Compounds

Compound in the Vibratory Process

The liquid compound is used to lubricate the abrasive media and the lining, clean the parts to remove dust, dirt, and other contaminants, impart an acceptable color and shine to them, and keep the media clean and abrasive. Media without compound risks clogging and becoming "glazed."

The water/soap mixture is The Solution. Too little soap in the solution and it will have no noticeable effect. Too much soap will over-lubricate the mass, causing the media to slide over the parts. The same applies to The Solution in the machine: too little Solution and impurities will not be removed, creating sludge in the equipment. Too much Solution will cushion the abrasive media, thereby losing its effectiveness.

The Solution requires a soap concentration rate of approximately 1% to 2% soap to 98%-99% water. An average of about 1.5 gallons of Solution per cubic foot per hour is recommended.

The level of media in the machine, The Mass (abrasive + parts), achieves its maximum efficiency only when its movement is very pronounced. The most effective abrasion on the parts is done by the weight of the media and its movement over the parts. For these reasons, it is necessary to maintain a Mass occupying 85% to 95% of the capacity. When this level is reached, The Mass rolls visibly on itself while compacting. A typical ratio for steel or stainless steel would be 5 volumes of media to one volume of parts.

When changing soap or media, it is ESSENTIAL to:

·       Ensure that the machine drains are clean and clear.

·       Rinse the media thoroughly with plenty of water without parts or compound to remove any residual product and avoid cross-contamination.

·       Adjust the media level; if it's a new load of media, let it run for an hour before adding parts to "break it in."

In conclusion, the key points are:

1. Clean machine

2. Media level

3. Soap dosage

4. Quantity of Solution

5. Parts/media ratio