Water and compound are added into the machine to facilitate the cutting process and remove any debris coming from the media, parts and any additives so the process stays clean, the media can keep cutting and doing its work as it should do and to protect the parts being processed (i.e. with a rust inhibitor if corrosive).

Variants of compound can also be introduced to speed up degreasing, cleaning, removal of heat treatment scale and discolouration, etc… as well as just helping make the parts look clean and shiny.

It is important though that the water and compound mix are kept at the correct ratio as determined during your process trials. Too much water and the bowl is likely to flood, slowing the process movement and affecting process times and the quality of the finish produced.

Too little water and the bowl may not clean well enough, parts and media will become dirty (and stained) and the media surface will be ‘closed’ by debris and contaminants in the process bowl.

Too much compound and the likelihood is you’re going to have lots of foam, and lots of mess! Again this can result in staining and will cushion the movement of the media affecting your finish and process time. Too little compound and it may not be able to do its job (carrying particles in the bowl to be evacuated from the process chamber) and as a result the media, lining and parts will be dirty, the media is likely to ‘clog’ and process times and finish produced will be affected.

Click to read Tip No. 4 Regularly Check Your Drains

For more information on Mass Finishing please visit www.rosler.com

Post written by
Stephen Lewis-Brammer
General Manager