Since there’s an array of finishing machines on the market that provide a mix of deburring methods, how can shops make the right purchase?

It starts by choosing the best manufacturer. With about 60 years of experience, there are more than 50,000 Timesavers widebelt finishing machines in operation today.

What-Shop-Owners-Need-to-Know-About-Timesavers-Finishing-MachinesThroughout its history, Timesavers has continuously innovated methods to remove burrs.

These protruding edges and small bits of material stay attached to a workpiece after an application process, causing deformations.

Owning a finishing machine is important for any fabricator, as the following machines cause burrs:

Below is information to consider when searching for Timesavers fabrication technology:

Deburring Standards

Fabricators don’t have a single, definitive finishing process to follow. Each shop typically has its own standard about how and when to use finishing machines.

Generally, fabricators use Timesavers finishing machines to either:

  • Remove vertical burrs, which sit on a workpiece’s sides
  • Give a part a “radius,” which involves removing sharp areas and burrs on edges

The type of finishing machine your shop uses should depend on which application you prioritize.  

Finishing Applications for Vertical Burrs

If your shop largely focuses on deburring a part’s sides, a simple – but high-quality – mechanical belt sander is for you.

Timesavers Model:

The Timesavers 1200 Series 25 inch widebelt sander is suited for the smooth removal of vertical burrs.

An affordable option, shops looking to upgrade from hand finishing often choose this sander. But it also benefits fabricators looking for an efficient machine that produces fine finishes on parts less than 25 inches wide.

The belt is 60 inches long and offers feed speeds up to 40 feet per minute (FPM). Plus, it has two bed jacks, a motorized lift, and a digital thickness readout.

Process:

The abrasive belt runs on drums and continuously loops. Operators feed the workpiece onto the belt at a slight angle. Its sides, as well as leading and trailing edges, are deburred by doing so.

Belt sanders occasionally roll vertical burr material over a workpiece’s edges. This creates small lateral burrs. They’re usually easy to remove, but require secondary operations.

Check out how you can use a Timesavers finishing machine to deburr small parts:

Finishing Applications for Edge Burrs

Fabricators can choose between two types of Timesavers models to tackle edge burrs, sharp areas, and the lateral burrs left behind by abrasive belts.

They each use a unique process to quickly and effectively get jobs done.

Timesavers Model 4100 Series:

The Timesavers 4100 Series disc sanding machine is the consensus choice among fabricators.

It’s a heavy-duty model that’s suited to run consecutive high-production shifts.

Behind the 27 inch infeed loading area, the abrasive belt is 75 inches long. The machine is equipped with discs that are 36, 48, and 60 inches in diameter.

Process:

Disc sanding machines are standard in the aerospace industry, and work wonders for many shops.

You’ll find that the abrasive belt quickly removes large burrs. After, the workpiece is exposed to discs.

Discs are built to consistently create burr-free edges without harming a workpiece’s surface. A safe deburring process like this is necessary for cladded and galvanized products.

Discs are loaded with non-woven abrasive pads as well. They rotate the burr from multiple directions, resulting in a swirl pattern. Achieving this pattern is ideal because it stops the workpiece from fracturing when you bend it on a press brake.

Timesavers Model 3100 Series:

When searching for a suitable machine, consider the Timesavers 3100 Series belt/brush sander.

No matter your shop’s size, it will boost output. You won’t have to run a workpiece through the machine more than once, because it’s built to handle burrs of any size.

In terms of design, it has a 60 inch belt, brushes with diameters of six inches, and a feed speed of 15 to 45 FPM. 

Watch a Timesavers 3100 Series finishing machine in action:

Process:

A belt/brush finishing machine is a common tool. It’s specifically meant for edge rounding.

With this machine, the deburring process is straightforward.

Like when using a widebelt sander, the operator places a workpiece on the infeed loading area. After it’s been treated with the abrasive belt, it’s moved under the rotary head.

The head, which is mounted on a carousel, has counter-rotating brushes. The brushes aggressively remove burrs while lightly touching a workpiece’s surface.

As a result, the brushes deburr edges without removing surface coatings such as zinc, cladding, or laser film.

To make an informed purchase, review your shop’s priorities and consult an experienced fabrication machinery dealer with a variety of finishing machines.

>> Westway Machinery offers a range of Timesavers finishing machines, as well as other metal forming and fabrication technology. Contact us today to talk to an expert and learn more.  

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