There is no doubt that the manufacturing industry in the United States is a huge one. In fact, manufacturers collectively contribute an incredible $2.17 trillion to the American economy, and for every single dollar spent on manufacturing, another $1.40 is added to the overall economy. Recent data also shows that over 256,000 manufacturing firms can be found across the nation (most of them small), and they employ around 12.5 million people. Standing alone, the manufacturing industry would rank in the top 10 largest economies in the world. How is this work done? There is more to it than bolting together metal or cutting up wood or injecting materials into plastic molds. Burnishing tools and lathe tables are essential for metal work, but a person may wonder: what is a burnishing tool used for? And what about lathe tables or diamond burnishing?
What is a Burnishing Tool Used For?
Machining is the act of modifying a hard object in a workshop or factory to alter and enhance its performance and nature. Roller burnishing is a good example of this, and burnishing is a fairly non invasive way to enhance a metal surface. Even finished and used metal goods can be burnished again, to restore their shape and aesthetics.
So, what is a burnishing tool used for? A roller burnisher has a hard, circular end to it that can roll around, and it is pressed with great force on a metal surface and roves all over that surface. This applies even pressure to that metal surface, to avoid putting dents or scratches on it. As for why this is done, “what is a burnishing tool used for?” is a matter of both aesthetics and function. A burnished surface is tougher and harder since it is somewhat compressed, and this allows the metal to endure more pressure and strained while it is being used. The surface is also made smooth and shiny and thus more attractive, and this will make a good impression on buyers. This is also why used metal objects may be subject to burnishing, so they can look and function like new. In short, burnishing preps metals for future work, and it can fix up older metal objects, too.
Using Lathe Tables
Roller burnishing is essential for making a metal surface hard and attractive, but there is other work to be done. Machining a piece of metal often includes drilling, cutting, and welding, such as with power drills and saws. All this is a great way to modify metal, wood, and plastic, but such work tends to create rough, upraised imperfections called burrs. Wood, plastic, and metal can all get burrs, and burrs are a problem waiting to happen. Why? For one thing, they simply look ugly, and a buyer will not be impressed with the presence of such imperfections. Worse yet, these rough, upraised burrs can scrape and scratch against other surfaces or objects during use, and this can cause some serious property damage, especially from metal burrs. Metal burrs in particular may also attract static electricity, which can short out or damage sensitive electronics nearby.
The solution is to use lathe tables to grind those burrs right off. The idea is hardly new; even the ancient Egyptians used simple, handheld lathes, and today’s lathe work is done via computer-controlled tables with electronic parts. An item with burrs on it is placed on an assembly, then slowly fed to a rotating grinder surface on that lathe table. The grinder will then scrape off all burrs on plastic, wood, or metal, and leave a smooth surface. Care should be taken, though, so the lathe doesn’t go too far and damage the item. The grinder’s RPM speed can be adjusted as needed, based on the item being machined. Doing all this is vital so a drilled piece of metal or wood, for example, is smooth and flawless before being involved in later assembly steps.
On a side note, some factories or workshops make use of laser cutter heads, which utilize hot and narrow beams of light to cut right through materials or etch them. Due to their precision and lack of physical drills or saws, laser cutter heads rarely create burrs on wood, metal, or plastic items.