Surface Finishing & Coating

Many manufacturers apply finishes such as black oxide, metal plating, adhesives and sealants to their parts. One key question is whether to apply those finishes in-house or outsource the operation. For many shops, the decision is based on part volume, cost of capital and practical considerations.

A full line of cotton fiber abrasive products for grinding, deburring, polishing, and finishing stainless steel, aluminum, and exotics is available from Rex Cut Products Inc.

Sumitomo Electric Carbide Inc. announces the latest addition to its coated carbide grade lineup, insert grade AC420K.

Allied Machine and Engineering Corp. is pleased to announce the addition of AM200 coating on all T-A inserts designed for the structural steel industry.

Monocrystalline diamond inserts for imparting high-polish finishes.

A nanocomposite coating that significantly extends tool life.

END USER: Tech NH Inc., (603) 424-4404, www.technh.com. CHALLENGE: Reduce polishing time when producing hardened steel molds. SOLUTION: Long-reach, small-diameter endmills for hard milling. SOLUTION PROVIDERS: Harvey Tool Co. LLC, (800) 645-5609, www.harveytool.com; Industrial Tool Supply, (888) 200-8887, www.itslowell.com.

Nilfisk Industrial Vacuums announces the launch of the Nilfisk CFM T Series.

CGW-Camel Grinding Wheels has expanded its trimmable flap disc line with the introduction of trimmable C3 ceramic flap discs.

Technology for applying a hydrogen-free DLC with high adhesion.

END USER: Form Tool Technology Inc., (803) 788-3686, www.formtooltech.com. CHALLENGE: Polish flutes of drills and other round tools to enhance chip evacuation. SOLUTION: Diamond-abrasive polishing wheels. SOLUTION PROVIDER: 3M Abrasive Systems Div., (866) 279-1288, ext. 1258, www.3m.com

Equipment and media options for cleaning automotive parts.