste.

Failure to use the correct amount can lead to scratching of the surfaces of your metal parts, leaving an ugly look.

Now, for wet polishing (where compounding agents are used), you have to ensure that you use the correct amount of compounds.

If you decide to use a lesser amount than the recommended one, your parts will have scratches on their surfaces.

The polishing media will be too inflictive on the metal parts’ surfaces, therefore scratching them.

Also, if you decide to use a polishing compounding agent in excess, with the hope of having a sleeker look, it will not work.

Using a compounding agent in excess leads to overflowing. It will be simply uneconomical.

There are certain advantages of using a compounding agent in the polishing process.

The key advantage is that you can polish delicate metal parts, for example, brass casings using robust media, for instance, ceramic media.

Also, using the correct amount of polishing compounds ensures that thin and light metal parts are excellently polished.

Such parts tend to float and cling to each other.

The primary downside of using compounding agents for polishing is that they have an additional cost.

This additional cost arises from the fact that you have to correctly dispose of the waste compounding agent.

When polishing, the compounding agent works by aiding the abrasive media to remove the unwanted parts and marks.

You are required to ensure your safety and the safety of the environment.

Safe disposal of waste compounding agents ensures that the environment is preserved and that you are safe when working.

Bottom line:

It is not mandatory to use a compounding agent when polishing metal parts.

However, you have to be careful when carrying out both wet and dry polishes.

You have to make sure the process does not damage your metal parts.

7. What Polishing Media Can I Use to Have That Sleek Shiny Look on My Metal Parts?

The choice of polishing media varies with what type of metal you have.

Some polishing media are too robust, therefore highly inflictive on your metal parts.

You need to be cautious as your parts can quickly get damaged.

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Polishing using robust polishing media such as ceramic or stainless steel will give your metal parts that shiny look.

However, that will depend on the type of polishing you will do. For softer metals like brass, you will be required to do wet polishing.

As for the more hardened metals such as steel and titanium, both wet and dry polishing processes will work.

The primary factor you need to look at is the material of your metal part.

The primary advantage of using robust media is that they will definitely give your metal parts that sleek look you desire.

Plastic media (synthetic) will polish well too. However, they will not give your metal part a sleek look.

Plastic media also cannot polish heavy metal parts effectively as they are not as robust as ceramic and stainless steel media.

They, however, neither chip nor crack under pressure. They also come in different shapes, sizes, and angles.

In summary, to get the sleek and shiny look on the surface of your metal parts, you need to use robust media like ceramic or stainless steel.

Plastic will not produce the shiny look that you desire.

Compounding agents aid you in polishing through chemical reactions that soften the surface of a metal part.

They also prevent the excessive scratching of your parts’ surfaces.

8. How Does the Shape, Size, and Angle of Polishing Media Affect the Polishing Process?

The shape, size, and angle of media actually matter in the polishing process. They determine the success or failure of polishing parts.

When selecting polishing media, the most appropriate sizes are those which will not lodge in metal parts’ pockets or cavities.

Also, the shapes of your media matter because they must be able to reach all the surfaces.

Oversized media will not fit appropriately in pockets and cavities of metal parts.

They will thus be ineffective because you need every part polished.

Under-sized media will also not help because they will firstly get lodged in metal parts’ pockets.

Furthermore, they will pass through parts without effectively cleaning them.

Using the right size is the primary factor that you need to consider.

You have to understand that media size keeps changing regularly.

After using it to polish several times, it’ll wear out and decrease in size.

Also, the media should be able to get in contact with the most remote area of a metal part surface.

The media should polish every inch.

Angle also matters because of their different degrees formed by metal parts.

An example is, you will not always find the right angle on a metal part.

It can be designed to have a different angle, depending on the use. The bottom line remains to be that every inch has to be polished.

When selecting media, always consider shape, size, and angle.

These three determine your success and efficiency in the polishing process.

9. How Can I Polish My Brass Cases Without Damaging Them?

When polishing brass cases, you can decide to use either ceramic or stainless steel media.

Both polishing media, ceramic and stainless steel, are equally robust.

They can clean your cases without lodging them into the brass cases.

You’ll be advantaged to use either of these media for polishing. They come in different sizes, depending on the size of your cases.

Furthermore, they produce the desired sleek and shiny look.

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Now, you can choose to polish brass cases through the magnetic polishing process.

This magnetic process involves using stainless steel pins, which hit the brass cases from all directions, thus polishing them.

Stainless steel cleans brass impeccably well.

Polishing using ceramic media is completed by placing brass cases, media, and a compounding agent on a vibratory tumbler’s bowl.

The process takes two to four hours. Polishing them for a more extended period will not harm your brass parts, but it will be uneconomical.

Always use the correct amount of polishing compound when using ceramic media on brass.

Ceramic media needs to be wet enough to avoid scratching your brass cases. They are delicate.

Always select the correct media size for effective and efficient cleaning and polishing of brass cases.

Now, the best way of polishing brass cases is when the industrial part tumbler is 75% full. You’ll also need to consider the strength of your industrial tumbler machine.

After two to four hours, you can offload your brass cases.

Make sure you clean them thoroughly using water to get rid of the waste compounding agent.

Then, you can dry your cases using an air compressor to ensure that you have gotten rid of all the water.

A more straightforward way can be drying them using a towel. However, you may find this process ineffective.

This is because there may be some drops of water present in your casings.

10. What Is the Process of Polishing Using Organic Media?

The process of polishing using organic media, for example, corn cob grit and walnut shell grit is widely used nowadays.

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You can watch a short video on how to polish parts using organic polishing media (corn cob media) here.

You only need to add your metal parts to a vibratory tumbler’s bowl together with the polishing media.

These deburring tumbler machines require little to no supervision.

You will only need to feed the bowl about two-thirds full of organic media.

Then, fill the bowl with one-thirds with casings. You need to add your metal parts when the tumbler is already running.

The amount of organic media to use depends on your parts’ tumbler and metal parts’ size.

After you are comfortable enough polishing your parts, you will learn the ideal quantity of media to use on the specific tumbling machine for metal parts.

Both corn cob grit and walnut shell are not one-off media. They can be reused and recycled.

For corn cob media, you can reuse it 10 to 15 times.

As for walnut shell grit, you can reuse it 15 to 20 times before it loses its abrasive quality.

Walnut shell media is more aggressive than corn cob grit media.