TUMBLING
What is tumbling?
The tumbling of sintered parts is a subsequent phase to the sintering process and has the aim of improving the surface finish of mechanical parts.
During this operation, corners, burrs, residues and imperfections resulting from previous processes are removed, making the surface of the piece smooth, uniform and free from defects.
Thanks to tumbling, DL Sintered Srl sintered components acquire a better aesthetic and functional quality, making them ready for immediate use or for any subsequent heat or surface treatments, designed to further improve the physical-mechanical properties of the product.
How the tumbling process takes place
Metal tumbling takes place inside an industrial tumbling machine, a rotating or vibrating drum in which the sintered mechanical parts are rolled together with abrasive materials such as water, gravel, or chemical compounds.
This process can be performed wet or dry, depending on the type of finish required and the characteristics of the material being treated.
The mechanical action of the metal tumbler, combined with abrasive materials, allows the surfaces of the components to be smoothed and evened out, eliminating edges, burrs and imperfections.
The duration of the tumbling cycle varies depending on the desired result, but it allows for the treatment of a large number of small pieces in a short time, making this phase ideal for series production and high-efficiency machining.
Further processing stages
Once the tumbling phase is completed, the sintered part can be immediately used or subjected to further processes such as calibration, vaporization or specific mechanical processes aimed at improving its physical and mechanical properties.
Treatable materials include stainless steel, aluminum, iron, titanium, brass, magnesium and light alloys.
Thanks to its experience in powder metallurgy, DL Sintered Srl is able to offer tumbling and finishing of varying precision, selecting the solution best suited to the customer's production and performance needs for each project.