Dry ice deflashing and deburring use dry ice particles accelerated by compressed air to remove flash and burrs from plastic and metal parts. Because dry ice sublimates (transitions from a solid to a gas) upon impact with a part’s surface, the process is essentially media-less. Dry ice techniques are used with individual parts instead of batches but aren’t suitable for flexible rubbers or UHMW plastic.
By understanding the type of parts that dry ice deflashing and deburring support, molders and machinists can choose the right type of Nitrofreeze® service. Typically, dry ice deflashing and dry ice deburring are recommended for parts with small holes or cavities, thick flash or burrs, and challenging flash or burr locations. The dry ice process is also a good choice for parts that are too large or heavy for tumbling.
Small Holes or Cavities
With cryogenic deflashing and cryogenic deburring, the polycarbonate beads that are used as the blast media come in a range of sizes. This polycarbonate media can clean inner diameter (ID) features such as holes and channels but tends to lose its aggression below 0.015” (0.381mm). With its smaller particle sizes, dry ice deflashing and deburring can clean and finish smaller holes.
Thick Flash or Burrs
Because dry ice processing is used with individual parts instead of batches, it offers a more directed blast than other cryogenic processes. Moreover, dry ice blasting can reach significantly higher aggressions up to 140 PSI. These high velocity media particles can remove heavy plastic burrs, fine metal burrs, and other undesirable part features.
Large and Heavy Parts
The baskets that are used with cryogenic deflashing and deburring come in sizes up to 24” (60.96 cm) in diameter. That’s too small for some oversized parts, but size and weight aren’t the only challenges. Cryogenic tumble deburring is not recommended for large plastic parts with delicate outer diameter (OD) features or for heavy metal parts with cosmetic tolerances.
Challenging Flash or Burr Locations
Some parts have hard-to-reach features such as deep, narrow through-holes that require blasting at precise angles. When the opening of a hole is narrow, the area that’s accessible by media-driven batch methods is shallow. For parts with especially challenging flash or burr locations, dry ice deflashing and deburring is an effective choice.
Learn More from Nitrofreeze®
Is dry ice deflashing or dry ice deburring the right choice for your application? The experts at Nitrofreeze® can review your technical drawings, photos or samples and then recommend the process that best meets your needs. The consultation is free of charge. To learn more about dry ice deflashing and deburring, contact Nitrofreeze at the phone number and email listed below.
(508) 459-7447 x109
info@nitrofreeze.com