DIAPHRAGMS
Cryogenic Deflashing for Molded Diaphragms
A diaphragm is nearly all thin section — the part hand trimming threatens most, and the part some shops turn away. Nitrofreeze deflashes thin-walled diaphragms without a tool ever touching the membrane.
Can molded diaphragms be cryogenically deflashed?
Yes — Nitrofreeze cryogenically deflashes molded diaphragms at its Worcester, Massachusetts facility, in silicone and LSR, nitrile, EPDM, Viton®/FKM and PTFE, down to 0.025″ with thin walls. Thin-walled diaphragms and membranes are routine production work for the process, not an exception to it.
Isn’t cryogenic deflashing unsuitable for thin cross-sections like diaphragms?
No — that is a common misconception. The part is cold only briefly and returns to room temperature unchanged; the Nitrofreeze process does not affect surface finish, geometry, or the material itself. The flash breaks at its thin root, and the membrane is left exactly as molded.
Will deflashing affect the sealing bead or membrane thickness?
No. Only the flash is embrittled and broken away. The sealing bead, convolutions and membrane thickness that decide whether a diaphragm meters and seals correctly stay as they came out of the tool — with no smeared edges and no thinned sections from a trimming blade.
What diaphragms does this work for?
Nitrofreeze deflashes pump, valve, regulator, actuator, metering and sensing diaphragms for medical-device, fluid-power, automotive, appliance and instrumentation customers — flat, convoluted and fabric-reinforced molded designs alike, from prototype quantities to production volumes.
How small — and how large — can parts be?
Nitrofreeze processes parts from 0.025″ with thin walls up to 12″ × 12″ in its cryogenic machines — and there is no upper limit on part size: larger parts route to dry ice deflashing or hand finishing. There is no minimum order quantity; runs are subject to a $125 minimum lot charge.
What’s the turnaround and typical cost?
The first run of a new diaphragm part is treated as a sample: five-day turnaround, free, as Nitrofreeze’s Pre-Production Engineering Evaluation. Once the customer approves the process, production orders turn around in as little as two days after receipt, with same-day and one-day service available for a small premium. Large volume orders typically require more time to process. Deflashing typically runs 10–20% of the value of the part.
Is Nitrofreeze ITAR registered and ISO certified?
Yes. Nitrofreeze is registered with the U.S. Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) as a manufacturer/exporter under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by NQA with a scope that names cryogenic deburring and deflashing. View the ISO certificate.
Send us your diaphragms
The first run is a free Pre-Production Engineering Evaluation — five days, no obligation, with the process documented before you commit.
Nitrofreeze Cryogenic Solutions · 78 Chilmark Street, Worcester, MA 01604