Deburring profiled workpieces

Burrs occur during the production of a component. Depending on which manufacturing process is used, the burr is more or less pronounced. Especially on edges and contours, these undesirable deformations can occur due to material displacement.

Burrs must be removed because the risk of injuring oneself on sharp cut edges along the contour of a component is very high. Burrs can also reduce the functionality or accuracy of fit of a component. 

Deburring can be done manually or with the help of machines. In modern manufacturing processes, deburring is already a scheduled process step that takes place directly after turning, milling, drilling, sintering, etc.. Often even in the same machining centre to keep process times short.

Aluminium crossbar with slight burr residues. Hollow chamber profile, rounded, with burr residue at the milling area.

The biggest challenge in deburring is to remove all sharp residues from edges and contours while maintaining the shape, size and fit of the component. Other challenges are:

• obtaining the ideal surface finish for the product
• selecting the appropriate deburring process and tool depending on the component (size, structure, material properties and type of burr)

In addition to many other deburring processes such as barrel finishing or thermal or chemical deburring, the use of technical brushes has proven successful for removing burrs. Brushing is a mechanical process.

Wheel brushes are used for deburring workpiece edges and contours. They are guided over the cut edge or contour. The rotation of the brush removes the burr from the workpiece.

While steel, sintered metal or aluminium are primarily deburred with abrasive fill material such as ceramic, silicon carbide or aluminium oxide, corrugated steel wire or stainless steel wire is used for cast iron and non-ferrous metals.
The abrasive trim material virtually "grinds off" the burr. When using wire bristles, on the other hand, the burr is (mechanically) struck off. As the size of the burr increases, the wire diameter of the brush is correspondingly larger.