Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deburring removes burrs from glass-filled nylon parts without affecting critical tolerances or surface finish. This computer-controlled, machine-based process is faster than hand deburring and provides more consistent results. Unlike manual burr removal, the Nitrofreeze® process also eliminates time-consuming and costly hand labor at a time when good workers are hard to find and manufacturers want their employees to work on higher value activities.
What is Glass-Filled Nylon?
Glass-filled nylon is a synthetic polyamide (PA) that incorporates glass fibers into its matrix for improved strength, stiffness, and durability. These glass fibers also increases the material’s ability to withstand higher operating temperatures without significant deformation or loss of mechanical properties. The proportion of glass fibers depends on the desired characteristics of the end-use material but is typically 10% to 40% by weight.
Applications for glass-filled nylon include automotive parts such as speedometer gears, electronic connectors, and components for consumer appliances. Because of its high strength, durability, and resistance to high temperatures and wear, glass-filled nylon is also used in medical applications such as surgical instrument handles. Aerospace parts include cable clamps, fasteners, structural components, and interior cabin parts such as seat frames.
Burrs and Glass-Filled Nylon Machining
Because it’s more abrasive than unfilled nylon, glass-filled nylon puts more wear on CNC machine tools. These fibers also increase the material’s brittleness, which makes glass-filled nylon more prone to cracking or fracturing under high-stress conditions. Burrs that are created during machining can concentrate stresses, especially at the edges of holes. In addition, burrs can interfere with product assembly and raise the risk of hand injuries.
Nitrofreeze® Cryogenic Deburring for Machined Glass-Filled Nylon Parts
Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deburring cools glass-filled nylon parts below the material’s glass transition temperature (Tg) so that the burrs become brittle and easy to remove. Batches of machined parts are placed into a basket, which is loaded into a cryogenic deburring machine. After the parts are cooled, they’re impacted with a cryogenic-grade, non-abrasive polycarbonate media. Importantly, only the burrs are removed. Otherwise, a part’s physical and material properties remain the same.
With Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deburring, part edges are maintained without rounding and little or no dust or residue remains. The polycarbonate media that Nitrofreeze® uses ranges in size from 0.015” to 0.060” to accommodate various deburring challenges, including blind holes, through holes, and other recessed areas. With glass-filled nylon parts such as gears, it’s important to deburr not only the bore but also any lightener holes that are used for weight reduction.
Manual Deburring vs. Cryogenic Deburring
Manual burr removal doesn’t require media or a machine, but it can’t match the speed and consistency of the Nitrofreeze® process. Workers with hand tools can deburr only one part a time, and it’s easy to remove too much glass-filled nylon from one part and too little from another. Manual deburring is also time-consuming and labor-intensive. By contrast, Nitrofreeze® cryogenic deburring is fast, consistent, and cost-effective with batches of tens or hundreds of parts a time.
Choose Nitrofreeze® Cryogenic Deburring
Do you need glass-filled nylon parts that are free from burrs, but that still have dimensions precise enough to capture with a coordinate measuring machine (CMM)? Contact the experts at Nitrofreeze® to review your deburring requirements. If your glass-filled nylon parts are a viable candidate, we can perform sampling. The turnaround time on most orders is two days, and we can save your deburring recipe for future batches of the same part. The initial consultation is free of charge.
To learn more, contact us at the phone number an email listed below.
(508) 459-7447 x105
info@nitrofreeze.com